The Doings Weekly

Winning candidates spent more than $15,000 in Hinsdale District 86

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:42:17 -0500

HINSDALE —The Friends for District 86 campaign fund spent more than $15,000 to defeat the incumbents on the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board. Ed Corcoran, Victor Casini and Claudia Manley won three of the four seats up for election April 9. Kay Gallo of Clarendon Hills was the sole incumbent who successfully ran for re-election. Corcoran and Casini, an attorney with LKQ Corp., a company that sells vehicle parts, contributed to their own campaigns, with $3,000 from Casini and $3,001 from Corcoran as of March 31. Corcoran, a self-employed investor, also loaned the campaign $4,200, according to documents filed …

Lost election could get more costly for Burr Ridge candidate

Thu, 23 May 2013 03:28:46 -0500

BURR RIDGE — John Bittner said his recent run for Burr Ridge mayor proved he’s a better businessman than politician. “I know how to run a business. I don’t know how to run an election,” said Bittner, who said he was unaware of requirements to disclose his campaign expenditures to the Illinois State Board of Elections. Bittner, who paid for his Burr Ridge mayoral campaign from his own pocket, did not form a campaign committee. State law requires a committee be formed and spending documented for any campaign that spends more than $3,000, regardless of where the money comes from. …

DuPage County addressing election website overload

Sun, 19 May 2013 06:43:01 -0500

When the results of last November’s general election were coming in after the polls had closed, the DuPage County Election Commission website was being viewed by as many as 10,000 online visitors at a time. That was understandable, given the 70 percent turnout seen in the county for the presidential, congressional, state and county contests. When the results of last week’s consolidated election for local offices and referendums were coming in about an hour after the polls had closed, the commission site seized up under the assault of some 15,000 visits. Turnout for the local contests had been paltry in …

Focus candidates prevail in Pleasantdale

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:51:40 -0500

BURR RIDGE — One of the new members of the Pleasandantdale 107 School Board said the job ahead is one of enhancing rather than changing. “We think the school is great,” said Kristin Violant. “I just want to go in there and do a good job.” Violant was one of three Focus 4 the Future candidates to win seats on the board. They ran on a platform of increased transparency. “We’re about accountability, responsibility and transparency,” said newly elected board member Kim Barker. Doug Gilman was the third Focus candidate to win. The fourth seat went to the sole inucmbent …

New Burr Ridge mayor may look at district representation

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:44:55 -0500

BURR RIDGE — The new mayor of Burr Ridge will investigate whether village trustees should be elected by district rather than at-large. During his campaign, Michael “Mickey” Straub promised to address the issue with a special committee that will look into representation by district rather than at-large. Tuesday’s election did little to improve what Straub believes is an overrepresentation of the areas of Burr Ridge south of Interstate 55. Newly elected trustee Janet Grasso, the wife of former mayor Gary Grasso, is the only member of the new board to live north of the highway. The election places three of …

New District 181 Board members promise scrutiny

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:49:20 -0500

HINSDALE — One of the victors in District 181 said the board needs to do more to keep top administrators, track the progress of a new learning plan and maintain fiscal responsibility. Gary Clarin of Clarendon Hills said Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 has seen too many administrators leave after just a year or two. “Experience is an important part of long-term improvement,” he said. He also said the board and administration must keep close watch of the Advanced Learning Plan. “The plan was just approved by the board; we must now track the progress of this program to determine …

Hinsdale woman elected to College of DuPage Board

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:59:03 -0500

Hinsdale resident Katharine Hamilton was the top vote-getter in the race for College of DuPage trustee on Tuesday. Hamilton, 61, a certified public accountant, received 51,595 votes in the community college district race. Also elected was Joseph C. Wozniak, 33, of Naperville, a graphic artist and designer, with 32,433 votes. The six-way race focused on finances and growth of the college, which has undertaken several building projects in recent years. Other candidates were David Carlin of Naperville with 27,328 votes, Frank Flores of Glendale Heights with 17,044 votes, Ed Agustin of Naperville with 16,310 votes and Mike Lanners of Lombard …

