Hinsdale Officials Well Ahead Of Newcomer In Race: Unofficial Returns

HINSDALE, IL – The trio of Hinsdale Village Board incumbents running as a team appeared to have won the three available seats in Tuesday's election. They defeated a political newcomer.

Here are the results so far, with three seats available:

• Michelle Fisher: 1,951 votes (32%)
• Matt Posthuma: 1,719 votes (29%)
• Neale Byrnes: 1,715 votes (28%)
• Carlos Aparicio: 645 votes (11%)

Former DuPage County Board member Greg Hart was the sole candidate for village president in Tuesday's election. Elected in 2009, President Tom Cauley decided against seeking a fifth term.

In a statement Tuesday, Hart said he was looking forward to serving "our incredible village." He said he wanted to maintain and improve public safety, diversify the sales tax base through "smart" economic development and bring new energy to local government.

"Together, we will make Hinsdale the greatest place in Chicagoland to live, work, and raise a family," he said.

The incumbents — Byrnes, Fisher and Posthuma — ran as a team. Aparicio was the challenger.

In her Patch questionnaire, Fisher said she, Byrnes and Posthuma represented more than 25 years of experience serving on the Village Board and village committees.

"We have proven positive track records and our dedication to this great Village is unwavering," she said.

Byrnes and Posthuma said in their questionnaires that Fisher focuses on parks and beautification, Postuma on finances and Byrnes on infrastructure.

"I do not know the positions of Carlos Aparicio, but note that he has only lived in Hinsdale since 2021 and consequently may not have a good sense of the character and priorities of the Village," Byrnes and Posthuma said in similarly worded answers in their questionnaires. "He has not served on any village commissions."

For his part, Aparicio, a lawyer, said he has hands-on experience in government, public service and community leadership.

"I’ve successfully managed budgets, collaborated with local and state agencies, and tackled real issues that matter to residents," he said in his questionnaire.

"There are many positive things about Hinsdale, but there is room for improvement to ensure a brighter future. I don't think we're reaching our full potential in what we can do for our village and what we can advocate for that lessens the burden on taxpayers," he said.

Aparicio's comments were positive about Hinsdale. He called Hinsdale's tax structure "fair and balanced," its infrastructure "well-maintained" and its police department "highly dedicated and professional."

He said the village was "absolutely" right with its historical preservation incentives.

In his questionnaire, Byrnes said it's important that the village continues to work to improve the village's infrastructure.

"A great deal of money was spent in the 2009 (master infrastructure plan) to improve infrastructure," Byrnes said. "Many of these roads are coming up or will soon come up for re-paving and I will work with our Public Works Department to continue these road improvements as well as improve drainage and improve our water distribution system."

Fisher said her priorities are ensuring parks and fields meet the needs of families and athletes, conducting village-wide traffic and pedestrian studies, supporting public safety, and enhancing downtown and outdoor dining.

Posthuma said he is focused on maintaining the village's "treasured" AAA credit rating.

"I do not want the Village to become like the State of Illinois or the City of Chicago, which have unsustainable spending and are headed off a fiscal cliff," Posthuma said. "I am the Board member in charge of the Village budget. I carefully evaluate all proposed expenditures to make sure that they are reasonable, appropriate and in the best interests of the Village as a whole. I approach all proposed revenue increases with skepticism and consider them only when they are fair and necessary."