Unity, Not Division, On Elmhurst's North Side

ELMHURST, IL — Elmhurst's Ward 3 aldermen are holding a joint town hall on the North York corridor plan Thursday night.

Perhaps the biggest news is that the Ward 3 aldermen — 10-year veteran Dannee Polomsky and newcomer Chris Jensen — are working together.

That's a far cry from the relationship between Polomsky and Jensen's predecessor, Michael Bram, who served for two decades.

Ward 3 is on the city's north side, which is more diverse and less wealthy than other parts of town.

In the April election, Jensen prevailed with 43 percent of the vote against two other candidates. Bram did not seek another term because he was running for mayor against fellow aldermen Scott Levin and Mark Mulliner. Levin won, while Bram finished second. Levin received Polomsky's endorsement.

Bram often found himself as the lone vote on the City Council, on everything from stormwater projects to the mayor's emergency powers during the pandemic.

Just weeks before the election, Polomsky used her perch as head of the Public Affairs and Safety Committee to denounce the idea of adding advanced life support to city fire trucks, a key plank in Bram's campaign. It was the focus of most of a committee meeting.

The firefighters union said it would offer advanced life support without making demands for higher wages. But the city attorney warned officials that the union could change course, which he said would greatly increase taxpayers' costs, including with firefighters' pensions. (A city news release of the meeting said nothing about the union's statement, but included comments from the other side.)

Polomsky and much of the council indicated they opposed the additional service. Bram stood alone.

Shortly after Jensen took office, Polomsky announced she and Jensen would jointly manage a new Facebook page called "Elmhurst — 3rd Ward." They also joined forces on a number of issues. In one case, they asked the city to explore the idea of doing away with residents' contributions for new sidewalks. Ward 3 has the majority of areas in Elmhurst without sidewalks.

Asked about his work with Polomsky, Jensen said he has strived to be a valuable member of a team in his career, an approach that he said has served him well.

"Looking to the future, I plan to take a similar approach to my work as an alderman to best serve the residents of the Third Ward and all of Elmhurst," he said in an email.

In an email, Polomsky said she looked forward to serving Ward 3 residents alongside Jensen.

"I expect Thursday's update on North York Corridor development to be informative and also convey our shared commitment to focus on the north side," she said.

After his loss in the mayoral election, Bram created a new Facebook page called "Discuss Elmhurst with Michael Bram." In an interview after the election, he would not rule out a future run for mayor or alderman, saying he would be "more than willing to throw my hat back into the ring."

"I'm not the type of guy to step down. I foresee myself getting involved in some way," he said.

Polomsky's term expires in 2023. She has not indicated whether she would seek another term.

In their last two council elections, both Polomsky and Bram ran unopposed. Polomsky was first elected in 2011 with nearly two-thirds of the vote.