Elburn candidate skips debate due to admission charge

Elburn trustee and candidate for village president Patricia Romke declined to take part in a candidates forum Sunday at Lions Park in Elburn, citing a $6 cost for a spaghetti dinner.

Dave Anderson, her opponent in the April 7 election, spoke at the forum but didn't mention Romke's absence and declined to comment afterward.

The forum's moderator, Chris Halsey, said the cost was for the spaghetti dinner only. The event was held from noon to 2 p.m. and some guests attended without buying dinner.

"When the event was announced, it wasn't specified that people could come without paying," Romke said Monday. "There was a lot of confusion. It didn't seem to be an appropriate venue."

Halsey, a member of the Lions Club, told the gathering of about 200 Sunday that Romke had declined because she didn't think it was fair for her constituents to pay $6 to hear her and the other candidates.

"We just wanted to provide a forum, we have a lot of space," Halsey said. He added that the Lions Club does not endorse candidates.

Romke said that residents who learned about the event might have thought it was a fundraiser for the Lions, although she knew that it wasn't.

"But it didn't seem to be the right place to be speaking about the future of Elburn," Romke added. Instead, she said, on Sunday she met with some of her constituents to develop a strategy for the next six weeks.

Anderson is a member of the Elburn Lions Club and Romke is not. They are vying to succeed James Willey, who is stepping down after 14 years.

Village trustee candidates David Gualdoni, Ken Anderson Jr., Robert Swartz, Jeff Walter, and incumbent Tom Burgholzer also spoke. Trustee candidate Joseph Schmidt was on vacation but was represented by his daughter. Incumbent trustee Jeff Humm is running, but he was the only other candidate who did not participate.

Uwe Rotter and Bonnie Wilcox, both candidates for Blackberry Township assessor, also spoke.