Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Two residents said Straub employed questionable campaign tactics during the run-up to last month's election.
A packed Burr Ridge Village Hall boardroom watched as Mickey Straub was sworn in Monday night, and while many of those in attendance applauded the new mayor, a couple of residents had harsh words during the public comment session that followed. Straub, who won the April 9 election over longtime trustee Bob Sodikoff and fellow challenger John Bittner, smiled as he recited the oath of office and later saluted the neighbors, friends and family members who he said convinced him to run last winter. “Thank you so much,” he said. “I would not have run without your support and we could not have won without your support.” The thank-you came after two residents, Tom O’Toole and Elaine Milota, stepped to the microphone and criticized Straub’s …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Clarendon Hills resident who will take over the position held for the last two years by Michael Nelson is in the middle of his first term on the District 181 Board of Education.
Marty Turek became the newest president of the District 181 Board of Education. The Clarendon Hills resident who has served on the board since 2011 was picked to take over the president's role by a 5-1 board vote Monday night at the board's reorganizational meeting that also saw three new board members seated and three outgoing board members recognized. Michael Nelson, who has served as the board's president for the last two years but was not nominated Monday, voted "yes" for Turek along with Glenn Yaeger and new board members Gary Clarin and Jill Vorobiev. New member Mridu Garg voted "no" after nominating Brendan Heneghan, who abstained from the vote on Turek. Turek said he appreciates the support of his fellow board members. "…
Monday, May 6, 2013
The man who was picked to replace Dennis Brennan as board president Monday night said efficiency is one of his top priorities and that he's not a "one-issue board member" defined by last year's Hinsdale South movie controversy.
The new District 86 Board of Education took its first actions Monday night and among them was the appointment of a new board president. Victor Casini was elected by a unanimous board vote to take over the body’s leading role that for the last six years has been filled by Dennis Brennan, whose four-year term ended Monday night along with those of DeeDee Gorgol and Dianne Barrett. Casini, a Hinsdale South parent and Burr Ridge resident, is among the three new board members elected along with incumbent Kay Gallo on April 9. The attorney and former Gower School District 62 board member said he does not see himself as above the other six board members, and one of his main goals as president will be to make board meetings more efficient. “I like…
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Other popular stories last month dealt with a Burr Ridge man charged with a Medicare scheme and a girl who went missing in Hinsdale.
We're moving on from April to May, but we certainly won't forget some of the big stories from the last 30 days. In reverse order, here are the top 10 most-read local stories from April on Burr Ridge Patch, according to our reader metrics. 10. Election Day Diary: 'Democracy in Action' at Polling Places, April 9 9. Mickey Straub on Election Win: 'It Was Meant to Be', April 10 8. Photo Gallery: DuPage County Underwater in Spring Flood, April 18 7. Teen Girl Reported Missing in Hinsdale, April 8 6. Village President-Elect Mickey Straub Accused of Electioneering Violation, April 15 5. Man Killed by Freight Train Near La Grange Stone Avenue Station, April 11 4. Mickey Straub Wins Burr Ridge Village President Race, April 9 3. Fire Near Burr Ridge…
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The board member who lost her bid for reelection last week said she's concerned some of the goals put in place during her four years won't be realized.
DeeDee Gorgol said she’ll feel a little down after her last meeting as a District 86 board member in May. “It will be sad,” Gorgol said. “You make a group of friends and have a common interest and goal and it will be sad because … I’m afraid maybe some of the goals we were putting out there won’t be realized.” Gorgol and Board President Dennis Brennan are current board members who failed in their bid for reelection last week running as part of a slate that also featured current board member Kay Gallo and Roseanne Rosenthal. Gallo was the slate’s only winner, as the “Friends for District 86” slate of Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley swept the other three open spots. Gorgol said the results of the election were disappointing, …
Monday, April 15, 2013
The DuPage County Election Commission said Mickey Straub violated electioneering rules by standing near a window of the polling room at the Burr Ridge Police Department while voting was going on Tuesday.
