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Joliet City Council to Approve Mayor's New Appointee


John Raspante

            Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk has decided to recommend a member of the city’s police and fire board to fill the Joliet City Council vacancy created by the sudden resignation of Don “Duck” Dickinson.

            Todd Wooten, a retired high-ranking member of the Joliet Fire Department, has served on the city’s police and fire commission board since O’Dekirk appointed him in 2015. By selecting Wooten for the City Council, O’Dekirk is nominating someone who is not planning to run for one of the three open seats on the council in the April 6 elections.

            “Todd definitely has a strong personality, but he’s an independent thinker and I think he’s more of a straight shooter,” O’Dekirk said in a statement. “He’s not running for the position [in April] but he’ll be a strong voice for the people of Joliet over the next few months.”

Later today, December 1, the Joliet City Council will be asked to approve Wooten. If the recommendation is approved, Mayor O’Dekirk said Wooten will be involved in several major decisions facing the city in the coming months.

Some of the council members are willing to give Wooten a shot. Councilman Larry Hug said in a statement that, “He got a unanimous vote from all of us to get on the police and fire board. That’s a positive.”

However, some members of the council aren’t so quick to approve the mayor’s recommendation. “I’m not for him,” Councilwoman Bettye Gavin said. “I’ve had several conversations with Todd over the years that led me to believe that he has an axe to grind with this city.” Gavin said she thinks Wooten is a “good guy… [but] I think we should have someone who’s ready to come on hand and help move the city forward.”

Council members Pat Mudron, Michael Turk, and Sherri Reardon have all said they have questions for Wooten before approving him for the board. “We’ve got to talk to him first,” Reardon said.

For now, the Joliet City Council seems divided on the decision, but the council meeting later today will hopefully help them come to a solution.

Image courtesy of www.thetimesweekly.com

 


 

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