The mayoral hopefuls chatted with voters after taking part in a candidate forum held at Belvidere North High School. It’s one of many that League of Women Voters of Greater Rockford have hosted throughout this election season. The Student Voice Club sponsored the event.
Here are the candidates and their positions on federal issues that may affect Belvidere.
John Albertini, Belvidere Alderman independent
He's held a seat on the city council for two years. He’s a retired machine and maintenance supervisor.
Here’s why he’s running for mayor:
“I don't feel that the people are being properly represented,” Albertini said. “Hispanic (residents) they're under, underappreciated and underrepresented. I would like to change that."
"I feel that we need more housing. The city, you look at the signs for population, hasn't changed in 15 years, because there's nowhere to put the people. I'd like to get new housing. I'd like to get riverfront apartments or condos.”
"I feel that people need better representation than the people that have lived here all their lives. They're kind of tunnel vision to who they can help their neighbors or their friends, not the entire city”
Fred Brereton, former Belvidere Mayor, Republican
He's semi-retired from the insurance business.
“I am running because I think the Belvidere city council needs to work more closely together,” he said. “They have to work as a team. They also have to be able to reach out to the community and solicit input. It can't just come from the administration. It has to be a two-way street, and then the administration has to listen to what the aldermen bring back for consideration."
"Presently, I don't see enough discussion taking place on the council floor. And if it's taking place behind the scenes, that's a step in the right direction, but the community needs to know what's being considered.”
Clinton Morris, Incumbent mayor, Independent
“I love Belvidere,” Clinton said. “And I want to see Belvidere succeed and we have succeeded, and I want to see that continue. I think we will, under the right leadership.
"I market Belvidere, and I all those deals that, every one of those projects have come across my desk - either I went and got them, or they've come through my desk at the start. They've all finished at the mayor's desk. And so, a lot of them I meet with — all of them. Every one of them I met with. I've actually went out and got Johnny Pamcakes to come to Belvidere. I went out and marketed, personally, the Dairy Queen to come here. I also struck the deal with Walmart, even though it didn't look like they were probably going to come.”
Federal issues and potential local impact
The Trump Administration is issuing cuts to federal jobs and programs.
When asked whether they foresee those actions impacting Belvidere, Morris said he hopes not.
He said federal funding helps pay for large infrastructure projects such as improvement to the wastewater treatment plant and bridge over Appleton Road.
Brereton said it's likely Belvidere like other cities will be impacted by federal cuts.
“I think we're all going to probably feel the effects of some financial cuts,” Brereton said. “We need to be prepared to address them. But if you have a sound budget and a working plan . . . and in the past, we had a five-year budget, not just the current year budget. So, when something happens in Washington or something happens in Springfield, then you need to look at, ‘well, how's that going to impact next year and the year after that, not just the current fiscal year?’”
Here’s Albertini’s outlook: “I’m always hopeful that money will come to us,” he said. “Luckily, the state is a great funder of this city. They help with grants, or I'll be applying for more grants from the state. Probably do better with the state than I will from the federal government. But I do not despair that they won't give us any money.”
Trump's mass deportation plan
Trump’s deportation plan has stirred fear in the Latino and immigrant community. That’s includes citizens, who in some cases have also been picked up as part of Trump’s mass deportation operation.
WNIJ asked the candidates what their response would be to residents who are concerned about ICE activity happening in the community.
Brereton: “I would say Belvidere has always been a welcoming community. We again, I'll go back to my formal remarks tonight. The importance of the ward meetings is addressing ‘what are your concerns?’ Now we can try to guess what they are, and might be totally wrong, but if we can sit down and hear it firsthand, we will encourage people to share those concerns. And I've told many people, just because you get elected doesn't mean you have all the answers.”
Morris: “I don't control what the federal law does or state, as far as that goes. I'm a local mayor, and I will just say that the city of Belvidere does not get involved, at least we have not gotten involved in any, any of that enforcement."
"We don't have the resources, for one thing. And the other thing, on a local level, that's not our jurisdiction, quite frankly.”
Albertini: "[As] far as the deportation plan, it's too helter-skelter. It needs to be a little more refined. I understand that there's people who don't belong here. They're criminals and stuff, but there's good people here. And I believe that they should be properly vetted for whether they belong here or not, not just picked up and gone because 'Trump said so.'"
"I'm a firm believer in people wanting to come to this country. Everybody started out that way at some point. My grandparents came here from other countries, and everybody deserves a chance to come to America."
The last day to vote is April 1.
