O'Brien ousts Majikes from Rolling Meadows council; Ward 5 race too close to call

This story has been updated with the most recent vote totals from Ward 5.

Two new aldermen were elected to the Rolling Meadows City Council Tuesday night, while one race is still too close to call, unofficial returns show.

In Ward 3, Kevin O'Brien, the park board president and a member of the city's planning and zoning commission, ousted six-year incumbent Alderman Laura Majikes. He tallied 312 votes to her 236 votes, while Deborah Banach, who retired from the police department last year, had 163 votes.

Majikes filed written complaints in February against Alderman Joe Gallo, alleging he verbally assaulted her both before and after a closed-session meeting Feb. 12 in the city hall aldermen's room. City Manager Barry Krumstok's investigative report, released last week, determined harassment did occur, but Gallo questioned the report's credibility and accused Majikes of being the aggressor.

In Ward 5, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Jon Bisesi held a two-vote lead over former Alderman Glenn Adams. Bisesi had 63 votes, Adams had 61 and park district employee Joe Szafran had 16, results show.

Adams was alderman from 1997 to 2011 and is currently chairman of the city's economic development committee. Two-term incumbent Rob Banger Jr. didn't seek re-election, with plans to move out of town.

In Ward 7, Lara Sanoica, a 27-year-old financial investigator and member of the city's environmental committee, tallied 211 votes to 114 for 80-year-old Rob Williams - appointed alderman by Mayor Len Prejna in July when Tim Veenbaas moved out of state.

Sanoica, Banach and Szafran all supported Gallo for mayor.

While contested races were held in three of the city's seven wards, Ward 1 Alderman Mike Cannon and Ward 2 Alderman Nick Budmats ran unopposed.