Ra-Hurka unseated on Gower Board

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:13:50 -0500

BURR RIDGE — Unofficial election results show newcomers Todd Koehler and Ramona Stephens-Zemaitis have earned seats on the Gower District 62 School Board, along with incumbents Ryan Asmus and Joe Schulte. Incumbent Young Ra-Hurka was not successful in her bid for re-election. Ra-Hurka collected 533 votes, while Schulte earned 919. Asmus collected 853 votes. Stephens-Zemaitis and Koehler collected 801 and 803 votes, respectively. …

GOP sweeps Downers Grove Township race

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:13:50 -0500

A Democratic challenge in Downers Grove Township came up short Tuesday as the Republican Party continued its hold on the offices. In unofficial results, Frank Wurster garnered 8,706 votes, or 62 percent, to hold onto his position as the township supervisor, easily defeating challenger Karen Sole who had 5,275 votes, or 38 percent. For township clerk, Laura Hois with 8,775 votes bested Christine Hotchkin with 5,180, or 63 percent to 37 percent. For highway commissioner, the margin was even greater. Lawrence Anderson won reelection with 64 percent of the vote, beating Christopher English 8,840 to 4,888. In the trustee race, …

Lone incumbent not reelected in District 181

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:13:50 -0500

HINSDALE — The lone incumbent running in Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 failed in her bid for reelection. With three open seats on the board, Sarah Lewensohn finished fourth out of five candidates with 1,263 votes. Jill Vorobiev was the top vote getter with 1,726. Also elected were Gary Clarin with 1,384 votes and Mridu Garg with 1,381 votes. The three winners were endorsed by the Hinsdale Village Caucus. Challenger Richard Fitzgerald had 1,120 votes. Incumbents Yvonne Mayer and Russell Rhoads chose not to seek reelection.~. …

Straub declares victory in Burr Ridge village president race

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:29:30 -0500

BURR RIDGE — Cheers and champagne were part of the celebration as Mickey Straub declared himself the next president of the Burr Ridge Village Board Tuesday night. Having collected the tapes from all village precincts, Straub’s supporters said Straub handily won the position over Robert Sodikoff and John Bittner. “That’s Mayor Mickey,” Straub said, speaking to supporters at Capri Restaurant in Burr Ridge. “We got all the tapes,” one of Straub’s campaign workers said. Those tapes, which record the votes as cast at all Burr Ridge polling places, show Straub collected 874 votes. Robert Sodikoff, who was appointed to the …

Hinsdale District 86 winners promise cooperation

Sun, 12 May 2013 12:44:37 -0500

HINSDALE — The newly elected members of Hinsdale High School District 86 Board said while they criticize the way the current board operates, they don’t disagree with their priorities. “One of our platforms has been cooperation,” said Ed Corcoran. “All the board needs to respect one another. They don’t need to agree, but they need to respect one another and collaborate.” His slate’s campaign focused on better transparency and fiscal accountability, Corcoran said, but those intentions will not hurt the instruction the students receive. The three challengers aligned with a current board minority were elected Tuesday. Unofficial results show Claudia …

Focus slate earns three of four seats in District 107

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:13:50 -0500

BURR RIDGE – With all 10 precincts reporting, three of the four Focus 4 the Future candidates appear to have earned seats on the Pleasantdale 107 school board. “We’re thrilled. We were hoping to get the fourth in, but we’re absolutely thrilled that the community supported us so much,” said Kim Barker, speaking for the Focus slate. Barker led the six candidates with 894 votes, followed by Focus 4 the Future candidates Kristin Violante with 877 and Doug Gilman with 783. Unofficial results show incumbent board member Mark Mirabile earned another term with 729 votes. Focus candidate Greg Sengpiel ended …

Accusations fly in Hinsdale High School District 86 Board race

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 14:35:18 -0500

HINSDALE — Campaign messages were flying in the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board race in the final days before Tuesday’s election. One campaign email supposedly compares the backgrounds and issues of the two slates: Claudia Manley, Edward Corcoran and Victor Casini; and the one led by the incumbents Dennis Brennan, Kay Gallo and Deirdre (DeeDee) Gorgol, with Roseanne Rosenthal rounding out their choices for the four seats that are up for election. Rosenthal is listed as an incumbent, although she has never served on the District 86 School Board. The email sent by supporters of Manley, Corcoran and Casini …

Election Day polls are closed

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 19:48:43 -0500

It’s Election Day. Voters will be choosing among candidates for village, library, park district, school and township boards, and, in some cases, village leaders and referendums. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.