LEARNING ABOUT NORMAL TOWN COUNCIL CANDIDATES: Karl Sila

NORMAL, Ill.- A Normal resident says he sees a shortcoming in the Normal Town Council.

Karl Sila says the council is dominated by the current mayor, Chris Koos, and the Town manager Pamela Reece. Sila was part of a protest at Koos’ bike shop, a protest in regards to the Coronavirus shut downs.

Sila says the shutdowns were prolonged and negatively affected students, especially being that students work in many of the small businesses. 

“He didn’t sit down and have a conversation, he didn’t just tell us his position, he put up a sign to mock people who just wnated to be able to work and feed themselves and their families. That’s not the kind of mayor we need and the Town Council backed him, so that’s not the Town Council we need,” said Sila.

Sila says he is best qualified and can look at issues with an open mind.  Sila says a priority would to get the agenda out earlier and so that way citizens can give ample input.

Sila says public comment, despite the Attorney General almost citing Koos for violating the ‘Open Meetings Act,’ is still designed to discourage concerned citizen to express concerns.  

“As soon as the heard that ruyling was in the pipeline they changed it,” said Sila. “If I want to talk about brown tap water, it used to be you couldn’t address the council about that at all…now I can but it has to be at the end of the meeting. I have to sit through the meeting and by 10 p.m. I have to say, ‘Oh, by the way, I can’t drink my water.'”

Sila attended Glenn and Oakdale elementary schools, Parkside Junior High, and graduated from Normal Community. Sila received his Electrical Engineering degree from U of I, but has also taken classes at ISU and at Heartland.

“Growing up I delivered newspapers, mowed lawns, helped at my parents’ accounting firm, and worked a few other odd jobs. After college, I worked in the Chicago area for a few years before coming back for a position at State Farm and I now work at ISU,” said Sila.