Election 2013: What is Burr Ridge Village President's Role?

Patch asked the question, and the three Burr Ridge village president candidates provided their answers.

In its 2013 candidate questionnaire, Patch asked the three candidates for Burr Ridge village president the following questions: What do you think the role of village president is in Burr Ridge? Here, in alphabetical order, are the candidates' responses: John Bittner: "As village president, he or she should insure responsibility to its residents, that the village is working in each person's best interest and that each decision made is made in an ethical and responsible manner!" Robert Sodikoff: "As village president I will preserve village assets and protect home values by being fiscally responsible through a balanced budget. I will encourage family friendly growth and development, and foster business growth within the Village Center and …

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Election 2013: Burr Ridge Village President

Three candidates are running for Burr Ridge village president in spring 2013 election.

Three candidates have submitted their names to run for Burr Ridge village president in the 2013 election. Robert Sodikoff is a former village trustee and current acting village president, while John Bittner and Mickey Straub would be new Burr Ridge's local government. Early voting begins March 25. Election Day is April 9. Patch put together the following guide to help voters get to know each candidate and keep track of the latest election news.  Interesting stories relevant to the District 181 election: Join Patch! Create a free user account and join the discussion about the future of Burr Ridge. You'll be subscribed to the free daily newsletter and breaking news alerts. Got a news tip? Email Patch editor Joe O'Donnell.

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'Mayor' Stricken from Burr Ridge Vocabulary

The Burr Ridge Board of Trustees approved a measure this week that eliminates a village president's choice to call himself or herself mayor.

Future Burr Ridge village presidents will no longer have the option to be called "Mayor," as Gary Grasso had during his two terms leading the village. Trustees voted Monday night to approve an amendment to the village code eliminating a paragraph that stipulated the choice of title, The Doings reported, though it was not a unanimous vote. Trustees Al Paveza and Len Ruzak voted against the amendment.   The pair of trustees said they thought the item should wait until after a new board is elected on April 9.  Acting President Bob Sodikoff voted in favor of the amendment and told Patch Thursday he thought acting now will actually serve to avoid confusion on election day, when the position will be referred to as village president on the ballot…

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Election 2013: 3 Candidates File For Burr Ridge Mayoral Race on 1st Day

Among the three are acting mayor Bob Sodikoff and 50 Capitols in 50 Days road-tripper Mickey Straub.

Weeks removed from his Abe-Lincoln-inspired 50 Capitols in 50 Days trek around the country, it appears Mickey Straub will have another tough task ahead of him: the race for Burr Ridge mayor. Straub, whose successful road trip can be read about here, is among the three mayoral candidates who filed their paperwork with village clerk Karen Thomas Monday to be on the April 9 ballot. It was the first day they were able to do so. Thomas said current acting mayor Bob Sodikoff and John Bittner are the other two who have filed. Sodikoff, who has served as a village trustee for the last 14 years, took over as acting mayor earlier this month after Gary Grasso's resignation. Sodikoff announced plans to run for mayor in November. Guy Franzese, Kathryn …

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Acting Mayor Sodikoff Likely To Step Down As Trustee

The Burr Ridge Village Board unanimously appointed the veteran trustee to serve the remainder of resigning Mayor Gary Grasso’s term

Acting Mayor Sodikoff Likely To Step Down As Trustee

The Burr Ridge Village Board unanimously appointed the veteran trustee to serve the remainder of resigning Mayor Gary Grasso’s term

Acting Burr Ridge Mayor Bob Sodikoff said Wednesday night he is leaning toward stepping down as a trustee so that the village board will have the maximum number of voting members. The mayor only votes in the case of a tie among the six trustees or on issues that require a supermajority of votes to be enacted. In the wake of Mayor Gary Grasso’s resignation Monday, there is no way for the board to break a tie. “I could remain as a trustee and serve as acting mayor, in which event I continue to vote,” Sodikoff noted. “[But] we’re missing the seventh vote if we ever need it.” He said the alternative was for him to serve only as acting mayor. “I would resign as a trustee and then a substitute trustee would be appointed by the board,” he …

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Trustee Bob Sodikoff to Run Against Gary Grasso for Burr Ridge Mayor

Sodikoff was one of three trustees who said Monday night that they did not support Grasso's intention to serve as the mayor of Burrr Ridge and a DuPage County Board member simultaneously.

Burr Ridge trustee Bob Sodikoff announced Monday night that he intends to run for mayor next spring against Gary Grasso, who won a seat on the DuPage County Board Nov. 6 and wants to hold both the mayor and county board offices simultaneously. "If you didn’t run for county board, I would be running for trustee," Sodikoff said to Grasso at Monday night's Village Board meeting. "But I’m committing now to run for [mayor]." Sodikoff said after the meeting that had Grasso lost his county board race, the trustee would not run for mayor. "It's one man, one job," Sodikoff said after the meeting before noting his experience serving the village. "I've been doing this long enough that I think I can [be mayor]." Sodikoff has served on the Village …

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