Mayoral races in Dixon and Sterling top Tuesday ballots

Voters in Sterling and Dixon will determine who will be mayor of their respective cities during consolidated elections Tuesday.

In both cases, longtime mayors Li Arellano Jr. in Dixon and Skip Lee in Sterling decided not to seek reelection.

Both communities have council-manager forms of government, meaning the mayor presides at council meetings and represents the city in intergovernmental relationships while city staff and day-to-day operations are relegated to a manager or an administrator.

Also contested are two seats on the Sterling Public Schools board and three seats on the Dixon Public Schools board.

Polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and will close after 7 p.m. once all who are in line have voted.

Dixon

City Council member Dennis Considine and retired bank executive Glen Hughes are the candidates for Dixon mayor. Both have decades of experience in business and community organizations.

Considine, 77, served as commissioner of public health and safety under the previous form of government. Then, under the present form, he was elected to the council in 2017 and 2021. He is retired after 50 years in a variety of businesses, including leading the East End Business Association.

Hughes, 70, had a 37-year career in commercial lending, serving as market president at Community State Bank for 15 years. He has been on the Lee County Zoning Board of Appeals and served on the CASA Board as well as other service organizations.

Both have highlighted different aspects of the need for adequate housing and see the need to build on the momentum of ongoing development on the south end of the city.

During a voter forum March 16, Hughes said: “Moving forward, Dixon needs a leader who has in-depth business and financial knowledge, a proven commitment to the community, plus an eye on its future potential.”

Considine offered his experience: “I really am humbled and sincerely privileged to have served the citizens of Dixon these last 10 years, and I hope to be able to continue to do that in the future.”

Also on the Dixon ballot are incumbent council members Mike Venier and Mary Oros, who are running unopposed, while Anthony Venier and Rodney Frey are unopposed for Dixon Park District commissioner.

Sterling

Three are on the ballot for Sterling mayor: Jim Wise, an alderman and former administrator in Cherry Valley and Morrison; Diana Merdian, coordinator for family services and Nexus at the regional office of education; and Mary Carlson, retired broadcast reporter and community volunteer.

All three candidates at a March 21 forum said the council and city government have a good record on the issue of business growth.

On the $300 million Riverfront Reimagined project at the Lawrence Bros. and National sites, Merdian said maintaining the momentum with the chamber and partners is important.

Meanwhile, Wise commended the quality of developer Gorman and Co., and Carlson said she sees the benefit to tourism but questioned some of the priorities and application of resources toward some aspects of the project.

All three see housing as a priority, especially in the rehabilitation of residences. They also expressed their commitment to the position: Merdian said her job gives her flexibility to meet council members and be the voice of residents, Wise said as a retiree he will be at City Hall permanently, and Carlson said she is available and has a good relationship with many community groups.

Running unopposed as aldermen are Retha Elston in the 1st Ward, Joe Strabala-Bright in the 2nd Ward, Josh Johnson in the 3rd Ward and Joseph Martin in the 4th Ward.

There are three spots on the Sterling Park District commission with Jeffrey Hippen, Marvin Reyes and Kip Aitken on the ballot.

Education

Three candidates are contending for two township seats on the Sterling Public School board: incumbent Narcisco Puentes, former board member Gonzalo Reyes and Allen Przysucha. Puentes, now retired, and Reyes, a teacher, are both career educators while Przysucha is an assistant manager at Carpetland involved with literacy through a service club.

Puentes has advocated for the board to be more “inquisitive” about meeting stakeholder concerns but remain student-first in setting policy.

Reyes has been advocating for more minority representation among the teaching staff and noted that the board must be prepared for the planned 2028 retirement of the current superintendent.

Przysucha emphasized the role of a board member as someone who can direct community concerns to the “appropriate person.”

Unopposed for another Sterling board seat is Sarah Alvarez Brown, who filled an unexpired term.

Seven candidates are in the running for three seats on the Dixon Public Schools board. They are: Matthew J. Lenox, Kathleen Schaefer, Victoria Bowers, Melissa Gates, Taylor Payne, Damaris Martinez and David T. Fritts.

Gates, a mental health professional, is the only elected incumbent, who has made advocacy for special education a core concern.

Schaefer, a library youth coordinator, is filling an unexpired term after being a leading voice on the community engagement committee.

Lenox does marketing for Discover Dixon and advocates for a culture of innovation in the schools.

Bowers is a Woodlawn preschool teacher who serves on the community engagement committee and wants up-to-date curriculum with teacher and staff input.

Payne, who works for Allied Locke, said he benefited from a public school education and wants to cultivate that kind of thriving culture in Dixon.

Martinez works for Young America’s Foundation and said parents’ voices are not being heard.

Fritts is a former public defender and judge who pledges to be “a hands-on board member.”

In other education races:

Lisa Wiersema and Margaret Tyne are up for two six-year terms as members of the Sauk Valley Community College Board of Trustees.

For the Rock Falls Township High School board, there are three seats open to incumbent candidates Janice McKanna, Merle Gaulrapp and Heather Waninger.

In East Coloma-Nelson Elementary School District 20, Geoffrey Wright, Michael J. Schumacher, Trace Hippen, Connor Olson, Eric Bontz and Joshua Coward are running for three seats with four-year terms. Jamie Vos is a write-in candidate for an unexpired two-year term.

At Montmorency, there are four seats each with a four-year term. Candidates are Jamie Near, Ryan Downie and Erin Buchholz, with write-in candidate Dan Arickx.

At Rock Falls School District 13, Meagen Mullan, Shawn Fritz and Robert Watts are up for three seats with four-year terms.

Rock Falls

Running unopposed in Rock Falls is Pamela Martinez for city clerk. Also unopposed for aldermen are Gabriella McKanna in the 1st Ward and Cody Dornes in the 3rd Ward.

There are three spots for Rock Falls Public Library trustee: Bonnie Decker, Jason Smith and write-in candidate Wendy Dugger.

Unopposed for Coloma Park District commission are Michael Sterba for a six-year term, Henry Sobottka for an unexpired four-year term and Brad Leuschke for an unexpired two-year term.