Politics & Government
QuickStory: Richard Marks Will Seek 2nd Term as Geneva 2nd Ward Alderman
After Monday night's City Council meeting, 2nd Ward Alderman Richard Marks said he'll run again in 2013.
Richard Marks will run for a second term.
The Geneva alderman said after Monday night's City Council meeting that he would seek another four years representing residents of the 2nd Ward.
"Realistically, it took two years just to get to learn the position—it does—and you don’t get into stride until the third or fourth year. And the experience that I’ve had tends to lead me to go on again," he said.
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"I’ve gotten past the learning curve—on most subjects," he added with a laugh. "And now is when you really get to enjoy the position."
Marks has been a fiscal conservative on the 10-member council and occassionally will cast a dissenting vote or ask tough questions about spending and bidding practices. He was one of several aldermen who voted to keep the city's tax levy at its present level rather than approve an increase over the previous fiscal year.
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On the voterichmarks.com website, he notes that he's been a 2nd Ward resident since 1990, has bachelor's degrees in business economics and accounting and has been a certified CPA for almost three decades. He is a partner in the accounting firm of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser LLP.
"During these difficult economic times, he is uniquely qualified to bring a diverse, financial expertise to the City Council," his campaign website says.
He serves on the Finance Council of St. Peter Parish and has been actively involved in the fundraising campaign for the expansion of the church and the school. He is a previous co-chair of the annual Barn Sale. In his spare time, he has coached local sports and hosted peer ministry L.E.A.D teams for local youth.
"I like helping the community," Marks said Monday night. "I like seeing the change and being part of those decisions and having the input. Not everybody agrees with some of my input, at times, but there are some people out there who aren’t going to say it. Every person on that council hears from their constituents and hears questions, and I think it’s important we all roll with it."
No other candidates for the 2nd Ward seat have as yet made formal announcements. The election is in April 2013.
