Unopposed Bolingbrook Mayor Has $500,000 in 'Citizens for Claar' Committee

Bolingbrook Mayor Roger Claar has $530,000 at his disposal in the "Citizens for Claar" committee registered with the Illinois State Board of Election, according to the most recent records from the Illinois State Board of Election website.

Read all of our April 2013 Bolingbrook election coverage here.

Claar, who is running unopposed for another term as mayor, is part of the Bolingbrook First Party slate, which consists of village clerk Carol Penning and village trustees Michael Lawler, Maria Zarate and Joseph Morelli. All of these candidates are also running unopposed.  

Citizens for Claar 

The "Citizens for Claar" committee has $532,813.72 in various investments, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections website. Much of that amount is in certificate of deposit accounts and a money market account. About $144,110 of the money was available to spend on Oct. 1. 

The "Citizens for Claar" committee spent $36,643.22 from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, including $499.68 at an H2O Golf Outing Breakfast, a $180 donation to the Bolingbrook High School Madrigals and $2,581 at the Bolingbrook Golf Club for meetings with constituents, a fundraiser for the Will County Republican Central Committee and election night refreshments. (Click the link below to see the full list.) 

The "Citizens for Claar" committee also transferred $19,716 to other election funds, including $5,156 for "Romney for President," $5,000 to "Carlson for State's Attorney" and $2,000 for "Will County Republicans." 

The past two most recent contributions came from Comcast Financial Agency Corp. in Philadelphia ($1,000 in February) and the owner of Johansen Farm Inc. in Bolingbrook ($2,000 in November).  

Roger Claar is the chairman of the committee. Phillip Engstrom of Downers Grove is listed as the treasurer. 

Check out the full records of the "Citizens for Claar" committee on the Illinois State Board of Election website here.

Perspective 

One reader asked about the amount of money in funds for DuPage Township Democratic candidates. 

The "DuPage Township Democratic Organization" began Oct. 1 with $1,235.22 and had $1,757.07 by Dec. 31, according to quarterly reports filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. 

Another committee, called "Committee to Elect DuPage Township Democrats," filed a statement of organization Feb. 21 but has not filed any reports of money transferred in or out of the committee. 

The "DuPage Township Republican Organization" began Oct. 1 with $2,242.15. The committee spent $1,940.69 through Dec. 31, ending up with $401.46.  

Committee to Elect Citizens for Bolingbrook First Party

Another fund called "Committee to Elect Citizens for Bolingbrook First Party" existed in 2009, another year when village trustee positions were on the ballot in Bolingbrook. Trustees are elected to four year terms. No committee with "Bolingbrook First Party" in the title was listed on the Illinois State Board of Elections website. 

Contributions included $8,500 from the "Citizens for Claar" committee and $500 each from the three village trustees elected to office that year: Michael Lawler, Joseph Morelli and Sandra Swinkunas. Swinkunas decided not to seek re-election and was replaced by Maria Zarate on the slate. 

Check out the full records of the "Committee to Elect Citizens for Bolingbrook First Party" committee on the Illinois State Board of Election website here.