Editor’s Note: This is one in a series of stories looking at contested races in the April 1 general election. Aurora voters are set to soon choose between Jonathan Nunez and Jeffrey Hansford for the 4th Ward seat on the Aurora City Council. This and other local races — including for Aurora’s m ayor, alderman at-large and several other ward aldermen — are set to be decided in the April 1 consolidated election. Early voting is now open in all four of Aurora’s counties. The current 4th Ward alderman, Bill Donnell, is not running for reelection after 12 years on the Aurora City Council. Nunez is a sales and brand strategy director for a large vehicle parts manufacturer, while Hansford is a teacher at Bardwell Elementary School in Aurora. Neither has ever run for public office before. Both candidates agreed to interviews with The Beacon-News earlier this month. Jonathan Nunez Nunez, whose family has been in Aurora for over 100 years, said he is running for 4th Ward alderman because he sees the city at a crossroads. As a child of the 1990s, Nunez said he has seen Aurora in a tough spot, but the city has now built itself a strong foundation. He wants to make sure the city continues to build on that foundation and not “go down the wrong path,” he said. Nunez would work to make sure the city doesn’t go back to what it was like in the 1990s, with vacant properties, violence and people feeling unsafe to be out at night, he said. So, the city needs to continue supporting its police department, he said, and keep making sure officers engage with the community. Aurora also needs to continue seeking out growth, but not so much that the city outgrows its residents, according to Nunez. While he said he loves seeing a thriving downtown, he also wants to make sure residents can afford to live in the city. “The last thing we want is for families to be forced away because they just can’t afford to be there anymore,” Nunez said. When listening to residents’ concerns, one major thing Nunez said he has heard is the need for a different approach to communication. While the city is active on Facebook, and Donnell currently sends out mailers, he said residents still have questions about what is happening at City Hall and in their local area. So, Nunez proposed meeting residents where they are with communication. That means communication across various different methods — email, text message, Facebook post, etc. — so that people can find the channel they feel most comfortable with, he said. Jonathan Nunez is running for the 4th Ward seat on the Aurora City Council in the April 1 election. (Jonathan Nunez) Another thing Nunez said he would focus on if elected is the ward’s infrastructure, whether that is lead pipes, road repairs or sidewalks. “We need to be able to give our kids a safe place to walk,” he said. “Very basic, sounds elementary, but it needs to be a priority.” What sets Nunez apart from his opponent in this race, he said, is his tested professional experience. Even though Aurora has a nearly $760 million budget, Nunez said he has managed larger. To manage a budget of that size takes someone with an attention to detail and who isn’t afraid to say no, he said. But also, even though Nunez may not always see eye to eye with all his counterparts, he said he wants to help create true dialogue, not just say no for the sake of saying no. Instead, Nunez said he would try to always bring an alternative or at least a talking point that may help get to common ground. Aurora isn’t just a place he lives, Nunez said. It is here he grew up and where he is raising his family, too, despite opportunities to move that he has always turned down, he said. Jeffrey Hansford A lifelong resident of Aurora born in the 1960s, Hansford said he has seen the city through its various phases — all of which had issues, but all of which had good things too, he said. Hansford used to work for Sears managing its hardline business, but he switched to teaching because it was a better career to raise a family, he said. Now, he said he has been teaching at Bardwell Elementary School — switching between first and second grade — for 22 years. So, he both lives and works in the 4th Ward. Hansford is running for alderman, he said, because he wants to give back. Although he has always been interested in politics, Hansford said he doesn’t want to be a politician — and he still won’t feel like one even if elected, because he’ll still keep his teaching job, and he’d never want any elected position higher than alderman, he said. His main job as alderman, he said, would be to inform people about what the city has to offer or help people solve problems. Jeffrey Hansford is running for the 4th Ward seat on the Aurora City Council in the April 1 election. (Jeffrey Hansford) Being a teacher, Hansford has helped families not just with educational issues but also personal ones, so he already has that experience, he said. For example, he said parents have come to him about housing, clothing and immigration issues. If elected, Hansford said he would focus on three main things: education, housing and public safety. While the city does not have direct control over the schools and school districts, Hansford said the city should work to encourage more after-school programs at schools. He has personally seen a lack of these programs, and families are asking for them, he said. But, generally, education in the city is going well, with both East and West Aurora school districts having some of the highest graduation rates ever, according to Hansford. He said the city also needs more affordable housing. Although his children are adults now, some still live with him because of housing prices, and he hears other parents talking about the same thing, Hansford said. As for public safety, Aurora is already a safe place, according to Hansford. In general, he said the city is moving in a good direction, and he wants it to continue. But, the city should also be looking to see if people have issues with the direction of the city and tweak its plans accordingly, he said. Hansford doesn’t have all the answers, he said, but he is willing to listen to both residents and city officials to learn. It is his knowledge of the past and life experience in the city of Aurora that sets him apart from his opponent in this race, according to Hansford. He said he’s raised four children through Aurora schools, both public and private, and has been involved in the community through volunteer work. “I just always want to be involved somehow,” Hansford said. “I love the city that I live in.” rsmith@chicagotribune.com ...read more read less