An a memo to Village officials, the Village Attorney’s office has answered some questions about implementing Village Trustee Tim Allen’s proposal on the March 20 ballot for residents to exchange their present right to vote on all six Trustee seats to instead be able to vote on only one Trustee seat, because his plan would divide the Village into six Trustee Districts.

Under a gag order Mr. Allen supported, the Village staff is banned from compiling impartial information about the effects if the referendum passes, but that does not prevent The Winfield Register from reporting about it.

The memo says that if the proposed change passes, it cannot be undone until four years have passed. The Village Board would have to adopt a map of the district lines at least 30 days before candidates can begin filing nomination papers for next Spring’s local elections.

The terms of three Trustees (Jack Bajor, Jay Olson, and Erik Spande) will expire next Spring anyway. The three Trustees (Tim Allen, Jim Hughes, and Tony Reyes) that were elected last year will hold over for two years after next Spring’s election.

The holdovers would automatically become the Trustees in their districts, and there will be no election for Trustee in those districts next Spring. If more than one holdover lives in a district, then one is chosen by lot to be the Trustee from that district, and the other one or two living in that district become Trustees At Large for two years.

The remaining 3, 4, or 5 districts that do not have a holdover Trustee would then elect a Trustee from within their district next Spring.

If all of the holdovers end up in the same district, then the Winfield Village Board would have eight Trustees for two years. If only two holdovers live in the same district, then there would be seven trustees for two years. After that it would revert to six Trustees, each elected from his own district of residence.

The memo does not specifically address the problem of Winfield historically struggling to come up with enough candidates, even at large, to give voters a true choice. Experts tell The Winfield Register that if no candidate runs from a district, then the previous Trustee holds over until the Mayor can find and appoint someone from within that district.