Decatur native Harry Bond is vying for the Republican nod to run for Congress in Illinois' 11th District.

Last week, GOP officials said they will wait until April 30 to decide who will challenge for the right to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Morris, in Washington, D.C.

The party is searching for a new candidate for the Nov. 4 general election after the surprising departure of New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann, who won a three-way Republican primary race on Feb. 5, only to announce he was dropping out of the race soon after.

But Baldermann has not filed the required paperwork with the Illinois State Board of Elections to formally withdraw as the Republican candidate.

Reached on Friday, Baldermann said, "It's not that easy to withdraw. There are some things involving funding with the Federal Elections Commission that I have to do first. They involve closing out the campaign."

Those items will be dealt with prior to April 30, allowing him to withdraw formally, Baldermann said. He said there should not be a problem with the GOP filling the vacancy by early May.

Although Republican officials remain tight-lipped about whom they'd like to see in the race, two front-runners have emerged: Bond, president of the Bradley-based Monical's Pizza chain, and Martin Ozinga III, president of Ozinga Bros., a material supply company, headquartered in Mokena.

Bond and Ozinga fit a profile for which Republicans are searching, because they both could use some of their own wealth in going up against state Senate Majority Leader Debbie Halvorson of Crete, who has strong backing from the national Democratic Party.

Green Party candidate Jason Wallace of Normal also is on the ballot.

Dick Kavanagh, Will County Republican Party chairman, said that party officials have spent recent weeks interviewing potential candidates. He declined to name who he is favoring.

Kavanagh said he doesn't see any harm in waiting until late April to name a replacement. Under party rules, county chairmen from each of the eight counties that comprise the district will cast weighted votes to choose the new candidate.

"I certainly don't think it's too late," Kavanagh said.

The 11th District, which stretches from Chicago's south suburbs to Bloomington-Normal, is among three districts in Illinois that Republicans are defending in the 2008 election. The others are the 18th District and the 14th District.

Cities can partner with educational institutions to improve the community, Decatur City Manager Steve Garman said.

Garman recently shared with the city council details about a cooperative plan between the city of Carbondale and Southern Illinois University.

The Carbondale City Council last year approved a 0.5 percent sales tax increase to fund city projects, including new fire and police stations. The tax increase also provided Southern $1 million each year to build a new football stadium and to improve Southern's arena, according to reports from The Southern Illinoisan, a daily newspaper owned by Lee Enterprises, which also owns the Herald & Review.

The plan is "on point" for Decatur, Garman stated in a memo.

"This close, cooperative arrangement between educational institutions and city government is relevant as regards (Decatur School) District 61 and the city, as well as between Millikin University and Richland Community College and city government," Garman wrote.

Garman shared information about the Carbondale tax increase with Decatur schools Superintendent Gloria Davis, Millikin University President Doug Zemke and Richland Community College President Gayle Saunders.

Councilman Dan Caulkins in recent years has urged the city to play a more active role in working with the Decatur School District to improve the schools and the community.

Ron Ingram can be reached at ringram@

herald-review.com or 421-7973. Mike Frazier can be reached at mfrazier@herald-review.com or 421-7985. Springfield Bureau Chief Kurt Erickson contributed to this column.