A DuPage County Election Commission representative says the commission received complaints during last Tuesday’s election from multiple people that alleged newly elected Burr Ridge Village President Mickey Straub violated electioneering rules at the Burr Ridge Police Department polling place by standing near a window of the room where voting was taking place. Between 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. on Election Day, the commission received four complaints, one from the site’s technical election judge, about Straub standing just outside the polling room at the police department near a vehicle that had a Straub campaign sign attached, according to DuPage Election Commission Assistant Executive Director Joe Sobecki. Sobecki said rules dictate that …
The slate that placed three winners in last week's election reemphasized its promise for board accountability and transparency in a letter to the editor.
- ELECTIONS
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Monday, April 15
The following is a letter to the editor submitted by the "Friends for District 86" candidate slate: Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley, who ran as "Friends for District 86" would like to thank our supporters and volunteers for all their hard work and dedication during the District 86 school board campaign. We are humbled and honored to be able to serve the citizens of District 86 and will do our best to live up to community expectations. We will promote educational excellence within the district. In addition, we also desire to activate the board committee structure to bring skills and expertise from the community into the district. We will reach out again to all community members in the spirit of collaboration to volunteer for …
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Patch looks back at five of the most read stories from the week of April 8 to April 12.
1. Missing Teen Faith Shirley Found Safe in Chicago: The 16-year-old from Florida went missing earlier this week from the Institute in Basic Life Principles in Hinsdale. 2. Mickey Straub on Election Win: 'It Was Meant to Be': Burr Ridge's new village president says he wants to make the village "resident-focused and business-friendly." 3. 2013 Election Results: Find All Your Local Winners: Now that the polls have closed, follow our site for live results to learn who won and by how much in all your Burr Ridge races. We'll be updating this post throughout the night as votes are tallied. 4. D86 Election: 'Friends' Slate Promises Transparency, 'New Brand of Collaboration': Challengers Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley all won spots …
Friday, April 12, 2013
Dennis Brennan said he wishes the "Friends for District 86" winners well, but warned that serving on the board is a lot harder than criticizing it from the audience.
District 86 Board President Dennis Brennan said he believes his failed reelection bid is partly the result of serving on school boards that have taken action to improve the district and its facilities. “If you sit there and do nothing, you’ll probably get reelected,” Brennan said Thursday, more than a day after his four-candidate slate placed only one winner. “But if you try to get something done … you’re going to probably raise the opposition, whoever that is.” In 2013, that opposition was “Friends for District 86,” the candidate slate of Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley that managed to go three-for-three Tuesday after a campaign centered around improving fiscal responsibility, transparency, and community involvement in …
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Challengers Victor Casini, Ed Corcoran and Claudia Manley all won spots on the District 86 Board of Education Tuesday after a contentious campaign.
Claudia Manley called it “unbelievable.” Ed Corcoran was “elated.” Victor Casini said it was “a pleasant surprise.” Following the election of all three “Friends for District 86” candidates Tuesday in the race for District 86 school board, Manley, Corcoran and Casini all said the sweep was unexpected, but also symbolic. “I think it sends a message that the platform that we ran on resonated with District 86 citizens,” Casini said. “Namely, fiscal responsibility, transparency and community involvement.” Corcoran agreed that the community showed its support for the substance of the “Friends” slate’s platform. He also said he thought voters reacted to the group’s campaign approach. “We tried to have a positive campaign, talking about what we’re…
Richard Morton
3:22 pm on Thursday, May 16, 2013
Jeez, I am certainly down to criticize our elected officials most if not all richly deserve it based on their really crummy performance. But doesn’t our new president – newly minted - first ever public office get a pass on his first meeting? I guess the answer is nope! The rest of meeting was high drama with Trustee Bolos leading the charge (other trustees hopped on board) to submarine an … more ›