Deer Park challenges fall, meaning full slates ahead

Deer Park voters will have a lot of homework ahead of them.

On Sunday, during hearings held by an electoral board at the Vehe Barn, all petition challenges for races in the upcoming election were either withdrawn by the objectors or dismissed by the board.

That means there will be a race for village president, as well as a battle for three trustee seats.

Deborah Barry, secretary of Deer Park Neighbors, said, "The citizens are going to have to get off their duffs and learn about the issues and make choices, because they can't say they don't have a voice."

Voters needed a scorecard for this one; here is a summary:

Resident Thomas Griffin had filed an objection to the candidate petitions of Trustee Robert Kellermann, who is running for village president against incumbent Scott Gifford. Griffin also challenged the petitions of trustee candidates Keith Olson, Dale Sands and John Lahr.

Meanwhile, Lahr's wife, Mary Lahr, challenged Gifford's petitions, as well as those of trustee candidates William Koutsis, William Michael and Joyce Trost Beattie.

The matter went before the electoral board Sunday, complicated by the fact that Gifford would be one of the three board members presiding.

Gifford removed that complication by recusing himself.

Mary Lahr then withdrew her objections. Later, she said that although she believed she had a case, "I really think the people should have a choice.

"I didn't have a change of heart. I just sat down and listented to what I preached to my kids."

Griffin stuck to his guns.

But the board rejected Griffin's argument that the trustees needed to file statements of economic interest in both Cook and Lake counties. The candidates, who only filed in Lake, only needed to file in Lake, where the village has its seat.

The board - which, following Gifford's withdrawal, consisted of Village Clerk Susan Meyle and Village Trustee David Kizior - also rejected Griffin's argument that the trustees confused the voters on the petition forms, which said they were running for trustee without specifying whether the post was, say, village, library or community college trustee.

Kizior said, "My guess off the top of my head is that most anybody who signed those petitions knew it was for the trustee of the village of Deer Park."

Board attorney Julie Tappendorf added that the statements of candidacy all clearly indicated the intended post was Deer Park trustee.

Following the board's ruling on the trustees, Griffin withdrew his challenge against Kellermann.

After the ruling, Gifford said, "I think it was conducted well, and everyone represented themselves well, and now we can move on to the election."

Olson was satisfied. "A lot of people have put a lot of work and substantial money into stopping one-party rule here," he said.

"We did not intend to challenge anybody unless we were challenged," said Kellermann. "Part of our platform was open government."

Beattie said she was surprised the challenge against her was withdrawn. She felt she could have withstood the challenge, but added, "I think in the interests of the voters, it is a good move."