Niles Trustee Joseph LoVerde has announced he'll run for mayor of Niles in next spring's municipal elections.
"It's always been on my mind, and the time is right," said LoVerde, who has served on the village board since 2007, and the Plan Commission before that.
LoVerde has been the only trustee to straddle the divide that has become apparent in the ways trustees have voted in the past few months. His votes have occasionally aligned with Mayor Robert Callero and Trustee Andrew Przybylo, and at other times with the four other trustees, Chris Hanusiak, Jim Hynes, Rosemary Palicki and Louella Preston.
Earlier: LoVerde votes with mayor once, with trustee bloc once
"I'm trying to be the mediator," he said. "We have some good people on the board."
But he acknowledged the divide has been roiling meetings lately.
"The trustees are the corporate authority of the Village of Niles. A capable mayor is able to have an effective board, all working for the same priority--the benefit of the taxpayers," he said.
LoVerde pointed to his achievements running the Niles Park District, where he took over as executive director in 1997, to establish his record.
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"The Park District was in horrible financial shape. It was in severe debt, and couldn't borrow at all. We've turned it around, trimmed staff by 40 percent, built an A plus credit rating, and borrowed $20 million to build new facilities," he said.
He also described it as having good employees, and said that was the formula for success.
In a reference to the fact that state Rep. Lou Lang (D, Skokie) sponsored a bill to make it permissible for liquor license holders to be elected as mayors of municipalities, thus paving the way for Przybylo to become mayor, LoVerde said, "I take offense to that. Springfield should not choose the next mayor, the people of Niles should choose the next mayor."
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Bob G
9:53 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Mr. LoVerde will have my vote. His service to Niles is distinguished. The State of Illinois with it's owner Mike Madigan is no more than an organized crime outfit. Lou Lang simply a puppet. I cannot for the life of me understand why the Attorney General does not jail all of them. Oh wait, they write laws to cover their corruption. I hope Pryzybylo's sweet deals come up during campaigning. I have never seen this guy say or do anything valuable for the people of Niles unless it benefitted himself. It stands to reason that he is a County worker sucking off the public teat. Lets not think for a minute that this creepy fellow was not involved with the antics of the past including the "severance" packages of cars and cash for his retiring pals.
Real Citizen
10:53 am on Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Do the "serverence packages" include the retired police officers who are now enjoying their pensions while rehired to the departement on a part time basis to hold onto medical benefits and the joys of long lunches?
Marty Stankowicz
10:06 am on Thursday, June 28, 2012
Well Real Citizen if you attend Village Board Meetings you would know all Village of Niles Part Time Employees do not get benifets. They are paid an hourly wage and do not get a paid lunch they are only paid the time they work. So do a little bit more homework before you hide behind you fake name and blast out untrue facts. I guess we shouold look at all your posts as untrue since i guess you just post rumor and have no clue.