Pick Sherry Bormann for Bartlett village president
On April 7, we the voters of Bartlett will choose a new village president/mayor. Now more than ever, we must plan for the future and choose a new leader for the village of Bartlett.
Sherry Bormann and Michael Kelly have thrown their hats into the ring for the top spot in the village. Both of these candidates are very nice people, public servants and have lived in and raised their families in this village for many years.
Ms. Bormann has served on the Bartlett village Board of Trustees for two terms. Mr. Kelly has served on the Hanover Township Board for three terms. Kudos to the both of you for your commitment to this community.
When you vote on April 7, carefully consider the background and experience of each candidate. They both have Web sites, and I think their information will tell you a story of who is better for the village of Bartlett. Visit Sherry Bormann at www.Bormann4Bartlett.com. Look up Michael Kelly at www.bartlettformikekelly.com.
Dig deep into the background of each candidate; look at all the facts; and consider the issues and solutions that each candidate sets forth.
Although Mr. Kelly and Ms. Bormann have been volunteers in this community for years, we must choose the “better candidate” who has experience and leadership skills that will serve our village in these tough economic times and the person that will be able to represent the village not only on a local basis, but also on a regional and/or national basis.
After you acknowledge that both of these people are nice human beings, you will clearly see that Sherry Bormann is the “better candidate” on all levels. Sherry has experience, sets forth the issues and provides the solutions. I know that Sherry will not play “politics,” and her sole desire is to serve the whole of the community and she  has no desire to “move up the political ladder.”
Choose your candidate carefully. I think you will agree that Sherry Bormann is the best choice for Bartlett.
Bob LaBarre, Bartlett

Sherry Bormann is candidate with integrity
At the March 18 Bartlett Woman’s Club candidate night, candidate Mike Kelly went on about wasteful spending and the village budget. The village had not one or two but three consecutive meetings on March 3, March 10 and March 17.
Kelly didn’t attend any of these meetings. He stated that he was in attendance at the Hanover Township budget meetings.
What? According to the Hanover Township office, the budget was concluded at the end of February.  Did I miss something here? Doesn’t February come before March?
If this is so important to Mr. Kelly, why did he choose not to attend? Evidently it wasn’t important enough. Do we need to elect an opportunistic grandstander as our village president? If there was such great concern about the village budget, wouldn’t it be expected of a candidate to attend, especially when this candidate fully expects to be anointed village president?
I must ask, isn’t the sign of a good leader honesty and integrity? Oh, this is Illinois; we are used to being lied to by our public officials.
Have we forgotten that they work for us? We don’t bow to them. They are the ones who must answer to us the taxpayers, voters and residents.
That’s right! We own this place! We deserve a higher standard.
I say no more of the same old. We need honesty, integrity and someone with focus. We don’t need someone who thinks they deserve to be president because they get their picture in the paper all the time. We need one of us — not one of them.
It does matter. We live here! This is our town.
That’s why I am voting on April 7 for honesty, integrity and focus with extensive experience and knowledge. Vote for Sherry Bormann, president, village of Bartlett.
George Koziol, Bartlett

Editor's note: The following was submitted by village presidential candidate Mike Kelly as a response to the preceding letter.

I do not know Mr. Koziol personally; so, I find it hard to understand his motivation for attacking me by printing half-truths and assailing my character.
What I do know is that I have spent decades doing my very best to serve our community as a husband, father, parishioner, businessman, volunteer, and elected official. I don’t claim to be all-knowing or infallible, but I will defend my integrity to the end of days.
Mr. Koziol’s claim that the Township “budget was concluded at the end of February” is simply false. That budget will be approved by the Township Board of Trustees on April 28, at the earliest. Having never seen Mr. Koziol at a single Township meeting during my 12 years in office, I suspect he has little understanding of just how time-consuming our budget process can be. As Supervisor and as a member of the township finance committee, I have dedicated countless hours to ensuring that our residents are taxed as little as possible and served as well as can be.
Additionally, I have attended many Village Board meetings as a concerned citizen, as an attorney representing clients, and as an elected official representing another unit of government. I have read the village budget every year for several years, and I believe understand it well.
I have done my best to run a clean and fair campaign, and from day one I have made clear to all my active supporters that dirty politics are not welcome and will not be tolerated.
Win or lose, my family and I will live happily here in Bartlett. Not now as a candidate — and not as village president — would I risk our happiness or compromise my integrity for political advantage.
I trust the good people of Bartlett to separate fact from fiction, and encourage them to get out and vote for their candidate of choice on April 7.
Mike Kelly, Bartlett
Candidate for village president
 

