Endorsement: Vitek for St. Charles City Council, Ward 4

Two newcomers are challenging each other to replace Alderman Jo Krieger in St. Charles' Ward 4. David Pietryla is a community relations manager for Nicor Gas who has volunteered with the St. Charles History Museum and serves on the city's Corridor Improvement Commission. Lora Vitek is a community relations director for Delta Dental Foundation of Illinois who has served on the St. Charles Youth Commission. Although both are new to politics, both address the diverse issues facing the city they love with well-reasoned insight, and both demonstrate a sincere capacity for serving their ward and their community with independence and energy. We favor Vitek, who with Krieger's departure would be one of just three women on the 10-member city council, helping to strengthen an important perspective that needs to be reflected in city business. She is endorsed, though we hope that if she wins, Pietryla will remain active in city government.