Lombard Mayor Mueller retains seat

Lombard Village President William Mueller successfully defended his seat Tuesday against a challenge by a sitting trustee and a political newcomer.

With all precincts reporting, unofficial totals show Mueller winning his fifth term with 3,250 votes.

Meanwhile, Trustee Richard "Rick" Soderstrom received 3,065 votes and local minimart owner Sam Jaber received just 281 votes.

Mueller, 73, has held the village's top elected office since 1993. His tenure has seen the resurgence of the Yorktown Shopping Center, with a Westin hotel and a host of upscale restaurants built nearby.

His top issues included keeping a stable budget through the tough economic climate and continuing to look for ways to spur local development, particularly in Lombard's downtown area.

Both Soderstrom and Jaber had argued that the village could benefit from new blood in the position, as well as fresher perspectives. Mueller maintained that the village would benefit from his long-term commitment to local government and the time he could devote to the position. Mueller is a retired insurance salesman.

Soderstrom had served on the village board for eight years. Before that, he served on the Lombard Park District board as well as a variety of village committees.

Jaber, 28, came into the race with no prior civic experience. The Glenbard East High School alum worked as a mechanic for six years before taking over his family's minimart.

Incumbent Trustee Greg Gron retained his seat in District 1 with 782 votes to newcomer Monte Bohacz's 399 votes.

Gron, a construction manager first elected to the board in 2005, counted the need for solving persistent flooding issues in his district as a top campaign priority, as well as keeping the village's budget balanced. Bohacz, meanwhile, had pushed for more downtown development during his campaign.

District 3 voters elected newcomer Zachary Wilson with 517 votes to incumbent Trustee John "Jack" O'Brien's 391 votes.

Wilson, deputy chief legal counsel for the Illinois Department of Corrections and a member of several community groups within the village, advocated for more communication with constituents as a top campaign issue. O'Brien, meanwhile, saw the need for developing Lombard's downtown area and keeping the village budget balanced as among his top priorities.

Lombard Park District Commissioner William "Bill" Ware was unopposed in his election to the District 6 trustee seat. Incumbent Clerk Brigitte O'Brien, Trustee John O'Brien's wife, also was unopposed for re-election.