The Bloomington Fire fighter’s Union has made its endorsements for the Bloomington City Council Race. They are as follows.
- Ward 1 – No endorsement
- Ward 2 – Donna Boelen
- Ward 4 – John Wyatt Danenberger
- Ward 6 – Cody Hendricks
- Ward 8 – No endorsement
The board failed to endorse Jenna L. Kearns in Ward One. According to her bio on the Illinois Bar Foundation website she joined the “Illinois Bar Foundation in May 2017 and is a Senior Program Manager for Illinois Justice Corps. Kearns is unopposed.
Donna Boelen was elected to the City Council in April 2019 to serve the residents of Ward Two, located in southwest Bloomington. She also serves as Mayor Pro Temp. Boelen who is also unopposed received an endorsement.
Ward Four candidate John Wyatt Danenberger, who was endorsed, has a past that many feel he needs to explain. Cities 92.9 has previously written that in 2017 he lied, missed a hearing, disobeyed orders, deflected blame, lacked candor, and breached standards according to a United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals document signed off on by three judges.
Danenberger’s Ward Four opponent, Steven Nalefski, retired from the Woodford County Highway Department. Nalefski told us, “I’d like to have our council be fiscally responsible and I’d like to see a priority on spending on infrastructure, especially on the needs we have right now, things you see, roads, and things that you don’t see, sewers, to make sure we are keeping up on those.”
Ward Six Candidate Cody Hendricks, who received an endorsement, has governing experience having served on the Pekin City Council. In Bloomington he has served on the city’s Beautification Committee. He is a teacher’s union president. Ward six covers much of downtown Bloomington and therefore it shouldn’t surprise anyone that he supports downtown improvements.
Hendricks Ward Six opponent, Jacob Baker, is a former county board candidate. He has worked in the County Clerk’s Office and more recently in the office of State Senator Jason Barickman. Baker’s priorities are public safety, the housing supply, infrastructure, and business development.
Kent Lee is running unopposed in Ward 8. Lee has worked as an analyst at State Farm for 22 years. His priorities are safety, economic opportunity, and infrastructure. Lee did not receive an endorsement.
