Candidates for appointment to Aurora’s Ward 7 aldermanic seat, who came to City Hall last week to introduce themselves to the Council members and the community were (from left) Drew Eddy, Brandon Tolliver, Cynthia Gamboa, Anderson Lee and Alex Arroyo. Also running is Diana Barajas-Gonzalez. A seventh finalist, Cowherd Middle School Principal Jacqueline Gibson, withdrew from the process due to a conflict in meeting schedules. (City of Aurora photo)

Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin has announced his top finalists to fill the balance of the term of the late Ward 7 Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns, who passed unexpectedly in June.

“My goal was to have a recommendation made by (Aug. 8),” said Irvin. “But once I began the interview process, it was clear there were many candidates who would step in and be an effective leader of Ward 7.”

Fourteen aspirants submitted applications, including eight men and six women. Of the group, five were Black, four were Latino, four were White, and one was Asian.

They were a geographically diverse group, candidates represented all three zip codes in the ward: 60505, 60504, and 60502.

After interviews, instead of bringing one final recommendation to the City Council for approval, Irvin advanced a group of seven to make the process more transparent and to allow the City Council and the community to see the caliber of candidates.

Of the seven finalists, six were present at last week’s City Council meeting.

One withdrew her candidacy due to a schedule conflict. The principal of the only public middle school in Ward 7, Jacqueline Gibson of Cowherd Middle School, was born and raised in the ward and is currently completing her doctoral degree. Her course schedule will now meet on Tuesday evenings during the fall, the same night as City Council meetings.

The remaining six candidates include:

Alex Arroyo — Born and raised in Aurora to immigrant parents, Arroyo is currently in his third term as an East Aurora School board member. After college, Arroyo chose to stay in the city. His record of Community service in the community is equally impressive. A lifelong member of St. Therese Catholic Church, he has held leadership positions and served on boards of community organizations, including LULAC, Big Brothers-Big Sisters, T.E.A.M. Illinois, Kane County’s Weed & Seed, God’s Gym, Illinois Coalition of Community Services, and Metropolitan Leadership Institute.

Diana Barajas-Gonzalez —Born and raised in the heart of Aurora, Barajas-Gonzalez owns and helps to run two businesses in downtown Aurora – Renew Salon and the Aurora Tap House. She is also an advocate employed at Mutual Ground, assisting those affected by domestic violence or sexual assault. She has had a lifelong passion for serving and helping people. She and her husband have been married for 27 years. They have raised five children and and are now enjoying their grandchildren. Her goal for Ward 7 and the entire city is to help the community flourish with a sense of pride and unity.

John “Drew” Eddy — Eddy has been an Aurora resident since 1989. He has lived in what is currently the 7th Ward for the last 15 years with his wife, Patti. Eddy has a BS from Purdue University and an MBA from Lewis University. He is the Sales Manager at Atlantic Plywood in Bolingbrook. All three of his children graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora. He has been active in the community as he has been on the Board of the Oaks Recreational Club, AYSO Soccer, and Mercy Fest. He was also a soccer, football, and baseball coach in the Aurora area.

Cynthia Gamboa — Gamboa, a business owner and philanthropist, is the owner of CamMi Photo Booth and the Founder of CUPS Bra Drive and the Women of Aurora and has a bachelor’s degree from the Northern Illinois Universities’ College of Business in Human Resources Management with an emphasis in Employment Discrimination Law. Gamboa’s philanthropic work is notable in the impact the CUPS Bra Drive has had over the past six years on women and girls experiencing adversity. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Gamboa established a volunteer initiative to deliver food to elderly residents in the seventh ward.

Anderson Lee — Lee has lived in Aurora since 2004 and worked for Waubonsee Community College between 2008-16. Presently, he is with CompTIA and has established partnerships with community organizations, secondary schools, and employers. His experience includes encouraging students like himself to apply for internships and supporting job seekers. In addition, he is a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Council and serves on Richard J. Daley College’s IT Advisory Board and the Woodland Lakes Homeowners Board. A product of New York City public schools, he holds a BA from Northwestern University and a MA from Columbia University.

Brandon Tolliver — Born and raised on Aurora’s west side, Tolliver attended West Aurora School District 129 from kindergarten through 12th grade, where he graduated from West Aurora High School in 2007. His education continued through Northern Illinois University, where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and discovered his passion for politics and public policy-making. Professionally, he has worked in the insurance industry for 10 years. In his current position, he serves as Commercial Construction Underwriter for the Hartford Insurance Group. He presently resides in Ward 7’s Georgetown neighborhood, where he has lived since purchasing his first home in October 2019.

Next Steps

The next step in the process is for Irvin to make a final recommendation to the City Council for approval within the next couple of weeks, giving time for additional review of each candidate and the candidates additional time to speak with Ward 7 residents and business owners.

The newly appointed alderman of Ward 7 will fill the remaining term of the late Alderwoman Hart-Burns until the next general municipal election in 2025.

Hart-Burns died unexpectedly on June 19 from surgical complications. She served as Ward 7 Alderwoman for 32 years, the first Black person elected to City Council and the only alderperson in the ward’s history.