MARCH, 2013 ISSUE 1, VOLUME 1

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CLOSE CALL

Hooper escapes primary contest

Citizen Party voters pick change over embattled incumbent Township Supervisor
Most in Freeport cant remember the last time Freeport Township Supervisor Sheila Hooper was tested on Election Day, but the longtime politician had all she could handle last Tuesday. Hooper narrowly eked out a victory in Tuesdays Citizens Party primary election over local activist John Cook. Hooper won the primary with 898 votes to Cooks 856 votes. The spoiler in the election was Stephenson County Board Member Ed Mulligan, who, despite not campaigning at all during the race, earned 427 votes in the Citizens Party contest. All total 1,283 ballots were cast against Hooper. Without Mulligans candidacy, its safe to say that Cook would have earned a decisive victory over the embattled incumbent. Although I didn't win I'm think my campaign was a success, more
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The Reformer
Sellers promises change
Independent candidate says business as usual at Township office must end
Taking on difficult challenges and being a leader is not new to Patrick Sellershes been doing most of his life. Whether its working with at-risk youth, serving his community, or growing a business, Sellers knows that leadership and hard work are the keys to making change happen. Over the next 40 days Sellers will be working to bring new leadership and change to an institution that many say has lost its way in the public arena the Freeport Township government. Sellers is challenging long-time Freeport Township Supervisor Sheila Hooper in an April 9th municipal election. I love this community, says Sellers, a 1990 graduate of Freeport High School. This is where I grew up and came back to after college to live my life, build a career, and to give something back. It saddens me to see Freeport in the condition it is in today. We need new leadership at all levels of local government I know I can provide
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TOWNSHIP TUSSLE

Reform candidates jump first hurdle with primary election wins

Reform at the Freeport Township office may be just one election away after Tuesdays Citizens Party Primary Election. A coalition of reform-minded township trustee candidates picked up two positions in the upcoming April 9th General Election with the victories of Joy Sellers and Kathy Altensey over incumbent Corrine Bruce. Sellers and Altensey earned 1,161 and 1,191 votes respectively to Bruces 976 votes. I am honored that the people of Freeport Township saw fit to elect me

as a Township Trustee, said challenger Sellers (no relation to Patrick Sellers). I am concerned about the welfare of our community and how our tax dollars are being spent. Thank all of you that voted for me and please get out and help make a change on April 9th. Tuesdays election saw a five-way Citizens Party primary where voters selected just four candidates.
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2 March, 2013
Sellers
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that leadership in our township offices. Sellers says that the Freeport Township has become complacent over the many years that Supervisor Hooper has run the local government. He points to a growing lack of transparency, financial accountability to taxpayers, and professionalism in the office. Sellers says it is time to make changes in leadership at the township level, initiate reform, and bring back credibility to the local government. Our township government has a growing list of problems and challenges, argues Sellers. Once you begin to learn and investigate what has happened down there over the years, the more you realize that some big changes are needed. I intend to bring that reform and that change. Sellers was born and raised in Freeport. His father, Reverend. Lonnie Sellers, is an associate pastor at Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church and is a retiree of KellySpringfield Tire and Rubber Company. Sellers' mother is Hazel Sellers who is retired from the Freeport School District #145. My brothers and sisters and I were raised to be respectful, honest, caring, dedicated and hardworking, says Sellers. These characteristics have been instilled into my heart and mind and have been instrumental in shaping me into who I am today. Sellers currently works for Freeport School District #145 as a Family Resource Coordinator (FRC), serving low-income students and families at Blackhawk Elementary School. Connecting families to the resources they need is what being a resource coordinator is all about, says Sellers. I really enjoy helping families and children out during difficult times. I am excited to bring that same level of compassion and enthusiasm to the township government. Sellers says that over the next five weeks he will be releasing a steady stream of reforms and changes that he believes will restore the Freeport Township government and regain the trust of the community. ing herself and her staff pay advances and leading the effort to purchase a new office building at a highly inflated price. "When state lawmakers Tim Bivins and Jim Sacia sponsored legislation that was in direct response to the actions of Freeport Township Supervisor Sheila Hooper, my ears perked up." John Cook said. "Ms. Hooper it seems was giving herself and others 'advance pay' from Freeport Township coffers." Cook went on to express dismay over Freeport Township and another property tax supported entity purchas-

Trustee election
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Along with Sellers and Altensey, incumbents Alan Turner and Mickey Martin will also move on the April 9th election. The coalition of township reformers had hoped to pick up a third seat with the candidacy of Mary Ann Eirhart. Eirhart, however, garnered only 905 votes and didnt make the cut for the April 9th election. The four primary election winners will be joined by two Independent candidatesNickee Bender and Diane Lofgren. Bender, who currently stands as the lone trustee to challenge the lack of transparency and taxpayer accountability in the township office, is hoping to add Sellers, Altensey, and Lofgren to the board and bring reform to Freeport township government.

