In the interest of full disclosure, let it be known that the author of this article is married to the Mayor.
What if they held an election, and nobody voted? That is not quite the scenario we find ourselves in here in Lyons, but the bottom line is; the residents of Lyons might not have to go to the polls in April. At 4:30 p.m. Friday afternoon (March 5), one candidate; current Mayor Julie Van Domelen, had returned a petition to run for the position of Mayor, and only six candidates; current Trustees Kathy Carroll and Kirk Udovich, plus Sandy Banta, Ed Bruder, Kathy Jacobson, and LaVern Johnson had returned petitions to run for the six Board of Trustee (BOT) positions. So what this means, according to Town Clerk Deb Anthony, is that unless an individual or individuals wishing to become a write-in-candidate files an “affidavit of intent” twenty days prior to
the election indicating that person’s desire to hold office, and he or she is qualified to assume the duties of that office. If elected, then there will be no need to hold the April election. Long sentence somewhat shortened, if that doesn’t happen, everyone who signed up to run for office will automatically get the seat. Congratulations to the winners? Maybe, we’ll see. Anthony says the last day to file an affidavit would be March 17 at 4:30 p.m. In the event that the election is not necessary, it can only be canceled by a resolution of the BOT, and not before March 18.
The present BOT members will continue to serve until the new members are sworn in at the regularly scheduled April 19 meeting. The out-going Trustees are: Peter Baumgartner, Brian Donnell (both term-limited) Tina Schooler, and Juli Waugh (both served one term and opted not to seek re-election). Baumgartner and Donnell have served three consecutive terms (six years), with Donnell having been Mayor Pro-Tem for the last four years, including a five-month stint as acting Mayor during the transition period from when former Mayor Kris Hicar resigned (December 2008) to when Van Domelen was elected Mayor in a special election (April 2009). Kudos and a big thank-you are in order to all of them for the time, effort, hard work, and dedication they have given the community in what has been a tumultuous and challenging period for Lyons.
If no one does in fact step forward to be a write-in candidate, this group should be able to make a smooth transition into the coming year. Mayor Van Domelen, who now has a year under her belt, and Trustees Carroll and Udovich, each of who has held the seat for two years, will provide continuity to the Board. LaVern Johnson, who was term-limited in 2006, would be returning to the Board after a four-year absence, and it shouldn’t take her too long to get up to speed, since she has been going to every meeting anyway (it took a broken femur last summer to keep her away). Both Banta and Bruder have served on the Board of Appeals for the Town of Lyons, and Jacobson, a three-year Lyons resident, may provide a fresh eye to the mix.
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