Wood Dale mayor faces challenge from alderman

Longtime Wood Dale Mayor Kenneth Johnson will battle to keep his seat from being taken by Ward 1 Alderman Nunzio Pulice.

Johnson said early this fall he would move ahead with his campaign, despite narrowly avoiding a censure in September.

The city council was divided on whether to formally reprimand Johnson for borrowing nearly $10,000 in city funds to pay for his health insurance premiums for about three years. Johnson since has repaid all the money, and cited the recession and its affect on his law practice as the reason behind his actions.

“I have 35 years of service to the community and hopefully this won't be that big of a blemish” he said in September.

But on April 5 he will face a challenge from Pulice, who led the charge to censure Johnson. Pulice also said then-City Manager F. Wallace Douthwaite also should face consequences. Douthwaite later was fired by the city council.