ROCKFORD Mayor-elect Clinton Morris vows to examine how tax dollars are being spent, infuse the city with more business opportunities and create a more inclusive decision-making process for aldermen.
Morris, who upset two-term mayor Mike Chamberlain on April 6, will be sworn in Monday as the city s top elected official.
The 61-year-old former City Council member is looking to add a culture of transparency among local officials, particularly aldermen. He wants to encourage open dialogue to eliminate the breakdown of communications that he says created a certain amount of animosity at City Council meetings. For Morris, working closely with City Council members is crucial to working on behalf of residents.
Many families are awaiting a call from the district to see if their child will move up to four days a week.
“We’re at the mercy of the school district once again,” said Mike Chamberlain, whose daughter is currently in school two days a week.
She is one of many who could be attending class in person for four days a week come April 20, but they haven’t heard yet from the district.
Due to social distancing, the district doesn’t know how many middle and high school students it can bring back.
The new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guideline says 3 feet of distance is acceptable in middle and high schools, but only if the community’s COVID-19 transmission level is not high. In Fairfax County, the transmission is high enough where students are still recommended to keep a 6-foot distance.
Morris gathered nearly 57% of the 2,319 ballots cast, defeating Chamberlain by 313 votes.
Chamberlain was seeking his third term as the city s mayor.
Morris, a former City Council member, could not be reached Tuesday night. However, in a questionnaire with the Rockford Register Star before the election, he emphasized lowering the burden of taxes on residents as his priority. The mayor should not place special interests above community interests at the taxpayer’s expense, Morris said. I will fiercely represent our taxpayers first.
Belvidere City Council races
• In the
2nd Ward, Republican Natalie Mulhall defeated independent candidate Catherine Rose Barnes for a City Council seat, according to unofficial election results.
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.