Sarto routed in Carpentersville

Carpentersville voters sent a clear message that they wanted change, electing a new village president and two new village trustees.

Trustee Ed Ritter received 993 votes - or about 47 percent of the vote total - for the village president seat, according to unofficial results from Kane County.

With all 20 precincts reporting, local business owner James Krenz received just over a third of the votes, while incumbent Bill Sarto received about 16 percent of the votes in unofficial totals.

"I feel humbled that the voters have confidence in me to the extent that voters have shown," Ritter said. "I will do everything in my power to make them proud of me and to make Carpentersville a proud village again."

Sarto was not the only incumbent defeated Tuesday. Trustee Linda Ramirez-Sliwinski failed to retain her seat for another term.

Incumbent Trustee Kay Teeter and newcomers Patricia Schultz and Bradford McFeggan will fill out the village board.

Reshaping the Carpentersville village board and overhauling a major thoroughfare through the village were principal issues leading up to the election.

Village president and trustee candidates said the bickering among current board members, which often spills over from board meetings into e-mail messages and blog posts, was hampering the village's ability to fill empty stores and attract new businesses, while also sending an unwelcoming message to potential residents.

The two village president challengers vowed to bring a new leadership style to the village, with both identifying Sarto's brand of governance as a reason for the fractured board.

Trustee candidates added that another area of town was in need of a major facelift. They said the deteriorated condition of Route 25 - from Interstate 90 through the village - was deterring potential business owners from moving into town. The rundown buildings and pothole-laden roads are off-putting to people using the route, candidates said.

But the eight trustee candidates had differing opinions on how to improve the corridor, with some favoring special taxing districts and others suggesting the use of government grant money.