Incumbents Keep Seats On Arlington Heights Village Board

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Four-year seats on a village board or city council are highly coveted in local political circles. In Arlington Heights, six candidates were vying for four of these seats Tuesday in a race involving two incumbents and four challengers.

Incumbents James Tinaglia and Richard Baldino will retain their seats and will be joined by top vote-getter James Bertucci and Nicolle Grasse on the Village Board, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's Office.

Nicolle Grasse, 54, has worked as a hospice chaplain with VITAS Healthcare for 28 years.

"I remain grateful for the entire campaign experience and especially for the help and support from so many in our Village," Grasse told Patch. "I look forward to what we can do together as a community."

Polls officially closed at 7 p.m. All results are unofficial and do not include early, vote-by mail tallies and provisional ballot counts.

Return to Patch for results as they come in. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results.

Leading up to Election Day, the Clerk’s Office tests all voting equipment at its warehouse location and packs up more than 1,600 Voting Supply Carriers, which contain all essential voting equipment including ballots, polling place signage, PPE, and other supplies. The Clerk’s Office then delivers the boxes to each suburban polling location for use by election judges, polling place workers and voters on Election Day.

Karen Yarbrough has served as the Cook County Clerk since 2018. She is the first woman and first African American to hold the position.

Arlington Heights Village Board members are elected at large on a non-partisan basis, serving as the community's decision-makers. The Village Board members are composed of eight trustees, and one Village President, who is Mayor Tom Hayes. He is running unopposed in this election.

Richard Baldino, 53, was first elected in 2017 and was seeking his second term on the board. He has been an environmental chemist for 27 years, currently working with Sustainment and Restoration Services, LLC, out of Chicago.

"I am honored that the residents of Arlington Heights have placed their faith in me for a second four-year term. I am also grateful that the voters have expressed support for the same ideas that I care about, namely a sustainable community and a responsive and inclusive Village Board," Baldino told Patch. "I would like to thank all the candidates that sacrificed their time, energy, and resources to run for local public service positions whether they were for the Village Board, School Boards, Library Board, or Park District Board. I believe that everyone who ran for local public office deserves our respect and gratitude for their willingness to serve. Finally, I would like to thank everyone who voted in this last election for participating in the democratic process. I will continue to work towards a better more sustainable community for everyone who lives, works, or visits the Village of Arlington Heights."

Jim Tinaglia, 59, is the owner of Tinaglia Architects for the past 30 years, and has been a trustee since 2013. According to Tinaglia, he is the only architect to ever be elected to the board. He touts no tax increases for Arlington Heights residents in 2020 and again this year as among his biggest accomplishments during two terms on the board. He is also concerned about the future of Arlington Park.

“Today may seem like the end of a long campaign, in fact it is just the beginning of a 4 year commitment to our community,” Tinaglia told Patch. “I truly feel honored and blessed to know that my neighbors have the confidence in me to continue working to improve our community. There are certainly several issues that require immediate attention, and I stand ready to listen carefully, think creatively, and react wisely toward every issue that is important to our residents and businesses. I believe the voters have seen me discuss and vote with a level head over the past eight years. I always attempt to be a voice of reason when topics become emotional or contentious. I always try to solve challenges in a way that is beneficial to all. I think voters are aware that I am committed to Arlington Heights. We are the greatest small town of 76,000 residents, and I am very proud to live here, work here, raise my family here and serve as a dedicated elected official for a third term."

Jim Bertucci, 61, has been an investment advisor and financial consultant for 33 years. Previously, he has served on the Board of Library Trustees for the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Among the biggest issues facing Arlington Heights, according to Bertucci, are economic development, financial planning and recovery, small business development, diversity and inclusion, and affordable housing and accessibility.

"I am honored to have been elected as an Arlington Heights Village Trustee. All through my candidacy, from the day I announced my run to the final days of voting, I’ve focused on how we can take our community to #GreaterHeights," Bertucci told Patch. "Brighter days and real opportunities lie ahead, from the end of the pandemic to the future of Arlington Park. I’m grateful to the voters for placing your trust in me, and to the volunteers and supporters who made my win possible. I look forward to serving the Arlington Heights community in the months and years ahead along with the mayor and all the other trustees."

Will Beiersdorf is the executive director of the Road House Program: The Center for Veterans and Their Families At Rush University Medical Center, according to his Linkedin profile.

Wendy Dunnington, 48, works in District 25 as a classroom assistant and guest teacher. The longtime stay-at-home mom formerly worked as a credit analyst in commercial banking and then worked at the national office of the Alzheimer's Association as an auditor and financial analyst.

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