The position of Mayor is a position that needs strong leadership skills. I see a city that needs to move forward with New Ideas and New Leadership. This is a partial list of past leadership roles in Charleston and State, President of the Coles County Young Republicans, District Governor of the Illinois Young Republicans, Precinct Committeemen, I consider myself a Moderate Republican that served in an advisory capacity to several state office holders, Vice President of the Charleston Jaycees, Top Regional Recruiter two years in a row. I served in various leadership roles on the Charleston BZAP over 23 years, eight years on the Charleston Mattoon Corridor Development Board. I helped to develop Charleston's Comprehensive Plan. I am a member of the EIU heritage Foundation and Alumni association. I am active in several Wildlife preservation groups such as DU, Delta Waterfowl and National Wild Turkey Federation. I am a past member of CACC, CCC, Moose and associate of the VFW. I graduated from CHS, LAKE LAND COLLEGE where I was named to Who's Who in American Junior Colleges and I graduated from EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY! I am also a past business owner in Charleston I have a strong vision and passion for Charleston's future.

The number one priority for Charleston is the safety of all our citizens and the safeguarding of our schools. I have looked into this and there is a lot of money in the way of grants available through Homeland Security and the Department of Education Crisis Response and Prevention funds. This money can be used to put security cameras in key locations around campus and the city. I think that instead of writing between 300 and 400 tickets a month for harmless offenses to Eastern students we could use these officers in our public schools to safe guard our kids. This would also make the students at EIU feel more welcome to the city. We also need to see what other cities with universities are doing to attract students away from Charleston. I know what Champaign and Carbondale are doing and they are turning student's away maybe we need to be following their lead! When it comes to jobs look no further than using EIU and LLC to train and educate workers for any companies looking for a new home. I question have we overlooked 16,000 people under 21 looking for jobs? I know where I will start when it comes to selling Charleston and the area for job creation!

Larry Rennels was born and raised in Charleston, graduated from Charleston High School in 1965, and graduated from Rose Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1969. He is married to the former Mary Ann Gibbons from Mattoon and they have two adult sons. Larry spent 11 years with Motorola designing and managing the design of communications equipment. In 1980 Larry and Mary Ann returned to Charleston, where he joined and later became the sole owner of the television and appliance business that his father started in 1959. After owning and managing a successful small business for 30 years, Larry retired in 2010. Larry has been a member of the Charleston City Council since 1997 and has served as the mayor pro-tem for the last 8 years. He has been a City Council representative to the EIU Student Government External Relations Committee since it was formed 15 years ago. Larry served on and held the position of president of the board of directors of the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce and he served as a member and past president of a seven county Community Based Youth Service Board. He has held several leadership positions at Immanuel Lutheran Church, and he is currently serving on the board of directors of Coles County Crime Stoppers. In 2004 Larry was named the Citizen of the Year by the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce.

As mayor, Larry will continue working to improve the relationship between the EIU community and the Charleston community. He will strive for clear communications at all times, and he will seek to improve the External Relations Committee with regular meetings that include community members. Larry's goal is for Charleston to be a safe, friendly, and prosperous place to live. He will maintain the sound fiscal management that he has supported as a member of the City Council. He will continue to support the city's long range planning process, which was implemented in 1998, and to expand and accelerate infrastructure improvements, including ADA upgrades to the existing city infrastructure. He will lead the efforts to create more employment opportunities by encouraging retail and industrial businesses to locate in Charleston. Larry wants all residents to be aware that the detailed agendas for the City Council meetings, the city's budget, the city ordinances, and many other important documents are available on the city's web site. He will encourage more community interest and involvement in the city's business by implementing the video streaming of City Council meetings. Larry looks forward to the opportunity to continue serving the community that has given so much to him and his family.

Troy Richey 36, married

My plan is to bring a community center to the city and I would love to clean up the city to attract new restuarants and shops to the city which in return adds much needed jobs .

I would like to work with police dept. to work on the safety by starting neighborhood watches.

I also would work with EIU President and Campus PD and of course the students to help EIU and the students feel more welcome to Charleston.