Six vying for Wheaton City Council seats

Six Wheaton residents who have never held public office will compete in the spring for two at-large seats on the city council, while a two-term councilwoman has quietly chosen not to seek re-election.

Meanwhile, the race for mayor will remain a two-candidate race.

The filing period for the April election ended Monday with political newcomers Alberta Adamson, Robert Molenhouse and Derek Bromstead submitting their nominating petitions before the 5 p.m. deadline.

“I think it's going to be an interesting race,” Bromstead said after securing the final spot on the ballot.

There won't be a need for a February primary because eight candidates didn't emerge for the two at-large seats, which are held by John Prendiville and Liz Corry.

Prendiville is running for mayor against incumbent Michael Gresk. Corry, who is nearing the end of her second term on the city council, never filed the paperwork needed to seek re-election.

City council candidates who had already kicked off their campaigns are Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti, Jeanne Ives and Scott MacKay.

Adamson, president and CEO of the Center for History, said she won't be a single-issue candidate, despite the Wheaton museum's difficulties with the city.

Museum supporters have been trying to convince the council to reinstate an agreement that once paid the center $225,000 annually to preserve and promote local history. The council hasn't acted on the center's request.

Adamson said her campaign platform includes development, historic preservation, tourism, flooding and “honesty and ethics.”

“I have dedicated my adult life to Wheaton, and so has my family,” said Adamson, who has lived in the city for 32 years. “I am a real community candidate. I am working for the community.”

Molenhouse said he's running because he wants to represent the views of average residents. He said he is especially concerned about Wheaton's budget.

“The city needs to mirror the private sector in their practices,” said Molenhouse, a 54-year-old business manager with Molenhouse Enterprises, Inc.

Bromstead, 42, said he jumped into the race because he believes his experience as a restaurant owner in downtown Wheaton would serve him well on the city council.

“I think I can make a difference and contribute to helping Wheaton stay as a great place to live,” said Bromstead, who is president of the Downtown Wheaton Association's board of directors and co-owner of Genghis Grill, The Mongolian Stir Fry.