LaMarca is Marston’s pick for Pingree trustee

Pingree Grove resident Ray LaMarca, who unsuccessfully ran for a spot on the village board in April, is now getting a second chance at serving the village.

Village President Greg Marston said in a news release that he picked LaMarca to fill the trustee seat that Marston vacated when he ascended to the mayor’s chair earlier this month. The village board is expected to confirm LaMarca’s appointment at the May 16 meeting.

LaMarca was board members’ overall top choice after he and three other candidates were interviewed at the committee of the whole meeting on Monday night, Village Administrator Bill Barlow said.

“(LaMarca) has demonstrated a strong interest in the affairs of the village, being a regular attendee of village board meetings, and offered compelling reasons for being selected in the questioning he completed before and during the interview process,” Marston said.

LaMarca, who works as an assistant engineering manager for a data storage company, said he wants to look for ways to “market the town” so the village can grow. He has lived in the village since 2005.

“I very much look forward to working with the board, the village president, and all the department heads to find ways to grow the town, both from a residential perspective with more rooftops and with growing the sales tax base,” he said.

The village received about two dozen letters in support of LaMarca’s appointment.

The other three candidates interviewed by the board were former trustee Richard Stramaglia and residents Victor Krismalian and Greg DiLaura, Barlow said. Marianna Pantelin withdrew her application, and former trustee John Peschke didn’t meet a deadline to submit a questionnaire, Barlow said.

A seventh applicant did not qualify because he had not lived in the village for at least a year.