Charles Amrich knocked off ballot in Island Lake
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Editor's Note: To correct an article in Tuesday's Daily Herald, an electoral board ruled Island Lake mayoral hopeful Charles Amrich can't run in the April election because of a $174 overdue garbage bill he paid after he signed his candidacy statement in December 2012.
Island Lake mayoral hopeful Charles Amrich can't run in the April election because of a $174 overdue garbage bill he paid after he signed his candidacy statement in December 2012, an electoral board ruled Monday night.
The 2-1 ruling came after two hours of testimony from Amrich, village Finance Director John Little and the two men who tried to get the town's former mayor knocked off the ballot, Daniel Field and Louis Sharp.
Amrich's attorney, David McCardle, said he plans to appeal the ruling in Lake County court.
Amrich quickly left the room after the board's decision because of a family health emergency.
Most of Monday's testimony centered on whether Amrich owed the village money for unpurchased vehicle stickers.
Amrich testified he leases the cars in question for his daughters, who also live in Island Lake.
The electoral board — consisting of Trustees Shannon Fox, Thea Morris and Laurie Rabattini — disregarded the sticker argument, saying the objectors hadn't proved their case.
But Fox and Morris decided Amrich did owe the debt for garbage service when he signed his candidacy statement and therefore was ineligible to run for office under Illinois law.
Field and Sharp also had objected to trustee candidate Tony Sciarrone's bid, again claiming a debt precludes him from running for office.
But late Monday, Field and Sharp withdrew their objection.
Amrich was the town's mayor from 1985 to 2005. Sciarrone is a former Island Lake police officer who served for a time as interim chief.
Amrich and Sciarrone had created the "For the People" slate with clerk candidate Teresa Ponio and trustee hopefuls Mark Beeson and Keith Johns.
Mayor Debbie Herrmann leads the "United for Progress" slate. She's joined by incumbent Clerk Connie Mascillino and first-time trustee hopefuls Josh Rohde, Ken Nitz and Ed McGinty.
Field and Sharp are local business owners who have done work for the village, public records show.
Additionally, Sharp is a former trustee.
