FREEPORT – Outgoing Mayor Jodi Miller is challenged by veteran politician Ronnie Bush within the April 6 mayoral election.

Miller, a former metropolis councilor, is finishing her first time period as mayor. She touts her administration’s skill to fund infrastructure enhancements with out elevating taxes, meet the prices of pension legal responsibility and take away dozens of broken constructions.

Previous to taking over the mayor’s workplace, she had already made a reputation for herself in the neighborhood as a profitable businesswoman and 17-year-old proprietor. Widespread Union Dairy Ice Cream Parlor.

Bush, additionally a former metropolis councilor, is a member of the Stephenson County Board of Administrators. It has an extended historical past of neighborhood activism that features making a neighborhood watch group, funding a home occupied by a police officer within the metropolis’s third arrondissement, and selling a back-to-school celebration. , which includes offering the youngsters of the town with the mandatory provides. for the primary day of faculty.

If elected, he stated he could be “the voice of the individuals”.

Each contestants spoke about Freeport’s wealthy historical past and touted the townspeople as its greatest belongings.

After:The Mayor’s Race of Freeport, a recreation of political veterans; this is who else is on the poll

Here is how candidates responded to The Journal-Customary questionnaires:

Final identify: Ronnie bush

Age: 68

Household: Lucy, spouse; 5 sons, three daughters

Occupation: Retired Bus Driver from Freeport College District

Training: 1971 Graduated from Freeport Excessive College, some lessons at Highland Neighborhood Faculty

Hobbies or pursuits: Practice on the YMCA

Why do you need to be mayor of Freeport? Now could be the time to deliver the federal government of the town of Freeport again to the residents of Freeport. Now could be the time to be clear and promote equity to the residents of Freeport. Now could be the time to revitalize our neighborhoods. Now could be the time to launch actual public security initiatives. Now could be the time to put money into our youth. Assist me provide help to, present a optimistic imaginative and prescient that you just, the residents of Freeport, may be proud to name Freeport residence for generations to return. Now could be the time so that you can vote early till April fifth. Now could be the time to go to the polls on April 6 and vote for Ronnie J. Bush, NOW THE TIME!

What are a few of your accomplishments throughout your time as a Freeport Metropolis Councilor and presently a member of the Stephenson County Board of Administrators?

Freeway 75 beautification mission: Coordination of a neighborhood cleansing committee and acquiring the 1992 distinctive volunteer award for this mission.

Neighborhood Watch: In 1993, a homicide rocked the neighborhood. I referred to as for a neighborhood assembly at a neighborhood church. Not realizing what number of would attend, I needed to transfer the assembly to the church sanctuary. Greater than 300 individuals took half, which made it doable to kind three committees: neighborhood security, employment and youth growth. Neighborhood watch nonetheless exists at this time.

Neighborhood police: I launched the thought of ​​financing a home occupied by a police officer within the third neighborhood.

Visiting the rooms: The concept behind this was to take the aldermen out of their consolation zone, permitting them to see first-hand issues that wanted our consideration, reasonably than ready for issues to be introduced to them.

Again to highschool celebration: I wished to guarantee that each youngster has the chance to attend their first day of faculty with all of the supplies wanted to do their job.

Assist for community-based policing operations within the city of Freeport and co-sponsor of the Social Justice Committee for Stephenson County Council.

What’s good about Freeport? Town of Freeport is wealthy in heritage and delight. The individuals who inhabit Freeport are endowed with immense expertise and are usually good individuals who inherently need to see the glory of Freeport restored. If I’m elected, I might be the voice of the individuals, which is my obligation. I might use my voice to construct buy-in to my imaginative and prescient for Freeport, a imaginative and prescient of unity, equity, transparency and the profitable development of our metropolis.

What are a few of the challenges of Freeport and the way would you method them?

Water and sewer and street infrastructure: I might deal with these issues concurrently by repairing first the water and sewer community after which the streets.

Overstated Water Payments: Discover out precisely how the earmarked funds have been and are getting used, then work to regulate the water payments accordingly.

