Brenden Moore
The State Journal-Register
Springfield ICON, a group that advocates for the city’s older neighborhoods, endorsed a mix of incumbents and newcomers on Monday for city offices in the April 2 election.
The group, comprised of about 40 people involved in various neighborhood associations, endorsed Mayor Jim Langfelder and Treasurer Misty Buscher for re-election. The group also announced its support of Rianne Hawkins for city clerk. She is challenging incumbent Frank Lesko in a rematch. All three were endorsed by ICON in the 2015 municipal elections.
In Ward 1, the Rev. T. Ray McJunkins, the pastor of Union Baptist Church, was endorsed over incumbent Ald. Chuck Redpath. Former Ward 2 Ald. Gail Simpson, running for the seat she vacated in 2015, received the nod over incumbent Ward 2 Ald. Herman Senor and two other opponents. In Ward 10, the group endorsed challenger Rob Patino over incumbent Ald. Ralph Hanauer and another opponent.
In Ward 8, an open seat being vacated by the term-limited Ald. Kris Theilen, the group endorsed Erin Conley over Dean Graven and Debra Kunkel.
The group endorsed incumbents for the other contested city council seats, including Ward 4 Ald. John Fulgenzi, Ward 5 Ald. Andrew Proctor, Ward 6 Ald. Kristin DiCenso and Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin.
“Some candidates have promoted a negative view of Springfield and it would be easy to fall into despair over budget constraints, bureaucracy, lack of enforcement for dilapidated properties, lack of comprehensive garbage service and the very real cost of sprawl,” said ICON chairwoman Carol Kneedler. “But one great thing about civic participation and community engagement is that you get to know that there are really good people working hard to make the best decisions possible, to do the right thing, to serve all the citizens of Springfield.”
The group said two major issues they hope city leaders tackle in the new term are reforming the city’s garbage collection system and addressing the preponderance of problem properties.
Endorsements were given to candidates who received more than 50 percent of votes from ICON members.
Kneedler said a few factors went into the decisions. For incumbents, this included whether they kept the promises they made four years ago as well as their council voting record. In some cases, there were candidates who supported ICON’s position “in one area but maybe disappointed you in another area,” Kneedler said.
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Joe McMenamin for Ward 7 