Two candidates taken off ballot for ECC board race

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

ELGIN — Two fewer names will be on the ballot in April after an Elgin Community College panel sustained objections Monday to the nominating petitions of two people running for the ECC board of trustees.

The objections were the first to a candidate for the District 509 Community College Board of Trustees in more than 15 years, according to the college’s legal counsel.

“It’s unfortunate, because you want the voters to be able to make the decision who their elected officials will be, but there also are statutes,” said attorney John F. Early of Elgin-based Early, Tousey, Regan & Wlodek.

Candidate Darwin Adams of Streamwood was disqualified because his statement of candidacy wasn’t properly notarized at the time he filed to run, according to Early.

“He acknowledged that was the form in which it was filed,” Early said. “It’s a shame, because all his petitions were filed correctly.”

And Edgar Pereda of Elgin was disqualified because he did not have enough signatures from registered voters on his petitions, the attorney said.

Early said candidates must have at least 50 signatures from registered voters in their district. Pereda, who was not present at Monday’s hearing, had 11.

The objections were filed by Michael Shannon of Elgin. Shannon said he moved to the city from Chicago 40 years ago and, more recently, retired from the restaurant trade.

“When you have time on your hands, you spot these things. I drive my kids nuts,” Shannon said.

When shown a list of current college board members, the Elgin man said he knew Trustee John Duffy, currently up for re-election, as well as the family of Trustee Clare Ollayos. But he said that’s not why he filed the objections.

“Where I came from in Chicago, there was so much that wasn’t right,” Shannon said. “I moved out here 40 years ago. I settled, and I decided I didn’t want to see Elgin go that same route.”

Board Vice Chair Robert McBride and Trustees Ollayos and Donna Redmer heard Shannon’s objections along with Early’s findings, and decided to sustain each objection.

Early said he has represented ECC since 1995 and had not heard an objection in that time.

Six candidates remain on the ballot for three six-year trustee seats up for election April 5. Those candidates include Duffy of Elgin, incumbent Eleanor “Ellie” MacKinney of Hampshire, John G. Dalton of Elgin, Robert Russell of South Elgin, Richard L. Geary of Elgin and Robin Lisboa of Elgin.

Trustee Phyllis Folarin announced at last month’s college board meeting that she would not seek re-election.