Public Security: Try to rent extra certified cops, whereas offering the assist essential to do their jobs efficiently.

Social Justice: Cultural range and sensitivity coaching for all departments within the Metropolis of Freeport. Unconscious bias take a look at for our cops, and can work to deliver again community-based policing.

Youth Initiatives: Develop a Mayor’s Youth Council to offer coaching and encourage youth to change into servant leaders of Freeport. From there, a Teenagers Summit could be created to deliver collectively all of the younger individuals of Freeport for the only function of permitting them to current what they consider to be points to city corridor.

Would you want so as to add something? Residents of Freeport, as you put together to vote early or go to the polls on April 6, it’s best to ask your self, has Freeport improved beneath Mayor Miller? If not, now could be the time to vote for a mayor who believes in equality and the overall well-being of all residents of Freeport. Now could be the time to vote for honesty, integrity, transparency and dedication. Now could be the time to vote for Ronnie J. Bush.

Final identify: Jodi miller

Age: 56

Household: Three grown kids, 5 grandchildren

Occupation: Mayor of Freeport

Training: 1982 Graduated from Dakota Excessive College

Hobbies or pursuits: Cooking, studying, fishing and searching

Why are you in search of re-election? I had the privilege of being the primary feminine mayor of Freeport. Whereas I’m happy with what we have now achieved, there’s nonetheless an extended solution to go. Most of the actions I’ve taken over the previous 4 years have concerned addressing long-standing points at Freeport, and I look ahead to following the long-term plans we have now made to handle these points whereas taking motion. further steps to benefit from Freeport. to return up.

What are a few of your accomplishments throughout your time period as mayor? In my first yr, we applied a 20-year plan to satisfy the $ 200 million infrastructure problem we confronted and obtained hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in grants and forgivable loans for scale back the burden on taxpayers. We have now additionally settled our unfunded pension legal responsibility of $ 50 million in a means that’s anticipated to avoid wasting Freeport taxpayers $ 30 million over the following 20 years. We have now demolished over 100 unsafe constructions in Freeport and created a brand new Persistent Nuisance Ordinance to aggressively maintain unhealthy landlords and landlords accountable for his or her property. We have now achieved this whereas decreasing the town property tax price for our residents, in an setting the place most different tax companies have raised their charges.

What’s good about Freeport? Freeport’s biggest asset is its individuals. We’re a neighborhood with various pursuits and backgrounds. Freeport has a deep entrepreneurial spirit that thrives to this present day and a historical past of assembly the challenges that lie forward. Our dimension presents a fantastic mixture of metropolis facilities and rural appeal. I finish my weekly columns with the phrase “let love and kindness be your motivation in every little thing you do and collectively we will present the world that Freeport is a good place to stay, work and play.” I am writing it as a result of I consider it, and I consider it due to the individuals at Freeport.

What are a few of the challenges of Freeport and the way would you method them? Whereas I’m proud that my administration has tackled our infrastructure challenges head-on, the truth is that we’re lower than 4 years right into a 20-year plan. The following 4 years will likely be essential in transferring successfully on this path, and I intend to take action, whereas persevering with to actively hunt down each grant and forgivable mortgage that can scale back the impression on our taxpayers. I will even proceed to actively pursue neighborhood rehabilitation and empower absent owners in order that we will enhance the standard of all of our neighborhoods. Census outcomes can have a big impression on incomes and companies, and as mayor, it will likely be crucial to implement plans that proceed to prioritize public security, infrastructure, financial growth and cleaner neighborhoods.

Would you want so as to add something? It has been a fantastic privilege to be your mayor for the previous 4 years. I hold my phrase and, 4 years in the past, I made a dedication to not enhance your property tax charges, whereas fixing our lengthy uncared for infrastructure, preventing the scourge and supporting our first responders. Whereas I’ve addressed every of those objectives over the previous 4 years, the work isn’t but accomplished, so I’m asking on your vote on Tuesday April 6 to proceed planning our work and growing our plan.