Two ministers are competing Tuesday to usher in a new era for the South Side Chatham neighborhood and environs.
St. James Community Church senior pastor William Hall and Gathering Point Universal Ministries pastor Richard Wooten both hope to replace Ald. Roderick Sawyer, who chose not to run for another term when he made an unsuccessful bid for mayor.
The winner between Hall and Wooten will be only the fourth alderman of the 6th Ward since 1989.
[ South Side pastors compete for 6th Ward seat in runoff ]
Both ministers campaigned, saying they see hope for a rebirth of their community through nearby large-scale projects and attractions such as the Obama Presidential Center, the Pullman historical district and a potential CTA Red Line expansion.
An Army veteran of Operation Desert Storm, Wooten is a native of Englewood and said as a teenager he longed to live in the more vibrant Chatham community. He moved there with his family more than two decades ago. This is his fourth run for alderman.
Hall pitched a “North Side strategy” in the ward — the sort he said he sees in use in other parts of the city. He described it as a combination of police walking beats, bicycle officers and patrols near expressway exits that allows officers to more quickly respond to crime and improve relations between officers and skeptical residents.
Chatham, Park Manor and West Chesterfield were among the first Black middle-class neighborhoods on the South Side, and the communities became a popular home for notable Black residents.
