Chialdikas Brings Suburban Voice to Cook County Election

When Lemont Trustee Paul Chialdikas announced his candidacy last year for Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, he knew it would be a tough campaign.

The little-known sanitary district, which covers 883-square miles across the city of Chicago and 125 suburbs, has been a Democratic stronghold for more than 30 years. Additionally, all nine members of the current Board of Commissioners are Chicago residents.

Chialdikas, a Republican and lifelong resident of suburban Cook County, hopes to use his differences to bring a new perspective to the MWRD.

"The district oversees more than just the city of Chicago, so the way it's being run just doesn't make sense," he said. "When the Cook County GOP asked me to run, it was clear that I could bring a suburban interest to the board."

The MWRD is a $1.5 billion agency responsible for managing stormwater and sewage in order to prevent floods and protect the healthy and safety of Cook County residents. Three Commissioners are elected every two years to six-year terms.

Though Chialdikas lost his bid for the same position in the 2008 election, the Republican Party remained supportive of his platform and made him their sole MWRD endorsement on the Nov. 2 ballot.

"We just want one seat--that's the goal this year," he said.

Chialdikas was elected to the Lemont Board of Trustees in April 2009 after previously serving five years on the village's Planning and Zoning Commission. He is also the owner of PC's Pancake Café, 1264 State St.

"Lemont residents know me as a business owner and public official who is focused on the community, " Chialdikas said. "My position gives me a real pulse on the issues most affecting them."

If elected, Chialdikas said he will bring "a strong business sense and fresh ideas" to the board. He is in favor of greater fiscal responsibility in the district, which is currently operating under a $24 million budget deficit. He is also in favor of creating new water conservation programs and incentives, as well as putting to use an area of undeveloped MWRD real estate.

"There are opportunities to attract more talent to come to the Cook County marketplace and create new jobs," he said.

Several public officials have publicly supported Chialdikas' campaign, including state Sen. Christine Radogno, Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman and Lemont Mayor Brian Reaves, who called Chialdikas "the voice of the southland."

"My support of Paul Chialdikas runs deeper than just his candidacy for MWRD," Reaves said. "I know Paul personally, and he is as committed as a father, a husband and business owner as he is a public official."

Before buying his restaurant from NBC meteorologist Andy Avalos in 2005, Chialdikas spent 15 years working for multi-million dollar corporations. He decided it was time for a change after realizing he wasn't able to devote enough time to his family, he said.

Chialdikas has been married 18 years to his wife, Marie. The couple has three children: 14-year-old twins Alec and Andrew and a 10-year-old daughter, Grace.

"It's been crazy," said Marie Chialdikas, reflecting on her husband's time as a public official. "Each day is so different, so we just take it as it comes."

The children, Marie said, take a particular interest in their dad's campaign.

"They find it exciting," she said. "I think they know more about politics and the way the world works because of his involvement, so its nice to have him set that example."

For more information on the Nov. 2 election, including a complete list of MWRD candidates, visit the Web site of the Cook County Clerk.