Payleitner criticizes St. Charles city council colleagues over mayoral endorsements

St. Charles Alderman Rita Payleitner added a spark to an otherwise quiet city council meeting when she criticized colleagues for mayoral endorsements she believes were inappropriate.

Payleitner, a 2nd Ward alderman since 2011, made the comments at the end of the meeting on Monday. They came on the heels of social media endorsements for mayoral candidate Lora Vitek, a 4th Ward alderman, from retiring Mayor Ray Rogina and longtime 1st Ward Alderman Dan Stellato.

"The recent public actions by the mayor and select councilmen have chosen divisiveness over cohesion," Payleitner said. "They've brought discourse to the dais this election season, and it certainly doesn't speak well of our city or how its leadership functions.

"It truly breaks my heart," she said. "And I just have to say shame on you all."

Asked to specify her comments, Payleitner said the public endorsements by Rogina and Stellato broke the unwritten tradition of sitting officeholders not backing a candidate in a mayoral race featuring two aldermen. Vitek is facing 5th Ward Alderman Maureen Lewis in the April 6 consolidated election.

"It was kind of an in-family scolding," said Payleitner, who said she talked to Rogina and Stellato about their endorsements. "We've always been a cohesive group ... always. We have our differences, but when the meeting's over we always have mutual respect. And it seemed like this put a wedge there that wasn't necessary.

"How could it not make it divisive when you're choosing one over the other?" she said.

Stellato, an alderman for 26 years, said he understood Payleitner's position and acknowledged the possible need for the city council to discuss future boundaries for endorsements.

He said he stood by his endorsement of Vitek, stressing how the optics of endorsements - from yard signs to mailings to Facebook posts - have changed through the years. Stellato also said it's not the first time sitting officeholders have endorsed in a mayoral race featuring two aldermen.

"I respect Rita's opinion greatly," he said. "There are certain levels of support that are probably acceptable, and then you get to a certain point where it's over the top. And that's where she thought the endorsements were going.

"Lora and Maureen have both been very professional about the way they've handled their interviews and their respect for each other, and I really admire that," he said.

Vitek said the social media posts were meant to highlight why she feels she's qualified to be the mayor.

"I pride myself on running a clean race, and the facts speak for themselves," said Vitek, an alderman since 2017. "I try to share with people the way I've voted in the past and why I voted and why I'm qualified."

Lewis, an alderman since 2011, said she's stayed neutral in past elections and that she won't be asking for endorsements from any other aldermen during her run for mayor.

"If I'm elected mayor, I don't know who I'm going to be working with," Lewis said. "So I think it's just best if I run my campaign as Maureen Lewis for mayor. I think I'm a good candidate, and you're going to hear that from me.

"The others can do what they want to do, but (endorsing) isn't what I would do," she said.