Des Plaines to choose next interim mayor Monday

The Des Plaines City Council on Monday will decide whether 8th Ward Alderman Mike Charewicz will continue to serve as acting mayor. The city council will select the mayor at 6 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4. The meeting will be televised.

Charewicz was appointed by to the role Jan. 7, about a week after former Mayor Marty Moylan stepped down. Moylan was sworn in earlier this month as state representative in the 55th House District.

As acting mayor, Charewicz has presided over election board hearings on petition challenges, which concluded last week.

The city council recently approved a city code amendment explicitly allowing the aldermen to set the term for an acting mayor.

Ward 7 Alderman Dan Wilson objected to the change and urged aldermen to consider allowing one person to serve the remainder of Moylan's term until a new mayor is elected on April 9.

“There's a learning curve to it,” Wilson said adding, there is a need for consistency in the mayor's office.

Ward 3 Alderman Matt Bogusz, who is one of three candidates — with Ward 6 Alderman Mark Walsten and former Mayor Tony Arredia — for the mayor's office, backed Wilson's position saying, anything short of a permanent interim mayor would not serve the city's businesses, residents and city staff well.

Ward 4 Alderman Dick Sayad pointed out Des Plaines has a city-manager form of government, and if any problems arise, they should be taken up with the city's department heads.

Charewicz and other aldermen downplayed the significance of the code change as merely a housekeeping matter.

“It does not necessarily mean you have to change the mayor,” Charewicz said. “It just gives us the option.”