Some Fox Valley village races hot, others not so much

Running for elected office isn't supposed to be easy.

In that spirit, candidates in several towns in the northern Fox Valley will face hotly contested races in their bids for local office.

Just one incumbent, Trustee Paul Humpfer, is seeking re-election in Carpentersville. He is among five candidates running for three, 4-year seats on the Carpentersville village board.

Humpfer will face challenges from Don Burroway, Kent Baldwin, Humberto Garcia and Doug Marks, who attracted attention recently as the Libertarian candidate for the 14th Congressional District.

Incumbents Judy Sigwalt and Keith Hinz aren't seeking re-election.

Others will have a much easier time seeking office.

For the second municipal election in a row, Sleepy Hollow will have fewer candidates for its village board than available seats.

Trustees Scott Finney and Dennis Fudala were the only two people to file for three, 4-year seats. Trustee Steve Wind, a two-term incumbent, did not file.

Write-in candidates can still file, and if the third seat still isn't filled after the April election, Village President Stephen Pickett would be responsible for appointing someone.

Monday was the deadline to file paperwork for local elections. Here is a listing of who is seeking elected posts in your towns.

Pingree Grove

Greg Marston is running unopposed for Pingree Grove village president. Current Village President Wyman “Clint” Carey is not seeking re-election.

Four candidates are vying for three, 4-year terms on the village board: Raymond Lamarca, Brian Paszkiwicz, plan and zoning Commissioner Robert Spieker and Bernard Thomas.

Incumbent Steve Wiedmeyer is running unopposed for a 2-year board seat.

Joanna Wester, wife of former Village President Verne “Bud” Wester, is running unopposed for village clerk. The position, previously filled by appointment, will be elected in the spring because village officials recently discovered that it was supposed to be an elected position.

Former Clerk Michelle Figuerola said last week she would not seek election to her former post, declining to elaborate on her reasons. She quit in November.

Algonquin

Three incumbents will face two challengers in the race for three, 4-year seats on the Algonquin village board.

John Spella, Jim Steigert and Deborah Sosine are all seeking re-election. Ken Fishleigh and Michael Stratejcruk are challenging them.

Fishleigh is the owner of Nero's Pizza and Pub. Stratejcruk is a former volunteer firefighter who was forced into retirement by medical issues.

Fox River Grove

Seven candidates are vying for four seats on the Fox River Grove village board — including a father-and-son team.

They are: Trustee Steve Knar, Planning and Economic Development Committee Chairman Michael Schiestel, Parks Commission member Joanna Colletti, Chester Olencheck and John Gagliao.

Trustee Suzanne Blohm faces a challenge from Michael Olencheck (Chester's son) for a 2-year term.

Incumbents Duane Figurski and James Tuman did not file for re-election.

Huntley

Six people have filed for three open seats on the Huntley village board: three incumbents and three challengers.

Trustees Harry Leopold, Jay Kadakia and Niko Kanakaris are seeking re-election. Rosa DeMaertelaere, Nick Hanson and J.R. Westberg are looking to unseat them.

Westberg is the president of the Huntley Area Jaycees. Hanson has been active in the Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce. DeMaertelaere has a degree in urban planning and has volunteered for the Huntley Park District.

Cary

Cary voters will have a crowded field from which to choose in April. Nine candidates are seeking election to four open seats on the village board.

Incumbents Barbara Hill, Al Pilli and Debra McNamee face challenges from Frank Steckelberg, Karen Lukasik, Bruce Kaplan and Robert L. Bragg.

Incumbent Mark Kownick will face Jeff Kraus for the lone 2-year seat.

Lake in the Hills

Five people are seeking three open seats on the Lake in the Hills village board. Among those are two incumbents, Ray Bogdanowski and Paul Mulcahy, as well as three challengers: William T. Dustin, planning and zoning Commissioner Russell Ruzanski and Joseph Wright.

East Dundee

Six candidates are running for three open seats on the East Dundee village board.

Incumbent Trustees Michael Ruffulo, John Cichowski and Jeff Lynam will be joined by Patrick Clark, Dan Selep and Allen Skillicorn on the ballot.

Village Clerk Jennifer Rehberg is unopposed in her election bid.

Hampshire

Hampshire has a competitive race for three open seats on the village board.

Five filed for a 4-year term on the board: incumbents Orris Ruth and Janet Kraus and challengers Laura Dunbar, Jeanne Maki and Rob Whaley, a Hampshire Park District commissioner.

Hampshire Trustee Ed Szydlowski, whose term expires in 2011, did not file for re-election, according to the village.

Gilberts

Four candidates are seeking three open seats on the Gilberts village board.

Trustee Bruce Erbeck was the last to file his candidate petitions on Monday, and he joins fellow incumbent Patricia Mierisch, plan commission member Louis Hacker and resident Daniel Corbett on the ballot. Trustee Pete Cullotta, who was appointed to his post, did not file.

South Elgin

All three incumbents on the South Elgin village board whose terms expire in 2011 are seeking re-election in April.

Trustees Lisa Guess, Steve Ward and Mike Kolodziej are all seeking re-election. No challengers had filed by the Monday deadline, according to the village.

West Dundee

Three incumbents on the West Dundee village board should coast to re-election in April.

Trustees Andy Yuscka, Rebecca Gillam and Thomas Price will run again. They have no opposition.