Echevarria brings first-hand experience, passion to U-46
Kevin Echevarria is just who U-46 needs on its School Board. Name recognition may be low because he is running a true grass-roots campaign.
He is young at 21, but he has passion. He talks to you, he listens to you, he looks at you, and he responds to you.
After hearing his ideas at the Bartlett meeting, I went to the restaurant he manages to get a yard sign. He does not have them. He has been going to town meetings, parent meetings, etc.
He is a product of the system and has reflected on his experience. It is no surprise that he has picked up endorsements from the teachers union, daily newspapers and more.
Not only does he present his ideas well on full-day kindergarten and dual language success and failures, but you can’t help feeling that if he were on the board, we would not have one town trying to separate, another group suing for discrimination, a retired superstar superintendent cashing checks while we are $17 million in the hole and laying off good people. Vote for Kevin Echevarria, listed fourth on the ballot for U-46. If Kevin wins, our children win.
Terry Witt, Bartlett

Mike Kelly is best match for Bartlett village president
Bartlett citizens have spoken in response to the query of what they are most concerned about in their town. The letter in a recent edition of the Bartlett Press did not have the facts.
Mike Kelly stated that citizens are concerned about the real estate transfer tax and the town’s water quality, among other things. It is easy to twist the facts if one is trying to make a case, but fair-minded people will quickly see through that tactic. Check his Web site, www.bartlettformikekelly.com.
Mike Kelly proposes improvements to the infrastructure by upgrading the storm-water system; increasing roadway safety on West Bartlett Road, Route 59 and other major roadways; and reconfiguring downtown traffic control signals. He wants to foster economic development and support local businesses by invigorating the downtown business district, promoting Brewster Creek Business Park, and attracting commercial development along major traffic corridors. At the same time he will protect our hometown values by advocating for seniors and families, making water quality and public health high priorities, and respecting the opinions and responding to the needs of residents.
Mike is an outstanding candidate and the right person for village president. His record as Hanover Township supervisor for 12 years in addition to his many other community activities and awards speaks for itself. He has the leadership experience to do the job well.
Eileen Lucietto, Bartlett

Bormann has village’s best interests in mind
Sherry Bormann has served with me on the Bartlett Village Board for the past six years. When I first met Sherry, I knew that she was one of those people that just has Bartlett in her heart — it’s not about power, it’s not about prestige.
Rather, for Sherry, it’s all about what is best for Bartlett and its residents. She has lived here for 30-plus years and has devoted much of her time and energy to community and public service.
Sherry also has the village experience and proven leadership to become the next village president. She is up to speed on all village issues and can tackle them running without missing a beat on her first day as village president.
Her knowledge, experience and leadership are critical to keep this village on track in these hard economic times. I ask that you place your trust in Sherry and vote for her on April 7 — I will.
Dennis M. Nolan, Bartlett village trustee

Svoboda’s experience great for College of DuPage board
My vote for Nancy Svoboda for the College of DuPage Board of Trustees supports the need for a commitment to balanced decisions regarding affordability, accountability and academic standards at the college which serves the greatest number of students and residents obtaining job advancement knowledge in our county.
Ms. Svoboda’s 34-year background in education and counseling supplies extensive knowledge of the underpinnings of the community college scenario, and experience in building consensus to find resolutions to difficult situations. Ms. Svoboda envisions a focus that encompasses both quality student services and curriculum with transparent fiscal responsibility.
Nancy Svoboda, along with Kim Savage, Tom Wendorf, and Sandy Kim who are all endorsed Illinois Education Association for the four open board seats will represent the needed commitment and the interests of our district by focusing on student needs, financial oversight and collaborative decision processes.
Carol C. Wallace, Lisle