Poynton leads big changes on Lake Zurich board
Lake Zurich voters Tuesday decided it was time for a new village president as part of other changes on the village board that signal a refreshed direction on the town’s biggest issue — the stalled downtown redevelopment.
Village Trustee Tom Poynton soundly defeated incumbent Village President Suzanne Branding and political newcomer Mary Black.
With all 13 precincts counted, unofficial results had Poynton with 1,488 votes soundly defeating Branding 1,488 to 984 votes. Black was a distant third with 273 votes. Four trustees also were elected.
“My feeling is the community has had enough of the inactivity downtown,” said Poynton, who has served as trustee the past six years and was once a Branding ally. “The community sent a message loud and clear — they want to get things going.”
Poynton captured his second 4-year trustee term in 2011, and an appointment will be made to fill the remainder of his term.
Branding joined the Lake Zurich village board when she ran with Poynton on a political slate in 2007, but they wound up separating politically.
“The electorate has spoken, so I go along with that,” Branding said. She added she would do whatever was needed to make an orderly transition.
Voters also decided among the nine trustee candidates, a showing Poynton said represented a fresh perspective.
“This isn’t just a mayor and six trustees, this will be a community effort,” he said
Unofficial totals showed newcomer Jim Beaudoin as the leading vote-getter for one of three 4-year seats with 1,418 votes. He was followed by incumbent Trustee Jeffrey Halen with 1,315 votes and newcomer Daniel Stanovich with 1,008 votes.
Rounding out the ballot, Helmut Gerlach had 656 votes, followed by Geoffrey Petzel with 590 votes, Todd Minden with 551 votes and Ildiko Schultz with 477 votes, according to unofficial totals.
Two first-time candidates ran for a unexpired 2-year term on the board. Mark Loewes defeated Debra Vander Weit of United Lake Zurich, 1,395-1,099, according to unofficial results.