Letter to the Editor

Letter: Never Forget that DuPage County Officials Have Set Their Sights on Our Open Land

Forest District commissioners must fight to keep DuPage Forest District separate from the County Board or risk huge step backwards to 1988.

I am reading about this Deb Conroy (D-46th Elmhurst) legislation to eliminate the DuPage County Forest Preserve District commissioners' pay and the bill to move over their responsibilities to the DuPage County Board members. This does seem like a huge step backwards in time, to 23 years ago.   In 1988, the County Board commissioners and committees eagerly thought that an incinerator on Forest Preserve district property would solve their revenue problems. I became a Board Member of CHASE, the citizens group that fought this county plan, and then the "Landfill Beyond our Lifetime" plan. The idea 21 years ago then was to fully separate the County Board from the interests of the Forest Preserve District lands so that the county could not make …

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Robert Kolb

1:22 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013

Jim- I couldn't agree more! Term limitations, would largely eliminate complacency, the possibility of fraud, and backroom (good ole boy) dealings. I think adequate compensation should be paid for these positions, so that they are meaningful. Unopposed political races in our city are sad, and disease the good government process. Robert K Kolb, Candidate for 5 th Ward Alderman   more ›

Legislators Turn Their Attention to DuPage Forest District as a Way to Save Taxpayers Money

Reboletti wants to disband the Forest Commission, Conroy wants to get rid of commissioners' pay.

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-45th) of Elmhurst last week sponsored HB 2481, which would dissolve the DuPage County Forest Preserve District Board and transfer the responsibilities of the Forest District to the DuPage County Board in 2016. In response late Friday, the DuPage Legislative Committee scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 26, to discuss the bill. "Before legislation of this magnitude is voted on in Springfield, I think it is important that all sides of the issue are explored," said Legislative Committee Chairman JR McBride in a prepared statement. "While I am open to the idea of a study to analyze a possible merger, I do not believe this bill has any merit until due diligence has been given on the subject." Reboletti …

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Dave

10:25 am on Friday, May 17, 2013

Agree 100%. Let Conroy go without her paycheck, perks and benefits that are breaking the back of Illinois taxpayers. As an state representative, she is just a "part-timer" as well.   more ›

DuPage County Budget Is $7.3 Million Less Than Last Year

Budget cuts seven staff positions and appropriates $16.9 million for campus and county-wide improvements.

DuPage County Board Tuesday approved a fiscal year 2013 budget that is $7.3 million less than the previous year, according to a press release from DuPage County. Board Chairman Dan Cronin of Elmhurst said in a statement the $432.6 million budget represents his commitment to reduce the financial burden of government on taxpayers. Since taking office, Cronin has reduced the county’s budget by more than $13 million, according to the release.  “It is important that we demonstrate to taxpayers that government can make the sacrifices necessary to meet the bottom line. The fiscal year 2013 budget is a testament to that pledge," Cronin said. Finance Chairman Paul Fichtner of Elmhurst said this is the fifth consecutive year the county has not …

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Elmhurst Tax Levy Going Down, Mayor Moving Up

Pete DiCianni’s final meeting included levy approval and accolades.

Elmhurst City Council sent Mayor Pete DiCianni to the County Board Monday with actions that must have warmed the Elmhurst native’s heart: a reduced tax levy for 2012, a property agreement that will keep a business in the city, and a celebration of the York Boys Cross Country Team's 28th state championship. DiCianni won a place on the DuPage County Board earlier this month, where he will represent District 2. He will remain mayor until Dec. 3, when he will be sworn in as a county official. On that day, he will resign as mayor, and that night, the City Council will select an interim mayor, who will serve until April. On Monday, aldermen approved the Finance Committee’s report calling for a 1 percent reduction in the tax levy, or annual …

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Election Results: DuPage County Board, Forest Preserve

DuPage County voters elected eight newcomers to the county board, along with the the first Democratic forest preserve commissioner in a decade.

