Sterling Township trustee race crowded
STERLING – The race for Sterling Township trustee is jam-packed, with seven people vying for four 4-year terms.
The candidates are concerned about helping the indigent, making township government more accessible, maintaining its programs and keeping a balanced budget.
Trustees are paid stipends of $2,760 a year.
The candidates are Kurt Glazier, Martin Leal, Thomas Ausman, Ruth Stanley, Robert Van De Velde, William McGinn and Elizabeth Hall.
Kurt Glazier
Glazier, an Illinois Department of Transportation traffic operations technician, has always been interested in government.
“I know the ins and outs of state government, and I have to deal a lot internally with city, county and township governments from time to time,” he said. “I feel this is an excellent opportunity to give back to the community I’ve lived in for almost 20 years.”
Glazier would like to see younger people involved on community boards, and he wants the township to have a Web site similar to Sterling’s, to “keep citizens informed on what’s going on and who to contact with issues.”
He also wants the township to be more accessible by meeting twice a month in the evening, rather than at 8:30 a.m.
“I don’t feel like I’m the best candidate, but I feel I’m a better candidate,” Glazier said. “I can bring fresher ideas to the table.”
Martin Leal
Leal said, if elected, he plans to be involved beyond trustee meetings. He likes the youth-mentoring programs Matt Howze runs for the township, and wants to see those continue. He also wants to volunteer in those programs, he said.
“A lot of these kids aren’t bad,” Leal said. “... I talk to them and they’re smart kids, and they don’t have anyone to help them.”
Leal also said he has more time to devote to the township than some of the other candidates He also wants to keep the township tax rate low.
“I like keeping my taxes down,” Leal said. “... I would like to be a part of that and keep them down.”
Thomas Ausman
Ausman is an incumbent running for a second term as a trustee. He was elected to the Whiteside County Board in November and was previously on the Unit 5 School Board.
He, too, wants to make sure the township’s youth programs stay strong.
“Sterling Township does several youth-type programs with Unit 5. I don’t want to see that go away,” Ausman said.
The 69-year-old has also served on the Woodlawn Arts Academy Board.
“I have so much experience with boards,” Ausman said. “I have always been a strong board member, no matter which board I’m on.”
Ruth Stanley
Stanley also is an incumbent, running for a third trustee term. She also has been a Whiteside County Board member for 6 years.
Stanley also wants to maintain the township’s work with the school district, especially the tutoring program in which middle schoolers get after-school help from high school and college students and adults for 2 hours twice a week.
“If we don’t serve our children, we won’t have a community down the road,” Stanley said.
Stanley also likes to volunteer with the township programs, rather than being just a trustee.
“We don’t toot our own horn,” Stanley said. “We’re trying to help where we see there’s a need to be met.”
Robert Van De Velde
Van De Velde is a former businessman and current Whiteside County Board member who cites his experience as his best asset.
“My health is good, I enjoy being involved and I ran companies all my life,” the 83-year-old said.
His experience managing budgets makes him a good candidate for the position, he added. “If I could make a contribution to the county board with my background, I could make contribution to the township for the same reason.”
William McGinn
McGinn, the Whiteside County Board’s vice chairman, is running for a second term as trustee.
“I think my experience and knowledge will be a benefit to the people of Sterling Township,” he said.
His top issue is making sure the township continues to have a balanced budget and runs smoothly, he said.
“I’ve got experience,” McGinn said. “I know how to do budgeting and levying for responsible spending of township funds.”
Elizabeth Hall
Hall said she plans to retire as township clerk, but wants to stay involved.
“I believe in township government,” Hall said. “With my experience there, I think I could handle [the trustee] job very easily. I know township government. It’s closest to the people, and you could get things done that way rather than going to other channels.”
Hall is proud of the township programs, such as the food pantry and tutoring programs.
“In this day and age, I think [the biggest issue] is helping to keep people afloat,” Hall said. “There are a lot of hard times around here, and that’s what the township is for – to help people.”
CANDIDATES AT A GLANCE
Thomas Ausman
Age: 69
Work: Retired in 2000 from National Manufacturing
Education: Attended the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Family: He and his wife, Dianne, have five children and 6 grandchildren.
Kurt Glazier
Age: 41
Employment: Traffic operations technician for the Illinois Department of Transportation
Education: Associate degree in highway technology from Morrison Institute of Technology.
Family: He and his wife, Roxanne, have five children.
Elizabeth Hall
Age: Declined to provide.
Employment: Sterling Township clerk.
Education: Graduated from Catholic Community High School in 1946.
Family: Four grown children and seven grandchildren.
Martin Leal
Age: 60
Employment: Retired from Northwestern Steel and Wire in 2001
Education: Attended Sterling High School and has a GED.
Family: Three grown children
William McGinn
Age: 71
Employment: Retired farmer.
Education: Attended Sauk Valley Community College.
Family: He and his wife, Katherine, have three children and three grandchildren.
Ruth M. Stanley
Age: 67
Work: Retired Sterling Schools special education teacher.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in education from Illinois State University and a master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University.
Family: She and her husband, Willard, have two sons and three grandchildren.
Robert Van De Velde
Age: 83
Employment: Retired. Previously a salesman for Hardware Products in Sterling, owner of Velde Distributing and Consulting in Des Moines, Iowa, and co-founder of Crosley Corp. in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Education: Attended Illinois State University.
Family: He and his wife, Rita, have four children and six grandchildren
