Two candidates have filed with the Monroe County Democratic Party to fill the county’s at-large council seat left vacant after Cheryl Munson’s death. More are expected to announce candidacies in the coming days.
The Monroe County Democratic Central Committee Precinct Committeepersons will hold a vacancy caucus at 1 p.m. Jan. 5 to appoint the position. So far, only Liz Feitl and Ilana Stonebraker have announced their intention to fill the seat. Candidacies will be accepted through the party secretary until 1 p.m. Jan. 2.
Liz Feitl, a longtime resident and labor organizer, highlighted her connections to the county and history advocating for workers’ rights in her candidacy statement. She has a lengthy resume in the field, holding numerous positions in unions, along with serving on the Monroe County Women’s Commission from 2013 to 2021. Feitl was the AFL-CIO's community service liaison for United Way of Monroe County from 2002 to 2021, where she headed annual food drives and helped workers displaced by layoffs and closures.
Ilana Stonebraker was previously on the Tippecanoe County Council, representing Lafayette. She moved to Bloomington in 2020, and subsequently has served on several local committees, including the development/fundraising committee for the nonprofit Beacon Inc and the Democratic Women’s Caucus’ steering committee. She now serves as chair of the Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee. Stonebraker also heads the Business/SPEA Library and IU Libraries’ Sciences & Social Sciences.
Neither candidate responded to a request for an interview by publication. Their full statements are attached below.
Liz Feitl Candidacy Statement by ami3 on Scribd
Ilana Stonebraker Candidacy Statement by ami3 on Scribd
