St. Charles Mayor Pleased With Process to Fill Vacancy

Mayor Raymond Rogina said late Monday he will nominate a St. Charles resident on June 17, 2013, to fill the final two years of his term as 3rd Ward alderman and expressed confidence the nominee will be supported by the City Council.

Rogina said he would not disclose his nomination for the seat, which he vacated upon taking office as mayor in early May, until Wednesday, after he has had the opportunity to talk with each of the four nominees who were interviewed by the full St. Charles City Council beginning at 5 p.m. Monday during a closed-door session. He anticipates making an announcement on Wednesday.

The mayor said he was very proud of the process and of the task force he established to interview the 13 candidates who applied to fill the vacant aldermanic seat. He said he also was very pleased with the way the City Council handled the interviews of the four finalists.

“There will always be someone who will take a shot at it, but I’m ready for that,” he said late Monday.

Among the applicants for the 3rd Ward seat were two people who had run for the office before — Mario VanDerHeyden challenged 3rd Ward Alderman William Turner’s re-election bid this spring. The other nominee — Lars Michael Henriksen — was among two candidates who ran against Rogina for the 3rd Ward seat in the spring of 2011.

Neither made it to the final four.

VanDerHeyden expressed disappointment in the process, saying he was the only one of the applicants who actually made the effort to run for election this year.

“I am not a politician. I was asked to run from my neighbors who care about our neighborhood and the city,” he wrote in an email to St. Charles Patch late Monday. “I grew up and still discuss family business that serves Tri City residents every day. So I have met people and learned their concerns from the entire city. Have these people, who been around for five, six years?

“I am embarrassed, disenchanted, and have lost faith in the selection committee,” he said. “It is interesting the person that defeated me by 75 votes was on the selection committee.”

The members of the mayor’s task force included Rogina, Turner, 1st Ward Alderman Dan Stalleto, and City Administrator Brian Townsend.

Related:

• June 10, 2013: Task Force Advances Four Finalists for St. Charles Ward 3…

• May 22, 2013: 13 Hope to Fill St. Charles 3rd Ward Vacancy

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