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Slate of incumbents, newcomer wins in Hoffman Estates

A slate of incumbents that also included one newcomer won election to the Hoffman Estates village board Tuesday.

Only the self-described outsider voice of Nicholas Waryas - who lost his election bid - made the race for three trustee seats contested.

He took on a slate led by unopposed Mayor Bill McLeod that included incumbent trustees Michael Gaeta and Karen Mills along with longtime village volunteer Karen Arnet seeking the three open seats on the board.

With 29 of 30 precincts reporting, unofficial results showed Mills with 2,260 votes, Arnet with 2,125, Gaeta with 2,092 and Waryas with 1,155.

Part of Waryas' campaign platform called for term limits of eight years on the Hoffman Estates village board, which is why he said Mills' tenure of 28 years made hers the voice on the board he particularly wanted to replace.

Mills said term limits were already in the hands of the voters each election day. She felt she had much left to contribute to what she saw as the village's three biggest challenges - pensions, street repairs and finding the best fits for all of the village's remaining open land.

Gaeta said the perception of unity on the current board which Waryas criticized was easy to overestimate and undervalue. He insisted board members did disagree, but as team members and for the good of the village.

Arnet said her volunteerism for the village and regular attendance of village board meetings and coffee with the board sessions had already built up some familiarity with municipal issues.

She felt that she, like Waryas, could bring a fresh perspective to the board. But she said unlike him, she recognized the value of experienced viewpoints as well.

Michael Gaeta
Karen Mills
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