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Candidates for 2013 Park Ridge races line up to file
Updated: January 21, 2013 3:02PM
PARK RIDGE — A number of candidates looking to be elected to local offices next spring turned out Monday to be among the first to file their nominating petitions.
Park Ridge mayoral candidates David Schmidt, the incumbent, and newcomer Larry Ryles were on hand at the same time to file their petitions at City Hall, requiring a lottery to be held this week to determine which candidate’s name will appear first on the ballot, said City Clerk Betty Henneman.
Filing for alderman were Nicholas Milissis in the 2nd Ward and incumbent Marc Mazzuca in the 6th Ward. Later in the day, newcomer Vincent LaVecchia also filed for alderman of the 6th Ward.
No one filed for the open aldermanic seat in the 4th Ward. Incumbent Sal Raspanti announced Sunday evening that he will not be seeking re-election, citing work commitments. “Given my situation at work, there’s just no way I can make the same commitment moving forward,” Raspanti said. “It pains me because I do enjoy it and I’m going to miss it.”
He added that he “wouldn’t rule out jumping back in in the future.”
Raspanti ran unopposed for the two-year term 2011.
Henneman also filed Monday for another term as clerk.
A crowded race is expected in Maine Township High School District 207 where there are four, four-year terms and one, two-year term up for election. Filing for both the two-year term and four-year terms were incumbent Eric Leys, recent appointee Carla Owen, and Mary Childers. Filing only for the four-year terms were incumbent Eldon Burk and new candidates Jin Lee, Jeffrey Spero and Sean Story.
The candidates who filed for two different terms will have to withdraw their names from one of the races, said District 207 spokesman David Beery.
In Park Ridge-Niles School District 64, seats occupied by Pat Fioretto, Sharon Lawson, Eric Uhlig and Scott Zimmerman are up for election. Filing for the four, four-year terms this week were Zimmerman and newcomers Vicki Lee, Terry Cameron and Rick Van Roeyen, all of Park Ridge.
The current East Maine School Dist. 63 board members with terms up are Jane Wojtkiewicz, Walter Gluzkin, Krystal Zec and Sheila Urban. Gluzkin, Zec and Urban filed petitions for re-election and new candidates Zeev Walny and Alexandra Brook also filed petitions.
At the Park Ridge Recreation and Park District offices it was a quiet Monday as two incumbents, Steven Hunst and Richard Biagi, filed petitions for four-year terms. Seats occupied by Commissioners Richard Brandt and Steven Vile are also up for election.
The last day to file nominating petitions for the April 2013 election is Dec. 26 at 5 p.m.
