Langlotz-Johnson slate pulls off near sweep in Palatine Twp.
Palatine Township supervisor ousted
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The majority of voters agreed that the Doing Things Better for Palatine Township slate of candidates will do just that.
With all 69 precincts reporting, unofficial results in the Republican primary show Sharon Langlotz-Johnson received 1,519 votes in her bid for supervisor over two-term incumbent Linda Fleming, who trailed with 1,389 votes.
Langlotz-Johnson, a former police officer serving her first term as township trustee, got company from the majority of her slate with five of six candidates winning as well.
"It's pretty obvious that people are ready for a change," Langlotz-Johnson said. "It's been hard to get much done, so we're looking forward to not running into brick walls at every turn."
Trustees Art Goes and Bill Huley and challengers Bill Pohlman and Kevin McGrane, all part of the Doing Things Better group, were the top vote-getters among the 11 Republican candidates vying for four open trustee seats.
Joining them was newcomer Tom Kaider, who unseated longtime Highway Commissioner John Powers. Kaider, who received 55 percent of the vote, worked in road construction before switching to a career in property management.
Since the general election in April features just one Democrat, trustee candidate Dexter Stokes, the primary essentially shapes the board. All offices are for 4-year terms.
Langlotz-Johnson's slate said it will cut spending by 5 percent through efficiency measures such as transitioning certain management roles to avoid overtime and ensuring retirement benefits are given only to two full-time employees.
The group also pledged to forgo any taxpayer-funded pensions while making an issue out of the current supervisor's. The candidates maintain Fleming only recently withdrew from the township pension system so she could start collecting benefits from her former job in Palatine Township Elementary District 15's transportation department.
"I guess the voters have spoken," Fleming said. "They listened to the other team's information. I am concerned, though. I don't believe (Langlotz-Johnson's slate) are aware of the needs of the people in the community."
Fleming lauded two incumbents who will remain in office, including Assessor Terry Kelly, a member of Fleming's slate who ran unopposed. Clerk Lisa Moran won 55 percent of the vote over opponent Kathy Allegretti, a member of Langlotz-Johnson's team.
Trailing the leading trustee candidates were Debbie McGuire, incumbent Vince Farina, John Mathias, Julie Ann Johnson, Kevin O'Connell, Chris Adrian and Jason Hillenbrand.
