municipal elections

This month voters in Prairie Central approved a referendum allowing the school district to borrow $38 million for necessary facility upgrades, including a new centralized elementary school in Fairbury. That means the current Prairie Central Primary West elementary school in Chenoa will close, as well as two others in Chatsworth and Fairbury.

This is Part 3 of a series of stories about the mayoral election in Bloomington. Election Day is April 1.

The Bloomington-Normal branch of the NAACP held an election forum on Saturday that included the candidates for the municipal election on April 1, as well as information on the proposed countywide school sales tax referendum.

Incumbent Mayor Mboka Mwilambwe, first-term city council member Cody Hendricks and 22-year former Republican state Rep. Dan Brady are all in the running for Bloomington's top job.

The three candidates participated in a WGLT forum to answer questions submitted by the voters, each making their pitch for the leadership style they want for Normal.

Bloomington-Normal unions hosted a candidates night to hear from many of the candidates who will be on the ballot April 1. Union delegates endorsed Cody Hendricks for Bloomington mayor, but did not endorse in Normal's mayoral race.

Down a person, the three-member board that oversees elections in Bloomington is now seeking a new member to serve a three-year term.

Jon Kilgore, superintendent of Pontiac Township High School District 90, is filling a Heartland Community College board seat vacated by Jeffery Flessner earlier this month.

There will be contested races for two Bloomington City Council seats in the consolidated elections next April, but none will be needed for the Normal Town Council.

Bloomington-Normal candidates for next April's municipal elections have begun filing their nominating petitions.