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Campton Hills voters oust trustee who supported Kiva plan

A Campton Hills trustee who supported a controversial substance abuse treatment center earlier this year was bounced from office Tuesday.

According to unofficial results and all 12 precincts reporting, incumbents Al Lenkaitis Jr. and Mike Millette tallied 658 and 651 votes, respectively.

Newcomer Harry Blecker garnered 591 votes — twice the 295 votes for John Strauss.

Strauss was of two yes votes when the village board in January voted 4-2 to deny the Kiva Recovery Center this past January. Three 4-year seats were up for election.

“I was hopeful going in, but the margin is very surprising,” said Blecker, a Kiva opponent.

Blecker also said that in addition to Strauss’ support for Kiva, he also was the only board member in support of allowing video gambling. “(Kiva) was a key issue, but there also were some other issues John had voted on.”

Millette said Kiva made the difference in the race. “I can’t see any other issue that was as prevalent in recent memory,” Millette said. “It was so consuming of everybody’s energy. It was a very passionate group that backed Harry.”

Lenkaitis and Millette voted against Kiva, which officials later abandoned in February instead of taking to the Kane County Board. The 98-bed, inpatient recovery center was proposed for a former private school on a 120-acre site.

Strauss voted for the plan, saying it was a societal need and citing the additional $7.5 million the village was requiring Kiva to pay over a 10-year span for emergency services and other fees.

Al Lenkaitis Jr.
Mike Millette
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