VOTE 4 REFORM
ing a building in downtown Freeport. "They used taxpayer money to pay $124,000 more for a building than what it was appraised for, in my opinion this is was ludicrous, argued Cook. Township Supervisor Hooper has called this building a 'asset' yet there is no way it could be sold for as much as taxpayers paid for the building. Is this really an 'asset' for taxpayers? Hooper will face Independent candidate Patrick Sellers in the Tuesday, April 9th General Consolidated Election.

Hooper election
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people than ever are aware of the dysfunction within Freeport Township, Cook said. Cook added that he wasn't sure if the results were as much of an endorsement for him as they were a testimony of disapproval of the way Freeport Township has operated. Hooper has come under public scrutiny over the past two years. Shes been accused by her detractors of giv-

Elect Patrick A Sellers for Freeport Township Supervisor

https://www.facebook.com/ElectPatrickASellersForFreeportTownshipSupervisor

March, 2013
TAKE ME WITH YOU TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, APRIL 9th

FREEPORT 1

SAMPLE BALLOT
BALLOT STYLE 97
TOWNSHIP
FREEPORT TOWNSHIP FOR TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR (VOTE FOR ONE) SHEILA HOOPER
CITIZENS

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS:
To vote, complete the oval to the LEFT of your choice, like this To cast a write-in vote, complete the oval to the LEFT of the blank space provided and write the candidates name in that space. For specific information, refer to the card of instruction posted in the voting booth. If you tear, soil, deface or erroneously mark this ballot, return it to the Election Judge and obtain another. Vote both sides of the ballot if applicable. VICI R. OTTE, COUNTY CLERK STEPHENSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS

CITY OF FREEPORT POLLING PLACES

PRECINCT 1 ST PAUL MISSIONARY BAPIST CHURCH PRECINCT 2 MT CALVARY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST PRECINCT 3 ST PAUL MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH PRECINCT 4 MARY HOSMER APARTMENTS PRECINCT 5 STEPHENSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU PRECINCT 6 1ST BAPTIST CHURCH PRECINCT 7 MT CALVARY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST PRECINCT 8 1ST BAPTIST CHURCH PRECINCT 9 PARKVIEW HOME PRECINCT 10 ST JOHN UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRECINCT 11 1ST BAPTIST CHURCH PRECINCT 12 BREWSTER HIGH RISE PRECINCT 13 ST JOHN UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRECINCT 14 COMMUNITY REFORMED CHURCH PRECINCT 15 COMMUNITY REFORMED CHURCH PRECINCT 16 PARK HILLS GOLF COURSE CLUB HOUSE PRECINCT 17 ST JOHN UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST PRECINCT 18 PARK HILLS GOLF COURSE CLUB HOUSE

PATRICK A SELLERS
INDEPENDENT

FREEPORT TOWNSHIP FOR TOWNSHIP CLERK (VOTE FOR ONE) MARY JO CLAPPER
CITIZENS

BARBARA BURNS

CITY
CITY OF FREEPORT FOR MAYOR (VOTE FOR ONE) JAMES JIMGITZ
CITIZENS

INDEPENDENT

FREEPORT TOWNSHIP FOR TOWNSHIP ASSESSOR (VOTE FOR ONE) CYNTHIA PETTA WORSTER
CITIZENS

JON CARLOTON SABEN

PEOPLES

KATHY KNODLE
INDEPENDENT WRITE IN

FREEPORT TOWNSHIP FOR TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES (Vote for not more than four) MICKEY MARTIN
CITIZENS

CITY OF FREEPORT FOR CITY CLERK (VOTE FOR ONE) MARTHA E. MEG ZURAVEL
CITIZENS

KATHLEEN ALTENSEY
CITIZENS

JOY HARRELL SELLERS

CITIZENS

ALVIN TURNER
CITIZENS

NO CANDIDATE
PEOPLES

NICOLETTE NICKEE BENDER

INDEPENDENT

CITY OF FREEPORT FOR CITY TREASURER (VOTE FOR ONE) LINDA L. BUSS
CITIZENS

DIANE LOFGREN
INDEPENDENT

NO CANDIDATE
PEOPLES

TAKE ME WITH YOU TO THE POLLS ON ELECTION DAY, TUESDAY, APRIL 9th