Trustee challenges Sarto for Carpentersville village president seat

A Carpentersville trustee who regularly criticizes the leadership style of Village President Bill Sarto will challenge Sarto for the seat in the April 7 election.

Ed Ritter, a board member for the past 31/2 years, says his nomination would ensure residents are given a choice on election day.

"I want to present the people a different leadership style than Bill," Ritter said. "Though we don't differ that much on principle, we do differ on how to reach goals."

So far Ritter is the only challenger to surface.

Another of Sarto's most vociferous opponents, Trustee Judy Sigwalt, said she "seriously considered" a run for the position, but ultimately opted to withhold her candidacy.

Ritter said it was a recent village board meeting that solidified his decision to run for village president.

"There was one meeting in particular that turned into an acrimonious debate," said Ritter, an English teacher at Westfield Community School in Algonquin. "I thought, 'There has got to be a better way'. We need to work cooperatively to move the village forward."

That could involve the adoption of a committee system, including an ordinance committee and a community development committee, he said. The committees would develop laws or programs that would then be submitted to the village board for consideration, "instead of the board trying to create ordinances at the board meeting," Ritter said.

Sarto recently confirmed his intention to seek re-election, saying a laundry list of outstanding projects prompted his decision to try for a second term.

"There is much more work to accomplish," Sarto said. "We have gotten the village back on the right track and I would like to be there and continue that effort."

Programs and projects Sarto said he would focus on if re-elected include another Fox River bridge, economic growth along Route 25 and the continuation of the village's aggressive capital improvement program.