Two finalists for DuPage board seat

The field of candidates hoping to fill former DuPage County Board member Debra Olson’s unexpired seat is down to two finalists.

Chris LeVan of Winfield and William Bedrossian of Wheaton both are in the running to become Chairman Dan Cronin’s choice to represent District 4 for the rest of Olson’s term, which ends Nov. 30. They bested nine other people who applied for the seat.

“I am really thrilled and gratified by the number of well-qualified, talented people seeking this post,” Cronin said. “Unfortunately, I can only pick one.”

Cronin was hoping to announce his choice Friday so the full board could vote Tuesday on the appointment.

But he hasn’t been able to arrange a final interview with Bedrossian, who is out of the country. Cronin met with Levan on Friday.

“I need to make sure we get the person who is singularly devoted to government reform,” Cronin said.

He said he expects to make his decision before the Feb. 14 county board meeting.

LeVan, 55, has been a commissioner with the Winfield Fire Protection District since June 2008. He previously served eight years as a Winfield village trustee.

In his application letter to Cronin, LeVan wrote that he was seeking the seat to help the chairman advance his agenda “for a more efficient, responsive and transparent government in DuPage County.”

Bedrossian, 58, owns Bedrock Earthscapes, LLC, in Wheaton. He is a past board member of the DuPage Federation for Human Services and has volunteered for a variety of community service organizations.

“I believe governmental organizations should be the very best possible stewards of their constituents’ tax dollars,” Bedrossian wrote in his application letter.

The District 4 vacancy on the county board was created last month when Olson resigned to become executive director of the DuPage Homeownership Center.

Because Olson announced her departure on the final day to submit nominating petitions, other Republicans didn’t have enough time to react to and enter the District 4 race and create a contested GOP primary.

That leaves Amy Grant of Wheaton and incumbents Grant Eckhoff and JR McBride to face two Wheaton Democrats, Dan Bailey and Charles Ditchman, in November’s general election.

At that time, three seats will be up for grabs in District 4, which includes all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.