Lewis named as new St. Charles alderman

Maureen Lewis is the new 5th Ward alderman in St. Charles.

Mayor Don DeWitte recommended, and the council agreed unanimously, to appoint her to fill the rest of the term vacated by David Richards.

“It is an honor to be here,” Lewis said, taking her seat at the western edge of the council dais after being sworn in by the city clerk.

“Someone hand her an agenda!” DeWitte said.

She will serve until the first meeting in May.

Voters will pick someone to fill the remaining two years of Richards' term April 2.

Richards resigned in November after pleading guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct in DuPage County. He was accused of public indecency in July while driving on Route 64 in West Chicago.

Lewis was one of eight applicants for the position. DeWitte narrowed the list to five Dec. 1, and a council committee pared it to three Dec. 3.

The other two finalists were former city employee Kim Malay and Steve Pearce, a school principal.

Jotham Stein, who ran for mayor against DeWitte in 2009, was one of the final five.

Lewis, 61, is on the St. Charles 708 Mental Health Board and has served on committees of the Downtown St. Charles Partnership. She is a patient relations coordinator for a cardiology practice.

Lewis grew up in St. Charles and married her high school sweetheart, Phil. They returned to St. Charles 34 years ago. She is the grandmother of eight. Her husband was re-elected in November to the Kane County Board.