Challengers step up in DuPage trustee, alderman races

Some shake-ups could be in store for village boards and city councils across northern DuPage County on April 5.

As of candidate filing opened Monday for the consolidated election, several new hopefuls were on hand to challenge longtime incumbents.

In Roselle, at least five candidates will vie for three open seats on the village board.

During the primary filing period last month, incumbent Trustee Richard Rhode filed his nominating petition along with Roselle developer and Realtor Todd Eicholz, and Eleanor “Elly” Paletta as the Roselle United Party.

And when doors opened Monday morning, incumbent Trustee Barbara Rendall Hochstadt filed to run as an independent, while part-time Roselle firefighter and newcomer Ron Baker also filed.

The seat held by Trustee Ron Sass also will be up for election April 5. Village Clerk Patty Burns said Sass pulled a nominating packet and is expected to file sometime this week, but he did not file Monday.

In addition, Burns said, nearly 10 other residents pulled nominating packets for the open seats. None of them filed Monday, however.

A new challenger also stepped up in Addison, as three incumbent trustees filed for the three board of trustees vacancies.

Incumbents Joseph McDermott, Tom Hundley and William “Bill” Lynch filed as the Addison United for Action party.

Hundley is vying for his fourth term and serves as chairman of the finance and policy committee.

Lynch was appointed to fill a vacated term in 2002, and was elected to two more terms. He serves as chairman of the public health, safety and judicial committee.

McDermott is competing for his third term; he currently heads the building, zoning and development committee.

First-time challenger Kathleen Willis has served for 10 years on the Addison School District 4 board of education. She also is the vice president of the district’s education foundation and of the Addison Kiwanis Club. Currently, she heads the Addison special events commission.

Since all four candidates filed simultaneously, a lottery will be held Dec. 21 to determine in what order their names will appear on the April 5 ballot.

No one has stepped up so far to challenge longtime Wood Dale Mayor Kenneth Johnson, who filed to run Monday, as did incumbent City Clerk Shirley Siebert.

No one filed for the city’s vacant treasurer’s seat.

But in Wood Dale’s city council race, four wards have seats up for grabs and incumbent John Kadala in Ward 2 and Sam Lewitan in Ward 4 will face competition from Art Woods and Mike Sumarski, respectively.

Ward 1 Peter Jakob and Ward 3 Alderman Christine Winger so far are unopposed.

Also uncontested so far is the race for the three open seats on the Bloomingdale board of trustees though possibly not for long.

Three candidates filed petitions early Monday to run as the 2011 Unity Party.

Incumbents Robert Czernek and James King will run with attorney Michael Hovde. Hovde is a political newcomer and currently serves as chairman of the Bloomingdale School District 13 Education Foundation, and as vice president and secretary of the board of Clare Oaks, a continuing-care retirement community in Bartlett.

He hopes to fill the seat of incumbent Jeffery Dolce, who did not file his candidacy petitions Monday. Village officials did say, however, that Dolce pulled a nominating petition.

The filing period for all races closes at 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 20.