Author: joeward7

BERNARD SCHOENBURG
THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER

Excerpt:

Candidates for Ward 7 alderman clashed Monday over a community cleanup and city residency rules at a forum that featured a total of seven candidates for city offices.

Joe McMenamin, one of three candidates in Ward 7, used a closing statement at the end of the two-hour event sponsored by the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association to tout the need for a city residency rule and his leadership in cleaning up the former Kmart property along MacArthur.

McMenamin lamented that the city council ended the residency rule a decade ago.

By DEANA POOLE, THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER
Mar 19, 2011

Excerpted from the SJ-R:

Seventeen candidates for Springfield alderman — 15 men and two women — will appear on the April 5 ballot.

Aldermanic positions are officially nonpartisan, although many of those running have partisan backgrounds. Republicans currently have a 6-4 majority on the council.  Aldermen serve four-year terms and are paid about $15,000 a year.

The State Journal-Register today is highlighting the races in Wards 6, 7 and 8.

Ward 7

The race to replace Ward 7 Ald. Debbie Cimarossa has attracted a restaurant owner, a former Marine and an attorney.

Michael Higgins, owner of Maldaner’s restaurant; John Laurenzana, director of marketing and public relations for Capitol Care Center; and Joe McMenamin, who once ran for Ward 10 alderman, are vying to represent Ward 7.

McMenamin 58, was the first to formally launch a campaign in Ward 7.

He did so in the parking lot of the old Kmart building on MacArthur, where after a brief news conference, about 50 people divided into teams, pulled weeds and cleaned up debris.

He also reignited the debate over the lack of a residency requirement for city workers, saying he would support an exemption for current employees who live outside the city limits, but wouldn’t exempt those who want to move out of the city, except by hardship waiver.

McMenamin has called it a “crime” for the previous mayor to negotiate a five-year contract with firefighters union that included 3.5 percent raises each year going into a recession.

“I will be a tireless advocate to strengthen our neighborhoods and improve MacArthur Boulevard, a fiscal watchdog on the city council and a public servant to Ward 7 voters and residents,” he said.

McMenamin has pledged to use his $15,000 aldermanic salary to rent office space along MacArthur and be available there on weekends and at least one night a week, in addition to being available by phone and e-mail.

Read the full story at the SJ-R.com…

Listen to Joe on the radio with Sam Madonia of WFMB March 15, 2011

Download mp3 now…

SJ-R.com
Bernard Schoenburg
March 7, 2011

Read full story at SJ-R.com…

Joe will participate in the following events:
Monday, March 21
The MacArthur Boulevard Business Association hosts a forum from 6 to 8 p.m. at South Side Christian Church, 2600 S. MacArthur Blvd. Invited are candidates for mayor and candidates for alderman in Wards 6 and 7.

A wide range of issues could be discussed, including economic development and tax increment financing, said David Farrell, vice president of the group and the event’s moderator. The association’s president, Cory Jobe, is the only candidate on the Ward 6 ballot. (Ward 6 write-in candidates have been invited.) Ward 7’s race features Joe McMenamin, John Laurenzana and Michael Higgins. The event is free and open to the public.

SJ-R.com
John Reynolds
March 3, 2011

Excerpts:

Candidates running for Springfield alderman fielded questions on garbage collection, dilapidated houses, and 3 a.m. liquor licenses during an election forum Thursday.

Twelve candidates were at the event, which was sponsored by Illinois Peoples Action, Downtown Springfield Inc., the MacArthur Boulevard Business Association and Inner City Older Neighborhoods

Steve Combs, president of the Enos Park Neighborhood Association, said Inner City Older Neighborhoods is a coalition of about 20 different neighborhood associations. The forum featured candidates from multiple wards because many issues overlap, he said.

“We wanted to get all of the alderman candidates together to see what the dynamics are as they relate to different issues. If you have attended the council meetings, you know it is citywide issues that ultimately get resolved by all of them,” Combs said.

About 70 people attended the event.

During the event, the candidates were read a question and asked if they agreed or disagreed. The candidates answered by raising their hands, and the moderators then asked some of them to speak.

Read the full story at SJ-R.com…
See photos of Joe at the forum…

SJ-R.com
Rhys Saunders
February 15, 2011

Excerpts:

Six of the seven Springfield mayoral candidates on the primary election ballot spoke to members of the Springfield Branch of the NAACP during a forum Tuesday night.

Also present were four aldermanic candidates and five Springfield School Board candidates. The event was held at Zion Baptist Church, 1601 E. Laurel St.

Joe McMenamin, Ward 7: “When you go door-to-door and ask city residents, ‘Do you want a city police officer living next to you or a crack house,’ what’s the answer? It’s unanimous. That’s how you strengthen communities. Not in Chatham, not in Sherman, not in Rochester.”

Read the full story at SJ-R.com…