Could Arredia return as Des Plaines' mayor?
Former Des Plaines mayor Tony Arredia is considering another run for the city's top elected post next year.
Arredia has formed an exploratory committee to determine whether to run for the office he left reluctantly in April 2009 due to voter-imposed term limits. He could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Citizens for Tony Arredia committee treasurer Noreen Lake said Wednesday the potential campaign still is in the embryonic stage, with roughly $5,460 in individual contributions received thus far.
Lake, former president of the Des Plaines Public Library board, said she will be handling Arredia's campaign contributions and filing campaign finance reports with the State Board of Elections.
Arredia was an 8th Ward alderman for six years before being appointed mayor Jan. 5, 2000. He replaced previous mayor Paul W. Jung, who died in October 1999. Since leaving office, Arredia has been working as director of government relations for Maryville Academy in Des Plaines.
The city's term limits do not prevent a candidate who has held office for two consecutive, 4-year terms from running again as long as there is a break between terms of service.
Some city aldermen have been re-elected after serving two terms in office then taking a break. For example, Dick Sayad, the city's 4th Ward Alderman, served the ward from 1999 to 2007, left due to term limits, then was re-elected in April 2011.
Current Mayor Marty Moylan, who was elected in 2009 in a four-way contest, is vying to be state representative in the newly drawn 55th House District, leaving the Des Plaines mayoral race wide open next year. Moylan plans to serve out his mayoral term if elected to the House seat in November, but won't run for re-election as mayor and try to hold both jobs.
Interest in the Des Plaines mayoral runoff could swell as it did in April 2009 when there was no incumbent and 14 people took out nominating petitions. Ultimately only four filed — Moylan, then Ward 2 alderman, Mark Thompson, Mike Lake and Sayad.
Sayad said Wednesday he is unsure whether he will contend again for the city's top elected job, which pays $9,000 yearly.
“I haven't made my final decision,” he said. “I want to see who is actually going to be running, see all the candidates, and will make my decision then. I just want what's good for Des Plaines. We know what we got with Tony and what he can do.”
Other aldermen also may throw their hats in the ring though none have declared their intentions.
It's unclear how many people are working on Arredia's election campaign as there currently is no office set up or group of volunteers enlisted, Lake said.
With the election still a year away, “there's not much to work on right now,” she added.