Itasca First earns decisive victory

Itasca voters want to stay the course.

After staving off challenges by an opposing party and an independent candidate, the Itasca First Party declared victory with a mayoral win for Trustee Jeff Pruyn, and the election of incumbent village trustees Jeff Aiani and Mike Latoria and newcomers Frank Madaras as trustee, and Melody Craven as village clerk.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial totals show Pruyn defeated Trustee Tom Reynolds by taking 999 compared to Reynolds' 722. In the trustee race, top vote-getters were Aiani with 838 votes, Latoria with 940 votes and Madaras won 829 votes. Craven took 1,142 votes.

The group said their main priority is keeping Itasca fiscally sound during this recession while maintaining the same quality of the life in the village.

"Our immediate goal now is continuation of infrastructure improvements, specifically the waste water plant, and infrastructure improvements to ease flooding and to maintain the charm of the city," Aiani said, "We're happy to continue on."

Trustee challengers were James Capone, who grabbed 611 votes; Laura Valavicius, who brought in 640 votes; and Marty Lundeen, with 498 votes; as well as clerk candidate Nancy Bass, who secured 552 votes. All ran as the Citizens for Itasca party. Independent candidate Patrick Wartan also vied for a board post and took 535 votes.

Pruyn has said he wants to continue the path laid out by departing President Claudia "Gigi" Gruber. He plans to continue improvements to stormwater drainage and sewage treatments and waste disposal, and opposes new taxes and fees. He believes he has a lot to offer to the people of Itasca.

"I'd like to thank voters," said Pruyn, who is an accountant. "(I bring) financial expertise. I'm a CPA by day. I understand the numbers. I've been very involved in the village finances and finances are going to be a very important part of any government's work over the next couple of years."

Winners have also said they're interested in protecting the village's "Mayberry-style" charm by protecting homes and businesses from a plan to widen Irving Park and Thorndale roads and from noise caused by the O'Hare expansion.