Upstart Contender Makes Bid For Evergreen Park Mayor's Seat

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Booted off the mayoral ballot in 2013 because her candidate filing papers were not securely bound, Shawn Good is throwing her hat into the ring for another run for Evergreen Park mayor. This time around, her name will be on the ballot in the April 6 election.

“A lot more information was available about filing,” Good said. “The [Cook County Clerk’s] office put together a video about how to file. I helped others do their papers. When I tried to ask the village clerk [Cathy Aparo] questions about filing, she told me it would be a conflict of interest to answer.”

The upstart contender will go up against Kelly Burke, an Evergreen Park village trustee and Illinois state representative for the 36th District. Long-time Mayor Jim Sexton endorsed Burke when he announced his retirement in December just days before the candidate filing deadline.

“Our timing was short and swift,” Good said. “According to what I read about Ms. Burke, she obviously knew [about Sexton’s retirement] and had a greater advantage. She was passing petitions over Thanksgiving. It got me right out the door.”

Good is 52 years old and a 13-year veteran of the Air Force Illinois Air National Guard. She works as a paralegal for a government agency. Her family moved to Evergreen Park in 1972, where she attended Northeast Elementary School and St. Bernadette School. Good is a 1986 graduate of Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School. She holds a master’s degree in political science and criminal justice from Governor's State University. Good and her husband of 30 years, Brian, have raised three children, Brendan, 25, Shannon, 22, and 16-year-old Kyle, a junior at Evergreen Park Community High School.

Good says she is running a “low budget, grassroots campaign.” So far, she’s spent about $60 on her campaign. Her website, Shawn4Mayor.com, is free the first 90 days on GoDaddy. Good is not taking donations, rather, she’d like residents to donate to the Evergreen Park Food Pantry. Good and her husband use a web service to print out fliers and stickers.

“We do our own printing for now,”, Good said. “The cost savings is unreal. Due to the pandemic, I would rather see campaign funds go to help our food pantry or local places of worship.”

She’s relying on shoe leather, social media and her website to get her platform out, which includes shutting down the red light camera at 87th Street and Kedzie Avenue, signing off on more gaming licenses for qualified businesses, and bringing in an expert to mitigate sound and vibration problems from CSX trains. She also supports advanced training in community relations for the Evergreen Park Police Department. If elected mayor, Good says she plans to introduce term limits for the mayor, clerk and trustee offices.

Taking a jab at Burke, who plans to hold her state rep and mayoral offices if elected, Good says she will fully commit herself to serving Evergreen Park.

“As Mayor of Evergreen Park, I will put you first, I will make you the priority as a full-time mayor with 100 percent of my commitment to the residents and businesses in our village,” Good said in a candidate statement. “Eight years ago was a lesson well-learned and my resilience carried me through so our community can preserve our democracy by having a choice. Let the people decide who they want as mayor by electing the best candidate.”

Evergreen Park residents Cesar Salazar and Darryl D. Smith are taking on the mighty Good Government Party slate. Salazar and Smith are challenging the incumbent trustees Carol Kyle, Norm Anderson and Mark Phelan. The top three vote-getters in the April 6 consolidated election will be seated on the Evergreen Park Village Board. Good said and Salazar and Smith are a better reflection of Evergreen Park’s growing diversity.

“I’m so happy there were ready to come forth,” Good said. “The thing that will make this race interesting is that this is diversity and inclusion in action, it’s not just words. We’re bringing fair and equitable representation for the people in Evergreen Park.”