Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward

A big thank you to the fantastic candidates who applied for the vacant Ward 7 City Council seat! We had a tough decision to make, and it’s wonderful to see so many people stepping up to serve our community.

Please join us in welcoming Bob White as the new alderman for Ward 7!

A special note to those who applied: keep in mind that several of us on the council started the exact same way—by applying for a vacant seat. Your commitment to our city is valued, and we hope you’ll stay engaged.

Congratulations, Bob! We’re excited to start working with you!

I. Meeting Opening and Logistics

• Public Matters: No public matters were brought up for items not on the agenda.
• Call to Order and Roll Call: The meeting was called to order on September 30, 2025, with 13 members present.
• Agenda Adjustments: No items were removed, added, or changed for the evening.

II. Interviews for Seventh Ward Alderman Vacancy

The main focus of the meeting was the interview process for candidates for the Seventh Ward Alderman vacancy. Six candidates were interviewed. The format involved an opening statement from each candidate, followed by four structured questions covering motivation/perspective, priorities/strategic alignment, community development/redevelopment, and community engagement/communication.

A. Candidate: Bob White

• Introduction: Bob White, a 17-month resident of Batavia, moved back to the Chicago suburbs after living in Minnesota. He works in OEM sales (sales engineer).
• Community Involvement & Pride: He is a member of the Active Transportation Advisory Commission and supports parks and recreation. He values Batavia’s small-town feel, farmers market, homecoming game, and firehouse events.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Motivated to follow in family footsteps (dad was planning and zoning, mom is a village trustee) and set an example for his two boys about giving back to the community.
  • Saw the vacancy as a unique opportunity without a campaign.
  • Unique perspective: bought two houses in Batavia within 17 months, both in the seventh ward. He’s an “active transportation guy” (runs, walks, bikes) but also a “car guy”.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • Wants to maintain the small-town feel of Batavia amidst growth and expansion, which he sees as a continuous challenge.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Likes the idea of redevelopment but emphasizes a balanced approach, considering pros and cons. He cited the proposals on the east side of the river south of downtown as an example, questioning the viability of tenants.
  • Believes a strong, vibrant community attracts people for redevelopment.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Deals with conflict daily in business. He recently became a Facebook moderator for the active transportation group and has experience with e-bike related challenges.
  • His strategy for conflict is to “be calm and take a step back”.

B. Candidate: Tom Connelly

• Introduction: Served on the city council previously, representing the fourth ward. Familiar with city council issues. Also served on the Batavia Chamber of Commerce board and the Tricom Central Dispatch board, gaining experience in building relationships. Remains active on the Historic Preservation Commission and with the Batavia Rotary Club.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Motivated by his “love for Batavia.” Has been involved in the community since moving there. His family chose Batavia and built their “forever home” in the seventh ward.
  • Unique perspectives: represents the younger generation of Batavians with school-aged children and has previous city council experience.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • Top priority: continued growth and economic development, especially in the downtown area.
  • Advocates for attracting diverse businesses and encouraging economic development to bring additional housing, address affordable housing issues, and draw younger people downtown.
  • To foster diversity and belonging, he emphasizes listening to residents, open communication, and making city council meetings a comfortable place for civic engagement.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Emphasizes preserving the historic nature of downtown, calling it a main draw to Batavia and serving on the Historic Preservation Commission.
  • Believes in balancing historical factors with the need for growth, and never taking lightly the removal or redevelopment of historic parts of downtown.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Prided himself on being responsive to resident emails when previously on the city council, connecting them to staff if he didn’t have the answer.
  • As a lawyer, he deals with conflict daily and aims to maintain a calm and professional atmosphere in council meetings.

