Contested election emerges for Wheeling village board

Updated to reflect Robert Heer died of a stroke, not a heart attack

Wheeling voters have a competitive race for village board after all, with the write-in candidacy of Joseph Vito, the man appointed to the board temporarily after the death of Trustee Robert Heer.

Vito, a 36-year-old attorney, said he decided to run for a full term on the advice of his family, neighbors and Village President Dean Argiris. His current appointment to the board ends after the April election.

Vito was Argiris' pick to finish Heer's term, after the almost 20-year trustee died from a massive stroke on Christmas Eve. Trustees last month unanimously approved Vito's appointment.

"I think Joe brings a professionalism to that board that is well needed," Argiris said Wednesday. "He does his homework."

Vito says he's talked with the incumbents seeking re-election - trustees Dave Vogel, 63, and Ray Lang, 55, - about campaigning together, but the trio haven't formed an official slate.

"We're definitely not going to be working against each other," Vito said.

While Vito didn't have to gather petitions, his supporters will have to manually write in his name on the ballot.

"There's no doubt it's going to be an uphill battle," Vito said of the disadvantages for a write-in candidate. "The odds are stacked against me, no doubt, but I have every intention of mounting a serious campaign."

Clearly, Vito's entry into the race means Mary Papantos, 60, in particular, won't get the automatic bid to the village board she would have had otherwise. When Heer died, that left three candidates running for three seats - Vogel, Lang and Papantos, But now with Vito, there are four. This is Papantos' third race for the village board.

"Personally, I felt that if he really wanted to run, he probably should have gone through and gotten the signatures," Papantos said. "It was kind of like, 'OK, I'll do it now,' kind of the easy way out."

Vito said he has previously eyed the office but didn't want to challenge board veterans like Heer. Vito says he would continue to bring a unique perspective to the board as the thirty-something father of two girls ages 6 and 5.

"I'm very vested in the future of Wheeling given that I have two young kids growing up here," he said.

Papantos, meanwhile, is the only candidate who is an open critic of expanding Chicago Executive Airport, jointly owned by Wheeling and Prospect Heights. Airport leaders will may decide in late spring about proceeding to a more in-depth, second phase of a study on lengthening the main runway, among other possible projects.

An opposition group called Citizens Against Runway Expansion - Papantos is a member - sees the study as a charade. But Argiris, like airport leaders, stressed no decision has been made about the runway.

"There's no done deals, and she continues to scare the residents," said Argiris, adding, however, he would collaborate with her if she wins election.