Elmhurst Hopeful Related To City Consultant

ELMHURST, IL – Jake Meding, an Elmhurst City Council candidate, has a connection to a city vendor.

Longtime consultant Ken Bartels is Meding's stepfather. From 2019 to 2022, the city paid Bartels a total of $159,000, according to public records.

Meding noted this relationship in his Patch questionnaire.

According to his contract, Bartels' job is to improve strategic planning for economic development and fundraising for city projects.

Asked how he would handle this connection, Meding said he would "cure any perceived conflicts by abstaining from discussing or voting on (Bartels') contract" if he were elected.

In an email, Meding said he was proud of Bartels and his professional services. He said Bartels has been a city consultant since 2009.

Bartels is a senior vice president at the Community Bank of Elmhurst.

He served as Elmhurst University's vice president for college relations and before that, vice president for college advancement.

Bartels also served five years as director of the Elmhurst Economic Development Corporation.

Meding is running against Karen Sienko in northside Ward 2.