Civic Betterment Party trying to adjust to changing times in Glen Ellyn

When Pete Ladesic ran for Glen Ellyn trustee four years ago, the political party that traditionally backs a slate of candidates — usually to victory — told him his job as a real estate developer could constitute a conflict of interest.

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Civic Betterment Party officials told him.

Instead, Ladesic launched a successful campaign as an independent, a rarity in Glen Ellyn politics that had not occurred in about 30 years.

Ladesic said his run indicated many Glen Ellyn residents had tired of the then-76-year-old party's grip on the village's political landscape.

“Four years ago, they certainly had the reputation of being a controlling organization,” he said. “Many residents supported me purely because I ran as an independent and I continued to state publicly that my goal was not to rock the boat or challenge the CBP, but it was to help the village.”

Now, as his first term nears an end, Ladesic hopes to once again do something rarely seen in Glen Ellyn: win a second term. And this time, he has the Civic Betterment Party's blessing.

Ladesic, Central DuPage Hospital executive Robert Friedberg and Go Downtown! founder Diane McGinley received the most votes in a town hall meeting last month to determine party candidates in the April 5 trustee election. The party also will back four people in the library board race: Bob McClow, John Mulherin, Sharon Weber and Maryl Wesolowski. Those candidates usually run for office unopposed.

Ladesic said party leaders asked him to join the process just as he began to consider a second run. He said he agreed because the party seems to have returned to its roots as strictly a nominating committee as opposed to being as selective as it was in 2007.

Ladesic says the party is a good thing as long as it holds to its traditions. “As long as it continues to operate as a nominating committee, it think it certainly has value,” he said.

Several months before the group's December town meeting, party officials recruit residents from different parts of town and encourage them to run for office. They then narrow that list to a few candidates, who meet the public at the meeting.

Those not nominated by the party also can seek support from the floor, an option both McGinley and Ladesic chose. Residents then vote on who will represent the Civic Betterment Party at election time.

Party President Lee Crumbaugh said Illinois election law requires officials to call themselves a party, even though they do not consider themselves one.

“It is meant to be as inclusive a process as we can make it,” he said. “Every resident of Glen Ellyn is a member and we encourage their involvement in finding candidates and considering themselves candidates and participating in the process.”

The Civic Betterment Party began in 1931 and grew out of a controversial paving program in the 1920s.

Until 1970, the party nominated just enough people to fill vacant positions.

Glen Ellyn residents have repeatedly reinforced their support for the party in contested elections. A three-way race for village president in 2005 went to party candidate Vicky Hase. Three Civic Betterment candidates swept a five-way trustee race in 2003. Before that, there had not been a contested election in Glen Ellyn since 1989.

That changed in 2007, though, when Ladesic broke through and became the first independent candidate to win a seat on the village board since Dean Olson in the 1970s.

Crumbaugh said the party continues to evolve and officials hope to hold an off-year town hall meeting this year to discuss the group's bylaws.

“The party has no platform, there is no set of issues we advocate,” Crumbaugh said. “Our purpose in slating people is to encourage people to serve and make sure they understand the positions and the full scope of their responsibilities and not just focus on a single issue. That's as far as we are charged to go with our screening process.”

Crumbaugh said if that process was not followed in 2007 and Ladesic was discouraged from running, it means officials strayed from their bylaws.

Although many who have gone through the process say Glen Ellyn is better off with the system than it would be without it, village President Mark Pfefferman concedes it comes with some flaws.

“It's a blessing and a curse,” he said. “The good news is that we have not gotten any career politicians and people are in it for the right reasons; they are in to serve the village. But you do lose some continuity and, no matter how good they (the newly elected officials) are, there is a bit of a learning curve.”

Because of an unwritten but heavily adhered to tradition that limits trustees to one term, three new board members get sworn in every two years. In fact, Crumbaugh estimated the last time anyone successfully ran for re-election to the village board was in the 1980s. That means new trustees must learn their jobs before progress can be made on ongoing projects.

But Trustee Peter Cooper said the tradition makes Glen Ellyn unique.

“Our truly nonpartisan selection process is a far better alternative to the partisan selection processes you see in other communities,” said Cooper, who was elected through the party in 2009. “Since I've been elected, I have become a real believer in term limits for local governments.”

With the party not going away anytime soon, Cooper said it's a clear benefit to the village.

“The party has been very good for Glen Ellyn in keeping this a nonpartisan community,” he said. “It promotes civic involvement in government and recruits a variety of able candidates. It assures an active involvement of a community in the civic government.”