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Chicago Tribune
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Retiring Morton Grove mayor Dan DiMaria bids farewell, called ‘great leader … brother' at final Village Board meeting
At what was the last Village Board meeting he would preside over as Morton Grove village president, Dan DiMaria got a send off from village leaders that left him nearly speechless. Village trustees offered keepsakes representing his time in office, passed ordinances honoring his legacy and presented proclamations from local, state, and national figures. 'I don't know what to say. This is all uncomfortable and awkward,' DiMaria said at one point as the tributes continued to pile up. He also injected a bit of humor: 'I'm not dead yet, by the way,' he said. Each member of the Morton Grove Village Board took time during the May 13 meeting to express their appreciation for DiMaria's mayoral tenure. The outgoing mayor decided not to seek reelection in the April Consolidated Election. Trustee Saba Khan's voice shook as she began her comments introducing a resolution that would temporarily change the road signs at Dempster Avenue and School Street to read 'Dan DiMaria Drive.' 'You are the person who had introduced me to the village of Morton Grove,' Khan said. 'You've not been a really great leader, but also a great brother.' The resolution passed without any nays. But Trustee John Thill requested that the word 'temporarily' be removed. Some of DiMaria's colleagues chose a musical theme to highlight his achievements, calling attention to his membership in the band 'Face the Music.' Village Clerk Eileen Scanlon Harford presented DiMaria with a concert-themed T-shirt that had a drum set on the front and his achievements as mayor listed on the back – like a series of tour dates. 'As you retire from public office, take pride in knowing that your legacy will be felt in Morton Grove for generations to come,' said Scanlon Harford before revealing the shirt design to the room. After DiMaria was given the T-shirt, the rest of the board stood up and held up their own copies of the shirt. DiMaria's successor, Janine Witko, who was previously a trustee before making her mayoral bid, kept with the musical theme and announced that the band shelter at Morton Grove Days festival would be renamed in his honor as the 'Mayor Danny D Sound stage.' 'We look forward to years of Mayor DiMaria continuing to entertain our residents during Morton Grove Days from the stage that will bear his name,' Witko said. Other trustees presented letters and proclamations from state legislators, Governor JB Pritzker and Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth. The statements all hit on similar notes, highlighting DiMaria's success in attracting restaurants and other businesses to Morton Grove and helping to secure improvements residents had been asking for. In his final remarks, DiMaria thanked his fellow officials and all of the civil servants who helped make his vision for the north suburban town possible. But he stressed that he didn't want to use names out of fear that he would end up forgetting someone. I'm gonna quote a few songs tonight. One of them is by Kenny Chesney. I've used it before, but 'I didn't get here alone.'' DiMaria said. He also took a moment to express confidence in Witko, the incoming mayor. 'Handing the torch to Janine made it an easy decision,' he said about retiring and his successor, who ran unopposed. Witko expressed her own appreciation for DiMaria's mentorship. 'You've left a mark not just on this community, but on me,' Witko said. 'And I'll carry that with me every day.'
