La Grange To See Competition In April Election

LA GRANGE, IL — La Grange village elections sometimes see no competition, but that won't be the case April 6.

The positions of village president and three Village Board trustees are unopposed, with the candidates recommended by the Citizens Council of La Grange, a nonpartisan group.

But for the two-year board seat, incumbent Shawana McGee is facing John Janowski. McGee is the candidate slated with the citizens group. McGee filled a vacancy last spring after Village President Mark Kuchler was appointed mayor upon the resignation of Tom Livingston.

McGee is a third-generation La Grange resident. She is a spiritual leader with the La Grange-based Caring Place Foundation.

Janowski is a technical project manager who consults with industries, according to his LinkedIn page. His page also says he has a master of science in administration from Central Michigan University, specializing in information resource management.

Also, Janowski was a member of the Citizens Council from 2016 to 2019. He was elected in 2017 as the group's secretary for a two-year term.

Earlier this month, Janowski posted to the local Facebook page, "La Grange Area Restaurant Take-out & Delivery Group," in which he said La Grange has many advantages but that "positive change/progression is still the key ingredient in maintaining destination status." He said young families are "marching out of the city and picking the cool suburbs..."

The post drew 91 comments as well as encouragement for him to run for office.

"I'm trying to have creative disruption," Janowski said in an interview. "We need to constantly adapt to change. Young families want to see us do things differently and see us more engaged."

In an email in response to Patch questions, Michael Buttron, who serves on the council, said Janowski did not seek the council's slating because the candidate decided to run two weeks ago, which was after the council had made its recommendations.

"We would have been more than happy to have him," Buttron said.

In an email earlier this month, Buttron said his group, like the rest of La Grange, would love contested elections.

"The more competition and bright minds, the better," he said.

Brutton said his group's role is to inform and educate residents during election and non-election years. It was founded in 1941.

The candidates in the non-competitive races are Kuchler for mayor and incumbent Lou Gale and Peggy Peterson and Michael Matteucci for the three trustee positions.

Trustees Bill Holder and David McCarty are not running again. In an interview earlier this month, McCarty, an architect elected in 2013, noted he had served the village government in one capacity or another for three decades.

"It's time to let others serve," he said.

Holder did not return a call for comment left earlier this month.

In his email, Brutton said the council's slated candidates are not necessarily more likely to win. In 2017, Gale drew the second most votes of four candidates vying for three positions. The council did not slate him.

Neighboring Western Springs has a slating group called the Western Springs Caucus, which recommends candidates for local public offices. That town has not seen a competitive election since 2005.