Democrat Everett Piper, who won his party’s nomination for the 4th Ward seat on Urbana City Council during the primary election on May 5, will be the lone name on the Nov. 3 ballot in the race, but he will face competition in the form of write-in candidate Richard Ebert.
During his run for the Democratic nomination, Piper, a 1968 graduate of Urbana High School, said he decided to run for council because, “I don’t feel the past people on council have fully backed the 4th Ward.
“Some people run for council for the extra paycheck, but for me, the money is really out of the picture. I’m running for council in order to help support and take care of the people in the 4th Ward, not for a paycheck,” Piper added.
A lifelong Urbana resident, Piper has never served on a board, but he did work for the city as a parking officer, which he said helped him get first-hand experience of issues facing the city.
“My goal is to represent the 4th Ward better than anyone else who’s been in that seat before,” he said.
Having retired from Navistar in 2002 after 30 years, Piper said, “I got a lot of time to devote to council if I’m elected.”
Piper and his wife, Diane, have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Ebert throws his hat into the ring
A 1989 graduate of Urbana High School, Ebert filed as a write-in candidate following the primary election, so his name won’t appear on the ballot. Despite this fact, Ebert said he’s “honored” to be a write-in candidate.
“I have lived in Urbana most of my life and always have called it my home. My family is here, and my heart is here,” he said. “I am running for council because I have a strong belief of what Urbana is and what Urbana also can be.”
Ebert, who received his bachelor of science in human services degree from Urbana University in 2011, works in business development for Civitas Media at the Madison Press, is director of Christian education at the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana, works as a disc jockey/master of ceremonies, and owns his own business, Ebert Entertainment.
As for his experience on local boards, Ebert has served on the city of Urbana Planning Commission since 2008.
“I am currently the chairman of that committee and enjoy helping to spur the economic development of Urbana by working with businesses both in and new to Urbana,” he said.
If elected to council, Ebert said, “I will help the city in their strategic economic development plans. With my background, I can see the business side of things and work closely with businesses to succeed here.
“I know many of the residents, and I am always eager to meet and listen to others,” he added. “I will listen to their concerns and questions, and I will bring those to council.”
Ebert and his wife, Lisa, have a daughter, Rachel, and a son, Brandon.
