Voters head to the polls on municipal Election Day
WINNEBAGO COUNTY (WREX) Voters across the Stateline will head to the polls Tuesday to cast their ballots in the municipal Election Day.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and will close at 7 p.m. Voters get to weigh in on a number of issues, referendums, ballots, and candidates that specifically have to do with the future of their cities, villages and towns.
In Rockford, there are five city wards with contested aldermanic races. Rockford s Mayor Tom McNamara will run unopposed for his second term.
Meanwhile in Belvidere, Mayor Mike Chamberlain faces a challenger in Clint Morris. And in Freeport, incumbent Mayor Jodi Miller faces a Democratic challenger in Ronnie Bush.
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Jane Lethlean
Special to The Journal-Standard
FREEPORT Mickey Martin, a fourth-generation resident of Freeport, is ready to make a change in her life by moving closer to her family in Idaho.
Before she leaves the city she has given so much of her time to with civic and community service, Martin will be honored Monday by the City Council with a proclamation from Mayor Jodi Miller and a permanent plaque displayed at City Hall.
Martin, 81, was among the first women to serve on the City Council when she was elected in 1979, serving the 7th Ward. Martin said she remembers battling the mayor at the time and not being called on during meetings. She persevered and continued to fight for her community on the council until 1997.
Freeport mayor should detail pros, cons of part-time switch
Pat Leitzen Fye
I recently received Mayor Jodi Miller’s campaign letter in my mailbox. As a feminist I think it’s great that Ms. Miller has been “honored to serve as Freeport’s first female mayor. But, as the co-chair of the committee that worked to bring the referendum to the ballot to change our form of government, I would much rather hear a report from Freeport’s first mayor operating under the council/manager form of government.
In 2016, Freeport voters elected to change our form of government from what was commonly called the aldermanic form to the council/manager form. This was no small feat, considering it took three previous ballot referendum attempts before the change was approved a change that offered an opportunity for sweeping change by elected leadership whose load is lightened through the shift of focus from day-to-day management to enhanced community knowledge, communications and relationship