Weppler coasts to third term as Libertyville mayor

Terry Weppler coasted to a third term as Libertyville mayor as challenger Jeff Harger conceded in a rematch of the race eight years ago.

With all 17 precincts reporting, totals showed the outcome was similar to that race as well, with Weppler gathering 2,475 votes compared with 813 for Harger, according to unofficial results. The totals do not include late arriving by mail and provisional ballots.

Weppler and a slate of trustee candidates in 2009 convincingly ousted Harger and incumbent board members in the first contested mayoral race in 20 years.

"I think people are happy at this point how the village has gone," Weppler said from a victory party. "We're operating pretty smoothly."

He said Harger had called to congratulate him after what had been a cordial race and offered to discuss what he had heard during the campaign.

"I'm happy to work with him," Weppler said.

Harger, 62, who owns a lightning protection business and was a village trustee for eight years, said he was prompted to seek the rematch because of a perceived lack of transparency in local government.

Weppler, 65, a retired real estate attorney, disputed that and said information is readily available and processes are in place to deal with proposals and other village business in a public manner. Local leaders can't force residents to participate, he added, although the village has taken steps to make neighbors more aware of proposals near them.

Weppler cited numerous achievements during his tenure, including tough decisions made to keep the village afloat during the recession, a comprehensive five-year plan to fix village streets and a thriving downtown that includes the recent opening of a second parking deck.

Weppler said remodeling the downtown Metra station, keeping downtown vibrant and protecting village finances are priorities.