Our endorsements for Champaign County Board
By:
Thursday, October 30, 2008
District 1
Republicans John Jay and Larry Sapp are a good match for their largely rural and conservative district in northwest Champaign County. Both are conscientious county board members who are appropriately skeptical of increased spending. We hope they continue to be skeptical, particularly as it applies to the county nursing home, which is single-handedly ruining the county general fund bottom line. We would be remiss if we were not to mention the thoughtful campaigns of their Democratic opponents, Eric Thorsland and Scott Hays. We are particularly impressed with Thorsland.
District 2
Incumbent Republican Ron Bensyl is unopposed.
District 3
This dependably Republican district has two good candidates in Republican Alan Nudo and Democrat Margaret Wright. But our enthusiastic endorsement goes to Nudo, who was appointed to the board last January to replace Scott Tapley and has been a godsend, immediately jumping into the troublesome nursing home issue and helping develop a consensus to appoint a board of directors to help oversee the facility. Nudo has a strong business background and community awareness. He helped dissuade other board members from putting another property tax increase request for the nursing home on the ballot in November. Members of both parties have voiced high praise for his leadership.
District 4
Incumbent Republican Steve O'Connor is unopposed.
District 5
Democrat Carol Ammons, recently appointed to the board, has given indications that with her background in social work and community activism, she can bring welcome energy and intelligence to the board on many fronts. Both she and Republican Corben Rice won't be afraid to ask questions about county policies and spending. We hope both of them ask lots of questions about the nursing home. Republican William Kyles also would be a good county board member. It's time for incumbent Lloyd Carter to step aside.
District 6
Democrats Giraldo Rosales (four-year term) and Michael Richards (two-year term) are unopposed.
District 7
This district is a tough call, with three outstanding candidates and another who probably would do a fine job. But our endorsement goes to incumbent Democrat Pius Weibel, an incumbent, and Republican challenger Tony Pomonis. That leaves out incumbent Janet Anderson, a fair, hard-working and thorough board member. But Weibel has been such a pleasant surprise as an impartial and conscientious board chairman, and Pomonis' business background, personal history and tenacity about tackling county issues make him such him a rare commodity that they won our support over a solid incumbent. Green Party candidate Walter Pituc is the fourth candidate.
District 8
Green Party candidate Joe Futrelle ran for the board two years ago and remains interested and engaged in county government. We think his obvious interest in county issues and his independent status (at least from the two major parties) would be a tonic for a board that still tends, at times, to get bogged down in partisanship. We don't agree with him on all issues but we especially like his stand for more transparency and accountability in county government. He is opposed by Democrat Sam Smucker.
District 9
Incumbent Democrat Brendan McGinty has been pushing for more efficiency, strategic planning and other improvements in county government and it is finally starting to pay off. He has championed a move to one county administrator, pushed for hiring experts to oversee the county nursing home and has pledged to continue to work to reduce the size of the 27-member county board. He is opposed by Green Party candidate Mike Lehman.