Batavia City Council swears in new Alderman, fills vacancy

Newly appointed Batavia Alderman Kevin Malone was sworn in by Mayor Jeffery Schielke at the Aug. 5 City Council meeting.

Malone was appointed to fill the vacant Third Ward seat left by Dan Chanzit’s resignation on July 1 to focus on his business endeavors. Chanzit served on the council for 14 years and his term was set to end in 2027.

Malone will serve on the council until the April 2025 election, when he will have to run for reelection to keep the Third Ward seat.

Malone’s appointment came at the July 30 Committee of the Whole meeting where council members interviewed three candidates before ultimately choosing Malone.

While Schielke holds the right to appoint a replacement on his own and seek confirmation from the aldermen, for years he has used a system in which the appointee is selected by a majority vote of the council. In an open session, applicants are interviewed by the council members, who then make the final decision in executive session.

Joshua Einstein-Curtis and Alice Lohman were the other candidates interviewed at the committee meeting. Each made an opening statement before being asked eight similar questions by members of the council.

Candidates were asked about what they believe the job of an alderman is, how they would improve the downtown, their position on dam removal and how they would handle making a decision that their constituents disagree with, among other questions.

Malone is originally from DeKalb and has lived in Batavia for six years with his wife Jessica and their two children. He teaches mediation at Aurora University, works as a mediator for the DuPage County Family Center and has a master’s degree in conflict resolution.

“I plan to bring a listening ear that hears a diverse collection of residents to the board,” Malone said during his opening comments at the July 30 meeting. “I bring expertise in collaborative problem solving...That’s what I do.”

This is Malone’s first time holding public office. He said he is committed to the City of Batavia, where he chose to raise his family and plans to stay forever, and is excited to have a voice in the city’s decision making process going forward.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity,” Malone said after his appointment. “I think it’s going to be exciting and eye-opening, and I think I have a good head on my shoulders for navigating the challenges that will be coming up.”

While Malone said he has no immediate agenda, some of his long-term goals include orienting Batavia to multimodal transportation, fostering sustainable and thoughtful growth and development, and honoring the city’s legacy by integrating access to the river and nature into the city.

During his interview at the July 30 meeting Malone said listening is his greatest strength, which he said is key to figuring out the best path forward.

“You need to take the time, you need to have the humility to sit and hear what people want, but at the same time you need to balance what people want against what may actually be the best interest,” Malone said. “Finding out which one of those paths is the best– I hope to bring process to that, rather than assuming I have the answer.”

Malone said he believes the job of an alderman is to make decisions.

“I think the task placed before all of you is to take look at what is on the table– what the constituents want, but also what the best path forward is, and make that decision and own it,” Malone said. “I assure you that when I think an opinion is correct, when I’ve done the research and came to a conclusion, I’ll pursue it, but I’m going to remain open before I draw that conclusion.”

Malone said using the river as an asset is important for the future of the city. He said he wants to find a way to draw people to the river and utilize it, while also protecting what he said is their greatest natural resource.

“At the end of the day, the dam has got to go,” Malone said. “It’s an old dam, it’s a dangerous dam at times, and it unfortunately does need to go.”

Malone said he is also very interested in growth and wants to help the city bring in development that balances the needs and interests of the city and residents, is sustainable and thoughtful.

Malone said he doesn’t have “an axe to grind” or an immediate agenda, but he does have a vision for the future of Batavia. One of his long-term goals included planning for multi-modal transportation throughout the city to make it safer for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists.

To improve the safety and quality of cycling in the city, Malone said there needs to be a balance of slowing vehicular traffic in the appropriate places and redirecting cyclists to appropriate places. He noted that there are several intersections in Batavia that can be very dangerous for cyclists.

“I do think there’s a lot of work that can be done and I’m also happy that work is being done,” Malone said. “This board has been taking it seriously and I’d like to join that team. I’d like to be a part of that solution.”

When the council members returned from closed session after the interview process, Alderman Alan Wolff announced that Malone would be the next Third Ward Alderman.

“I just really hope to make the community the best it can be,” Malone said after his appointment.