C. Candidate: Kimberly Hansen

• Introduction: Resident of Batavia for 6 years, moved from Idaho for a better school system. A stay-at-home mom with time to devote to the position. Previously worked in healthcare administration, developing patience and problem-solving skills.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Looking for a more active way to be part of the community and give Ward 7 a voice. Sees Batavia as “magical” and wants to support it.
  • Has primarily done volunteer work (drives, delivering turkeys) and seeks something “more actionable”.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • Top priority: focusing on growing the age 20-29 demographic, currently 9% of the population.
  • Suggests creating affordable apartment buildings with amenities downtown to attract this demographic, supporting diversity and economic vitality.
  • Another priority: making the final decision and securing funding from the Army Corps of Engineers to fix the dam, which she sees as crucial for the riverfront and downtown businesses.
  • Third priority: making downtown more accessible for disabled persons by working with the historical society to create accessible entrances, which would also broaden the customer base.
  • Lastly, continuing to focus on creating and maintaining a safe and accessible town for all modes of transportation, noting the road diet on 31 and considering a pedestrian bridge at Randall and Wilson/Main for safer crossings.
  • Ensuring policies reflect diversity: suggests reaching out to people of diverse backgrounds to join the board and bringing in more diverse businesses.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Loves old houses (lives in one). Believes the city should invest in both upkeeping historical buildings and building new, modern structures downtown, even if it looks “odd at first”.
  • The city “should not be scared of the future”.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Would refer people to Alderman Fenbach’s blog and potentially create a quarterly or monthly newsletter for Ward 7 specific information, or a Facebook page.
  • Would always thank residents for feedback, get contact information if she doesn’t have an immediate answer, research, and respond respectfully.

D. Candidate: Linda Hatfield

• Introduction: Moved to Batavia in December 2019, previously lived near O’Hare Airport. An empty-nester with two adult daughters. Works as a customs broker, dealing with tariffs.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Involved as a Democratic precinct committee person. Saw the vacancy as an opportunity to gain additional experience.
  • Greatest strength: a lot of free time to commit to the position as an empty-nester and being divorced.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • High priority: continuing to develop the downtown area.
  • Ensuring policies reflect diversity: “something near and dear to my heart”. Would speak up for inclusivity and belonging.
  • High priority: continuing to develop the downtown area.
  • Ensuring policies reflect diversity: “something near and dear to my heart” as her oldest daughter is transgender. Would speak up for inclusivity and belonging.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Fond of older, historic properties but acknowledges the maintenance involved and that some are “beyond saving”.
  • Would like to see more preservation if possible, noting that some new developments feel “overcrowded”.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Believes social media (like Jim’s Facebook page, which is how she learned about the position) is important for reaching out and getting information.
  • Conflict: believes there is room for all viewpoints, and everyone should be civil, polite, and listen to each other.
  • Regarding partisan topics: is “very open-minded” as she grew up in a staunch Republican family despite being a Democratic precinct committee person; leans towards the middle on some views.

E. Candidate: Bob McCullen

• Introduction: Moved to Geneva in 1997, then Batavia in 2015. Married for 45 years, three adult married children, six grandchildren. Currently retired with a couple of part-time jobs.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Believes he can add his opinions to the board and make a difference. Emphasizes researching and understanding issues, drawing opinions based on facts, and being a “critical thinker” who brings solutions, not just problems.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • Priorities: voter apathy (how to get voters involved and informed before decisions are made).
  • Budget and tax perspective: acknowledges taxes will rise and the city needs to show efforts to cut spending.
  • Dam removal: a long-standing issue with four options, requiring analysis of cost, public opinion, maintenance, and viability.
  • Infrastructure: an ongoing need for an older city (sidewalks, road repairs).
  • Data centers: residents are largely unaware of approved data centers, highlighting a communication gap.
  • Poverty and housing: concerns about housing costs (Winding Creek development starting at $450,000, now $750,000-$800,000) and the need for more affordable options below $300,000. Predicts a “bubble” in real estate.
  • Batavia’s identity: questions what Batavia wants to be known as (historic district, blue-collar, downtown focus, Randall Road focus).
  • Diversity: acknowledges Batavia has the highest percentage of low-income housing in the Fox Valley area, but these apartments are “getting kind of long in the tooth” and questions future solutions and potential city-developer partnerships.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Reflects on Batavia’s identity as historic homes and businesses with industry along the river. Suggests redeveloping the area north of River Street instead of the industrial area south of 25.
  • Believes Batavia needs a unique focus, possibly recreational, and that zoning laws must be enforced to ensure upkeep of historic areas.
  • Favors TIFF (Tax Increment Financing) districts as an incentive for development over direct tax rebates.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Considers “walking the neighborhood” and using voter records to connect with residents.
  • Proposes developing a system for emailing people with quick, easy-to-read bullet points after every meeting, summarizing major events and future agenda items.
  • Regarding conflict on a team: everyone should express opinions, aim for consensus, and once a vote is taken, stand behind the “team’s vote” publicly, even if individual opinions differ.

