Kelly wins Bartlett village president seat

Hanover Township Supervisor Michael Kelly credited his strong win of the Bartlett village president's seat Tuesday to a clean, honest campaign.

Kelly defeated Village Trustee Sherry Bormann in her bid to succeed retiring Village President Catherine Melchert.

With 29 of 30 precincts reporting late Tuesday night, Kelly was leading Bormann 3,459 to 901, for approximately 79.3 percent of the vote.

Kelly believes the years ahead will be ones of both financial belt-tightening and a striving to attract and retain businesses. But he felt the lack of negativity in his campaign allowed the board to move ahead even with his former opponent as a fellow member.

"If this town is going to move forward in this tough economy, the village board is going to have to work together," Kelly said. "My intention is to put the interests of the village first."

Bormann late Tuesday expressed her congratulations to Kelly and agreed that a lack of contentiousness in the race meant they could work together in the future.

The race was the first in years without an incumbent in it, as Melchert decided not to run again after serving for 16 years.

Melchert, who was credited with helping spur development on the village's west side and getting the downtown town center project off the ground, endorsed Bormann as her chosen successor.

However, the new village president now faces the task of attracting businesses to the town center, which is mostly vacant. That's left residents frustrated, and wondering what direction the village will take. There are also infrastructure improvements sought by residents in the wake of last year's flooding. Kelly's campaign focused on both of those issues.

Kelly, a 53-year-old lawyer who was backed by some of the area's more prominent Republicans, didn't want to run against Melchert, but has long coveted the village president's title. He's been the Hanover Township supervisor since 1997, but said he felt he had outgrown that role. Although he's involved in a variety of community groups, his village president run was a risk, because his term as township supervisor was ending.

While Bormann accepted Melchert's endorsement with open arms, Kelly sought to link the two, saying Bartlett needed a radical change for progress.

Melchert's endorsement wasn't a surprise, as Bormann, 62, has spent six years as a village trustee. Melchert said Bormann had more time to devote to the job, as Bormann retired last year from her post at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago where she dealt with consumer complaints. She is a former teacher, and has two years left on her current term as village trustee.

She agreed with Melchert's intentions to disconnect the village from maligned Elgin Area Unit District 46.

Kelly, 53, said that he had the time to serve as village president just as he found time to be township supervisor.