City Council is Unanimous on Elmhurst's Interim Mayor

Mayoral candidates thanked for their "integrity" after taking themselves out of the running for interim mayor.

By unanimous vote, Elmhurst City Council members elected 5th Ward Alderman Scott Levin interim mayor. He will serve until the April 9 Consolidated Election. Prior to the vote, the three Elmhurst aldermen who are running for mayor, Diane Gutenkauf (1st Ward), Steve Morley (6th Ward) and Mark Mulliner (7th Ward) declined any nomination. Third Ward Alderman Michael Bram, who was serving as mayor pro tem Monday, and 1st Ward Alderman Paula Pezza agreed that candidates should not be considered for the interim position. "I definitely support the fact that mayoral candidates would not be the best option," Pezza said. Gutenkauf also nominated 4th Ward Alderman Stephen Hipskind. She said she based her nomination on the fact that he is the longest-…

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City Council Expected to Name an Interim Mayor on Monday

Selection of interim mayor is last on the agenda, after approval of consent agenda, tax levy and vacation of property.

Elmhurst City Council members will vote on consultant contracts, a bicycle race and vehicle purchases—not to mention name an interim mayor—during their regular meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 3, at City Hall, 209 N. York St. This will be the council's first meeting without Mayor Pete DiCianni, who will begin his new role as DuPage County Board member for District 2. He will be sworn in, along with 17 other County Board members and other elected officials, at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the county administration building, 421 N. County Farm Road. The Elmhurst City Council meeting will be preceded by a Public Works and Buildings Committee meeting at 6:30 p.m. to discuss refuse and recycling requests for proposals, and a closed session at 7:15 p.m…

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Process to Select Interim Elmhurst Mayor Should be Handled in Public

Elmhurst citizens deserve transparency, especially in this politicized environment.

Elmhurst City Council members went into executive session on Nov. 19 to discuss “Selection of a Person to Fill a Public Office,” which in this case was related to selecting an interim mayor. The Illinois Open Meetings Act allows public bodies to meet in closed session for a limited number of issues. Specific segments of the law are weak in that it allows public bodies to go into closed session on this particular topic and for generally allowing public officials to take a consensus vote in any closed session as long as a ceremonial “final vote” is taken in open session.     That being said, public bodies are not required to go into executive session for any issue, and the purpose of the Open Meetings Act is explicit: It declares the …

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Jim Court

9:05 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I am very disappointed by the lack of response from the larger community. Are we that disengaged from the direction of our community and the issues that we face?   more ›