For 300 spectators at First Presbyterian Church, Sunday’s mayoral forum was Aurora residents’ last chance to hear all seven candidates reiterate their campaign promises before Tuesday’s primary election.
Polls also will be open Tuesday in Naperville and in parts of Wheaton and Downers Grove where non-partisan candidates for City Council seats will be whittled down in advance of the April general election.
As he has throughout the campaign, two-term incumbent David Pierce, 46, touted his record from his eight years in office.
“The thing you have to do is look at my performance, and rate it against the other candidates,” Pierce, the former Kane County clerk, said.
He also previewed a new program to tackle the problems caused by gangs-by far the No. 1 campaign issue. Pierce said the city is about to launch an effort to educate students on the evils of joining gangs. He likened it to the widely acclaimed and successful DARE program that teaches children the pitfalls of drug use and abuse.
Leading the charge in attacking Pierce’s record was Jack Cunningham, 54, an attorney, developer and frequent political candidate.
Cunningham said he is “the one who can handle the gangs, the growth and the massive government spending,” areas in which he says Pierce has failed. Cunningham promised a six-month crackdown on gangs, a program to prosecute “career criminals.” He also promised to establish an East Side police and fire station and to created a Commissioner of Public Safety to oversee police and fire operations.
“The City of Aurora is altogether wasting too much money,” he repeated, pointing out the city budget has nearly tripled to more than $100 million during Pierce’s years in office.
Ald. Ken Hinterlong (3rd), 58, a retired telephone company executive and service station owner who has been an alderman throughout Pierce’s tenure, said his goal was to put at least 20 more police officers on the street to combat gangs.
Hinterlong also pitched his plan to introduce a new budgeting system to City Hall that would involve constant review of city employees and programs and be based partially on periodic resident surveys.
Barbara Kattermann, 48, the past executive director of the Aurora Economic Development Commission and now a consultant to a local private developer, cited her diverse experience, including eight months as interim village manager in Bolingbrook in 1980 and 1981 and a year as deputy commissioner for Chicago’s Department of Economic Development in 1990 and 1991.
She, too, criticized Pierce for city budget increases and went on to chastise him for not doing enough in the areas of economic development, the gang battle and support of East Side schools. Kattermann called herself “someone who can be trusted by the people of this community.”
Norma Cotner, 56, a social service agency director, also touted her experience, including nearly nine years as an assistant to a city planner in Rockville, Md., and as head of a small company in northwest Georgia.
“It is time for the government to be returned to the people,” she said. “And I am a people person. I also am a seasoned administrator.”
Cotner once again pitched her plan to reorganize City Hall, cut 15 jobs and save $1 million a year. She also proposed an East Side police precinct station, championed her idea for a vocational school to help troubled teenagers and proposed a new East Side youth center.
Eva Rodgers, 53, a former city clerk fired by Pierce two years ago who now runs a car repair shop with her husband, said the problems facing Aurora’s youth won’t be solved until government brings in city churches to help.
“I believe that our moral system is crumbling,” she said. “We need to get back to the basics.”
Rodgers once again proposed putting more beat police on the street in troubled areas and establishing a small business council.
As did Rodgers, Angel Hernandez, 44, an independent insurance agent and onetime youth supervisor for the Illinois Department of Corrections, pledged to open up the government process.
“I like to think I can make the whole city of Aurora operate as a unit,” he said. “Not East Side, not West Side, not the Fox Valley Villages, but just the City of Aurora.”
Hernandez also proposed to work with the schools to prevent gang activity, cut taxes and work for more affordable housing.
Tuesday’s primary election will narrow Aurora’s seven-candidate field to two for the April consolidated election.
Just about everybody wants to serve on the Naperville City Council; a field of 10 candidates are seeking nomination for three at-large seats on the six-member council. The top six vote-getters Tuesday move on to the general election.
Incumbents seeking re-election are Glenn Schneider, Carolyn LeSage and Douglas Krause. Others in the field are Donald Zbikowski, Lynn Hejtmanek, Timothy Moran, Michael Wisniewski, Thomas Losiniecki, Kevin Gallaher and Joe Wozniak.
In Wheaton, three candidates are running for a newly created seat in the city’s South District. The top two finishers among lawyer Bob Mork, business manager Allan Weiner and financial consultant O.P. “Ohm” Dewan, go on to the April ballot.
Downers Grove has six candidates vying for four spots on the April ballot that ultimately will translate into two seats on the village council.
They are incumbent Marilyn Schnell and newcomers Tom Sisul, Bill White, Joan Konecny, David Dickey and Ben Mammina.