F. Candidate: Mike Castanzo

• Introduction: Born and raised in Batavia, parents moved there in the late ’70s/early ’80s. Graduated Batavia High School, moved away for college, but returned to start a family. Takes pride in being from Batavia.
• Motivation & Perspective:
  • Motivated by his family’s history of service (father was a volunteer firefighter for 19 years) and wants to serve the community that “helped raise me”.
  • Wants to show his children the importance of helping the community.
• Priorities & Strategic Alignment:
  • Top priority: strategic growth. Mentions lingering projects like the recently canceled housing development on the east side and the quarry housing development, seeking new tax revenues and options for families.
  • Ensuring policies reflect diversity: by “looking at the people in this room to work together as a team,” acknowledging different backgrounds, parts of town, and careers. Emphasizes having “hard conversations” to foster correct growth.
  • Personal background in construction across seven states, dealing with diverse people, ensures everyone’s voice is heard.
• Community Development & Redevelopment:
  • Believes the city has a “great opportunity to foster the growth downtown,” praising recent additions.
  • Supports the Batavia Main Street project, partnering with businesses to provide “brick and mortars,” believing it will drive business, growth, retail, and residential development.
• Community Engagement & Communication:
  • Currently does not use social media but would “absolutely get involved” if the role requires it, responding “appropriately and with care and thought and not badgering”.
  • Conflict on a team: deals with it daily in construction. Strategies include hearing everyone’s viewpoint respectfully, finding middle ground, or making a direct call and standing by it.

III. Executive Session and Alderman Selection

• Executive Session: The committee moved to executive session for personnel discussion.
• Return to Regular Session: A roll call was taken upon returning to regular session.
• New Alderman Announced: Bob White was announced as the next Seventh Ward Alderman and will be sworn in at the next city council meeting.
• Other Opportunities: An opening on the active transportation commission was noted for those interested in continued involvement.

IV. Closing Remarks and Updates

• Thanks to Candidates: Appreciation was expressed to all eight applicants for their interest in serving the community, noting the high number of applications (eight) speaks to the community’s engagement.
• Voter Apathy Discussion: Concerns were raised about low voter turnout and public engagement in city matters, especially budget meetings, despite various communication efforts.
• County Updates:
  • Mayor and another council member attended a Batavia Chamber of Commerce event with a “State of the County” address by Chairwoman Purog. BATV recorded the event.
  • The county is facing budgetary challenges that will impact city services and transportation due to a “fiscal cliff” and a 40% reduction in sales tax for transportation.
• EV Chargers: EV chargers at Batavia High School are now live and functioning. A joint press release from the school district and city is forthcoming. Two chargers are being moved from the high school to the library.
• CMAP Council of Mayors Insights: The chairman of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Council of Mayors shared concerns about disappearing state and federal funding for local governments.
  • Batavia lost money to replace the dam on the Fox River.
  • A project to redesign the intersection of Fabian Parkway and Batavia Avenue (Route 31) in front of Campana, involving land acquisition, was also unfunded this year.
  • The state and federal government’s political climate is impacting funding for Illinois.
  • Batavia’s city tax rate, currently one of the lowest, may need to increase to cover necessary projects.
  • Batavia is seen as a strong city in the region, with other mayors seeking advice on processes like alderman selection.
• Fabian and Route 31 Intersection: The road diet on Route 31 has significantly improved the intersection, and the Kane County Highway Department has done extensive work, including a computer system to change light sequences based on car presence. A pedestrian bridge is still under consideration for that area.

Author: Jim Fahrenbach