Higgins again seeking to be Ward 7 alderman – Aug. 28, 2014

Bernard Schoenburg
The State Journal-Register

Michael Higgins, runner-up for alderman in Ward 7 in 2011 and owner of Maldaner’s Restaurant downtown, said Thursday he will try again in the spring to get elected to the Springfield City Council. The seat was open in 2011 because former Ald. Debbie Cimarossa did not seek re-election that year, and Ald. Joe McMenamin won a three-way race.

Higgins said he knows that it’s difficult to take on an incumbent, but he said, in public and private roles, he has “brought new ideas to the community” and will challenge McMenamin. A formal announcement is expected in coming weeks, Higgins said.

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While not singling out McMenamin, Higgins said some aldermen seem to look after interests of their ward, with the attitude that they won’t back issues if people in their ward aren’t on board or don’t think it will affect them. Higgins said he would work for a better Ward 7 and a better city because citywide changes help all Springfield residents. He said he knows that McMenamin will take credit for the opening of the Hy-Vee grocery story on MacArthur but added that “a lot of other people worked on it.”

McMenamin agreed Thursday that the store opening was “a group accomplishment.” He said he would “continue to focus on constituent services for all the neighborhoods in Ward 7 and on the broader financial issues facing the city,” including pension debt and management of the city’s utility. He also said he would build on accomplishments including Hy-Vee, funding sewer improvements, and cleanup of MacArthur Park Apartments.

Under newly approved boundaries, Ward 7 is generally southwest of the center of Springfield and surrounds Leland Grove and Jerome. It includes Washington Park, and most of its western boundary is along Veterans Parkway. In 2011, McMenamin got 44 percent of the vote to 34 percent for Higgins and 22 percent for a third candidate, John Laurenzana.

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