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North Barrington might host only mayoral race in Northwest suburbs

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to identify North Barrington candidate Patty Kalinowski as a former trustee.

Tiny North Barrington may play host to the only mayoral contest in the Northwest suburbs in the April 4 election.

Jay Murphy, who ran for village trustee there in 2019 and 2021, is challenging first-term Village President Eleanor Sweet McDonnell to serve as the top elected official in the town of about 3,171 residents.

Theirs appeared to be the lone mayoral race to emerge Monday during the last day of candidate filing for the local elections next year. Elsewhere, the races to lead Buffalo Grove, Rolling Meadows and Prospect Heights appear uncontested.

North Barrington voters also will face choices for village trustee, with four candidates are vying for three seats. Incumbent Vanessa G. Kerrigan is being joined by Mark J. Vandenbergh and Neil Morrow on the "Your Voice for North Barrington" slate, while former trustee Patty Kalinowski is running as an independent candidate.

Here's a look at some of the other contested municipal races to emerge in the Northwest suburbs:

Arlington Heights

Five candidates are running for four trustee seats in Arlington Heights, where no new candidates submitted signatures since the first day of filing Dec. 12.

The candidates are Robin LaBedz, a nine-year trustee and the current president pro tem; Tom Schwingbeck, a three-year trustee; Scott Shirley, the former public works director; Wendy Dunnington, who ran in 2021; and Martin Bauer, a critic of potential public financing for the Chicago Bears' redevelopment of Arlington Park.

Mount Prospect

Four hopefuls have filed to run for three 4-year trustee seats in Mount Prospect: incumbent Colleen Saccotelli, former trustees William Grossi and Eleni Hatzis and Elk Grove Township Trustee Vince Dante.

Trustee John Matuszak, who was appointed to fill Paul Hoefert's trustee seat after Hoefert was elected mayor in 2021, is running to fill the remaining two years of former Trustee Peggy Pissarreck's term. She resigned in April. Trustee Michael Zadel, who replaced Pissarreck, is not running.

Trustee Richard Rogers isn't seeking reelection.

Rolling Meadows

A contested Rolling Meadows City Council race is set in the 5th Ward, where incumbent Jon Bisesi faces a challenge from Stefanie Boucher.

Mayor Joe Gallo announced last week that he wouldn't seek a second term and endorsed Alderman Lara Sanoica to succeed him. No one besides Sanoica filed to run for the post. She would be the first female mayor of Rolling Meadows and, at age 31 on Election Day, its youngest.

Buffalo Grove

Village Trustee Eric Smith appeared to be the only person to submit nominating petitions to run for village president and succeed incumbent Beverly Sussman, who opted not to seek a third term.

The village board's three available trustee positions also are uncontested.

Prospect Heights

A contest in Prospect Heights will pit 1st Ward Alderman Michelle Cameron, who's seeking a second term, against former Alderman Richard Hamen, who held the seat 12 years ago.

2nd Ward Alderman Patrick Ludvigsen was the only candidate for mayor. He's aiming to succeed acting Mayor Matthew Dolick, who accepted the position on a temporary basis after the death of third-term incumbent Nick Helmer last January.

Newcomer Heather Winandy has filed for the 2nd Ward seat Ludvigsen is leaving, while Dolick is returning to his 5th Ward seat.

Des Plaines

In Des Plaines, four seats on the city council are up for election. All are contested.

In the 2nd Ward, incumbent Colt Moylan is being challenged by Christopher Jensen and Earl L. Wilson.

In the 4th Ward, incumbent Artur Zadrozny and former Alderman Dick Sayad are in the race.

In the 6th Ward, newcomers Brian Inzerello and Mark E. Walsten filed petitions for an open seat. Incumbent Malcom Chester can't run again because of term limits.

In the 8th Ward, incumbent Shamoon Ebrahimi and former Alderman Michael Charewicz have filed.

Elk Grove Village

Incumbents Stephen Schmidt and Tammy Miller will be joined in a race for three Elk Grove Village trustee seats by library board member Kathy Jarosch and Monika Stajniak.

Barrington

In Barrington, incumbents Kate Duncan and Jason Lohmeyer will be joined on the ballot by Margot Dallstream and Brian Prigge in a race for three village board seats.

Bartlett

Newcomer Khurram Syed and incumbents Ray Deyne, Adam J. Hopkins and Renee Suwanski for running for three 4-year terms on the Bartlett village board. Recently appointed Trustee Joseph W. LaPorte appears unopposed in his run for a 2-year term.

Hanover Park

In Hanover Park, a slate of new village trustee candidates consisting of Grace Kahn, Manish Shah and Belinda Mustafa filed as the Hanover Park Rising Together Party. They'll take on the Hanover Park United Party, which features of incumbents Herb Porter and Liza Gutierrez, as well as former Trustee Jon Kunkel.

Streamwood

Ihor Redvka and Harshadkumar Chhatulal Shah filed as village trustee candidates, joining incumbents James P. Cecille and Mary F. Thon and newcomers Nazneen G. Hashmi and Larry W. Rybicki in the race for three village board seats.

Mundelein

In Mundelein, five candidates have filed for three seats on the village board. They are incumbents Kerston Russell, Kara Lambert and Erich Schwenk, former Trustee Robin Meier and newcomer Ramesh C. Sharma.

Grayslake

Five candidates are vying for three 4-year terms on the Grayslake village board.

Trustees Elizabeth Davies and Kevin Waldenstrom filed before Monday's deadline, as did challengers Rachael Rezek, Kathleen Conlon Wasik and former Trustee Shawn Vogel. Trustee Pradip "Pete" Sahu filed to run for a 2-year term up for grabs.

Libertyville

Five candidates have filed for three available 4-year seats.

The incumbents are Scott Adams, Pete Garrity and Jim Connell. Also filing were newcomers Alejandra Dominguez and Brian Enochs.

Vernon Hills

Three 4-year trustee seats are open. Incumbents Mike Marquardt, Nancy Forster and David Oppenheim are seeking reelection. The trio are joined by Sandra Hernandez-Aguirre.

Hoffman Estates

Candidates for Hoffman Estates filed a few weeks earlier for a potential primary that won't be needed. Incumbents Anna Newell, Gary Pilafas and Gary Stanton will be joined in the race for three available seats by former mayoral candidate and retired Hoffman Estates police Lt. Mark Mueller.

• Daily Herald staff writers Steve Zalusky, Christopher Placek, Russell Lissau, Doug T. Graham and Mick Zawislak contributed to this report.

Jay Murphy
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