ARCOLA – Veeda Williams was elected as the city’s new mayor Saturday, bringing an end to Fred Burton’s six-year run as mayor and a contentious campaign season.
Williams’ victory comes after months of political turmoil in the city filled with a legal battle over a council member’s residency and criticism over Burton’s use of public funds.
Williams, an Arcola native, is Burton’s first challenger since 2022. She ran on a platform of bringing “common-sense solutions” to City Hall and making Arcola a destination city. Williams also founded Community Express, a summer youth program focused on the social well-being of children in Arcola.
During the campaign season, Williams was often targeted by the former mayor. In April, Burton took to Facebook Live to post a video of a William’s campaign flyer sent to his home being set on fire.
Williams and Burton could not be immediately reached for comment.
Election season full of political turmoil
The path to this election has been surrounded by drama and scandal. Most recently, the mayor has been criticized for holding public information behind a private Facebook page and using of taxpayer dollars to hire a private investigator who followed a councilmember he aimed to oust.