Chicago Tribune
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
As mayor Dan DiMaria steps down in Morton Grove, trustee he appointed Janine Witko elected to succeed him
Current Village Trustee Janine Witko is set to take the reins as mayor of Morton Grove, running unopposed in the April 1 election to replace Dan DiMaria whose public service spans at least a decade. 'It's been an honor and a blessing and I hope the residents think I left the town a little better than I found it,' DiMaria told Pioneer Press following the election. He decided not to seek another term in this year's Consolidated Election after feeling a tug in his private life. 'I'm not retiring from my full-time job and that'll keep me busy. And, grandpa duty is calling now, so that changes things a little bit,' DiMaria said of his decision to step down. DiMaria started out on the Appearance Commission and then won election as village clerk. He successfully ran for a village trustee seat before making a winning bid for mayor in 2013. He said he's done pretty much everything he set out to do for the village. 'You know, I went in on goals I wanted to get done … and I met those goals,' he said. Those goals included developing Sawmill Station Apartments, establishing a new water supply partnership and building a new commuter train station. The Morton Grove station on Metra's Milwaukee District North line is expected to be completed this summer. 'There will always be something else, but I felt it was time,' DiMaria said about leaving office. 'I've been blessed to be mayor and I wanted to go out leaving the town a little better than I found it.' His words of advice for Witko? Listen to the residents. 'Know what your residents want, and you do that by listening to your residents,' he said. Witko was first appointed village trustee in 2013 by DiMaria to fill a Village Board vacancy created after another trustee left the area. Witko, as well as the village clerk and other incumbent trustees — are all members of the local Action Party. They all ran unopposed for reelection. Eileen Scanlon Harford will continue as village clerk. Saba Khan, Ashur Shiba and Constance 'Connie' Travis were each reelected to at-large positions on the Village Board, according to unofficial April 1 vote totals from the Cook County clerk's office. The election results are unofficial until the clerk certifies them – usually within weeks of the election. The Consolidated Election also had library board candidates on the ballot. In Morton Grove, there were four candidates who ran for two available seats on the library board. Kimberly 'Kim' Moldosfky got 39% of the vote and Mohammed Azam Hussain picked up 32%, emerging as the top two vote-getters, according to the unofficial results. Jay M. Cook and Samuel Broderick McCampbell also ran for library board trustee.
Chicago Tribune
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Lauren Rapisand readies to take over as Park Ridge 6th Ward leader, wants to ‘give back to the community'
Park Ridge Alderperson Richard 'Rick' Biagi had decided not to seek reelection to be 6th Ward leader, creating a contest to replace him where, according to unofficial vote totals from the election Tuesday, Lauren Rapisand appears to have prevailed. 'Having held elected office in Park Ridge for the past 16 years, I believe it is my time to step aside and make way for new faces and new voices,' Biagi told Pioneer Press via email ahead of the April 1 Consolidated Election. Rapisand ran against Joseph Iacullo for the City Council seat. Biagi backed Iacullo. But Iacullo, who was appointed last year to the city's Liquor License Review Board, got 42% of the vote to Rapisand's 58%, according to the unofficial vote count from the Cook County clerk's office. Ballot results are unofficial until the county clerk certifies the results in the coming weeks. A self-described seasoned communications and branding professional, Rapisand, 47, has been a Friends of the Park Ridge Public Library Board member since 2024 and on the Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 Parent Advisory Board since 2023. 'I got into the race to help my neighbors. Enough of my neighbors were coming up to me saying they were struggling to find information they needed or who to contact with issues and problems,' Rapisand told Pioneer Press about her decision to run for alderperson. She said her priorities as ward leader will include finding out what the city's O'Hare Airport Commission is working on and addressing parking issues – such as behind Maine South High School and for guests of residents in restricted zones. Rapisand said she and her husband, Jason, moved to Park Ridge from the Wrigleyville neighborhood of Chicago in 2013 looking to start a family. Their children, fourth-grader Maxwell and first-grader Reese, attend Washington Elementary School. 'One of the things I pride myself on is being able to listen,' Rapisand said. 'I thought this would be a good way to give back to the community.' She was on the Park Ridge Public Library Board of Trustees from 2018 to 2024, including two years as president. Rapisand has also been involved in the Park Ridge Newcomers Club since 2014, has co-chaired the Washington Walkathon since 2022, co-founded and co-chaired the Washington Wildcats Giveback Initiative since 2022 and been Girl Scouts Daisy troop assistant leader since 2023. 