DuPage County voters rejected a proposition Tuesday that asked whether elected officials should be able to hold more than one office at a time. With all 748 precincts reporting, unofficial results show that a resounding 90 percent (332,657) of DuPage County voters rejected the proposal. Only 36,571 voted "yes." The question was placed on the general election ballot after Elmhurst Mayor Peter DiCianni and Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso announced their plans to run for DuPage County Board seats in Districts 2 and 3, respectively. Both DiCianni and Grasso were declared winners Tuesday. DiCianni plans to resign his current position to serve the county board. Grasso has said he wants to hold both offices. Winner: Chris Kachiroubas (R) Republican …

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Get Your Politics on in Elmhurst This Week at DuPage County Board Candidate Forum

Early voting begins next week.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 17, the Elmhurst League of Women Voters will host a candidate forum for candidates running for DuPage County Board in Districts 1 and 2 at Community Bank of Elmhurst, 330 W. Butterfield Road. The candidates will present their views on a variety of county issues, including stormwater management, consolidation of services and the status of the DuPage Airport Authority.  Written questions from the audience also will be put to the candidates by the League of Women Voters moderator. The League will also provide information on the various referenda on the ballot.  Illinois voters will be asked to consider an amendment to the state Constitution regarding public pensions. Locally, voters will be asked to consider whether …

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County Referendum on Dual Elected Duty will be on November Ballot

Referendum is advisory; DuPage Chairman Dan Cronin says County Board duties require "undivided focus."

Editor's Note: The following information was provided by DuPage County officials. DuPage County voters will be asked this November whether one elected official should be permitted to hold more than one elected office at the same time. The DuPage County Board Tuesday approved an advisory referendum question that will appear on the November general election ballot asking voters: “Should Illinois law permit an individual to hold two or more public elected offices simultaneously?” DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin sought the referendum question in order to gauge the public’s sentiment on the issue. Two sitting DuPage mayors are running for election to the DuPage County Board this fall, Elmhurst Mayor Pete DiCianni and Burr Ridge Mayor …

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DiCianni Announces he will Step Down as Mayor if Elected to DuPage County Board

He cites the need for unity as the reason for his decision.

Elmhurst Mayor Pete DiCianni announced Monday that he will step down as mayor if he is elected to the DuPage County Board in November. "When I ran for mayor, I did so because I love this town and I wanted it to continue to flourish," he said at a scheduled press conference. "My heart and mind told me I'd be mayor as long as the voters would have me. "I have been saddened to see the division and distraction my decision to run for the County Board has caused in some parts of our community, as well as on the City Council," he said to the 40 or so people gathered in back of City Hall. The matter of dual elected positions has created controversy since DiCianni first announced last year that he wanted to serve both positions. Seventh Ward …

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Karen Chadra

1:59 am on Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Hi Melissa, The only time I ever remove comments is if they are offensive or in some way violate our terms of use. All comments do show up in a moderation queue no matter how old the article is. The only other way they would have been removed is if the commenter removed their own. I don't remove comments just to maintain the "flow" of the thread. Bottom line is, I don't know what happened to …   more ›

Committee Must Wait Two More Weeks for Legal Opinion on Dual Elected Duty

Alderman moves the process forward with draft ordinance.

Elmhurst aldermen will have to wait two more weeks to hear a legal opinion on whether the City Council can restrict officials to one elected position at a time. Jack Siegel, a veteran municipal attorney hired by the city to investigate the issue, will provide an opinion for the Elmhurst Finance, Council Affairs and Administrative Services Committee before its next meeting June 25, City Manager Jim Grabowski told the committee Monday. But that's not stopping one committee member from taking the next step. "We want to keep this process moving forward," said 7th Ward Alderman Mark Mulliner, who first requested in May that the issue be brought before the committee. Mulliner presented a draft ordinance to the committee that states the City …

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Darlene Heslop

9:25 pm on Monday, June 18, 2012

jim..., while you have that opinion, the style of government that was voted on by the residents of elmhurst several years ago was what we now have. if you feel that the mayor deserves to become a full-time job worthy of full-time pay, then a city-wide referendum would need to be passed. you do realize that the city council aldermen, who are the policy setters, the ones that really do all the work…   more ›