William Hein certified as write-in candidate for unexpired two-year term

Come April, former Wheeling Village President William Hein will be back on the village board.

Hein has been certified as a write-in candidate for a two-year term as a Wheeling village trustee, the Cook County clerk’s office announced Monday.

Since no one will be on the April 5 ballot for that seat, he is all but assured of victory. Resident Greg Stavros had filed nominating petitions for the seat, but was taken off the ballot in December for not having enough signatures.

Hein was village president for one term, 1977-1981, when he was beat by then Trustee Sheila Schultz by fewer than 100 votes. He ran against her again in 1985 and lost by a much greater margin. He lost a bid for the presidency to Greg Klatecki in 2001 and a bid for the park board in 2003.

Last year, he fought to open a farmers market in Wheeling and in 2008, he wanted the village to allow electrical vehicles, which are similar to golf carts, on Wheeling roads as an alternative to high gas prices. The village board eventually voted against the idea.

Hein could not be reached for comment Monday.

On April 5, Wheeling voters will also elect three, 4-year seats on the village board. Four candidates are running: incumbents Ray Lang, David Vogel and Robert Heer; and challenger Mary Papantos.

Lang and Vogel were appointed to the village board by Mayor Judy Abruscato in May 2009 to fill the vacancies created after elected trustee Stuart Shapiro stepped down before taking office, and Abruscato’s own unexpired two-year term, respectively.

Since Lang was appointed for only two years until the next consolidated election, Shapiro’s unexpired two-year term is the one up for election.