'I know a lot of folks in the community and I feel like I can help them. I feel like you have to be involved in the community to represent your community,' she said. Iacullo did not respond to Pioneer Press attempts to reach him. But according to Iacullo's campaign website, he is director of capital finance for the Chicago Transit Authority and also manages a law practice where he focuses on commercial and residential real estate. He is a married father of three. 'I am dedicated to addressing the issues that directly impact our community's quality of life,' Iacullo stated on the website. 'I believe addressing these issues through collaborative efforts and continued engagement with residents are essential for the continued growth, safety and prosperity of Park Ridge.' The website explains that he volunteers for school and sporting events for his children, and assists with organizing other sports and activities with the athletic committee of Mary, Seat of Wisdom church and school. As alderperson, he had plans for public safety that included making sure law enforcement has necessary resources, and fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and residents, the campaign website states. He had also planned on implementing stormwater management systems to reduce flooding, and economic development such as making Park Ridge more business-friendly. Biagi exits the City Council with a lengthy public service record. Elected in 2021, Biagi chairs the City Council's Public Safety Committee and is a member of the mayor's advisory board. He was previously on the Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 board where he was president from 2017 to 2021. Additionally, he was a city Recreation and Park District commissioner from 2009 to 2017. Rapisand will be sworn in at an upcoming City Council meeting.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why DIDN'T you vote in the April 1 election? Take our poll and let us know
Voter turnout for the April 1 Consolidated Election in Sangamon County was 18.3%. That meant 25,759 of the 140,589 registered voters participated, with nearly half of the ballots cast coming from permanent vote by mail and early voting. Even with slightly less than one-fifth of voters taking part, the turnout was marked as "historic" by Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray. More: The short version: A quick recap of who won what races in the April 1 election Expectations were in the 12% to 15% range, though more local races--school boards in Rochester and Ball-Chatham, village president of Rochester and the referendum to eliminate the elected office of the Sangamon County Recorder--probably brought more people out. More: Accessing local journalism is even easier with the State Journal-Register app But we want to hear from voters about why they didn't participate in the election. The online poll will be open until noon on April 10. Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788; sspearie@ X, This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Election: Tell us why you DIDN'T vote in the April 1 election
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Changed me for the better'; Urbana mayor retires after 8 years in office
URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin stepped foot in the city more than 50 years ago. 16 of those years have been spent in city government. 'Being mayor was not on my to-do list, it didn't even occur to me to do that,' Marlin said. WATCH: WCIA 3's 2025 Remarkable Women Celebration The University of Illinois graduate came to Urbana for four years, but has stuck around long enough to find her husband, raise a family and explore professional endeavors. 'A lot of people will say 'Well, I lived here and there, but when I moved to Urbana, it felt like home,'' Marlin said. After tenures working at Parkland College and the U of I, her love for volunteer work landed her at city council. 'We have strong environmental ethics, we value people, we welcome newcomers, we welcome immigrants and we value our parks and our education system,' she said. 'That's the kind of thing that kept me here and keeps me going.' She was first elected mayor in 2017, and has been the so-called 'CEO of the city' ever since. 'When you hear that title in front of your name it's a wonderful feeling and it also hits you that you have a huge responsibility,' Marlin said. She's felt the weight of that responsibility through several city developments, and through the COVID-19 years. 'I think they're extremely important': Champaign Co. Clerk breaks down voter turnout in Consolidated Election 'Leading the city with our staff, our community partners during 2020 and 2021 will always remain one of our greatest accomplishments,' she said. 'When everything was shut down, we had to come to work and be there for our community.' Five years from then, she's celebrating progress in equity, accessibility and business development. '[I've] gotten a lot less sleep than I used to, but it's changed me for the better, it's given me hope, it assured me that yes people can make a difference in their community,' Marlin said. She's looking forward to watching her story repeat itself as more find themselves loving the city the way she does. 'I hope [Urbana] continues to thrive and grow, that students continue to come to the U of I and look around and say, 'This feels like home,'' she said. Marlin said she's looking forward to traveling and spending time with family in retirement. She said she will transition the incoming mayor for a few weeks before they're ready to take her spot in the city building. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
