Filing Begins For EP Village Board Seats In April 2021 Election

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — Good Government Party candidates filed nominating petitions Monday at Evergreen Park Village Hall for the April 6, 2021 Consolidated Election. Candidates interested in running for village board offices have until Dec. 21 to submit the nominating petitions to get on the ballot next April. So far, no one else has filed.

A historic first for Evergreen Park, the slate is led by two women — mayoral candidate Kelly Burke and Cathy Aparo, who is running for another term as village clerk. Rounding out the ticket are Mark Phelan, Carol Kyle and Norm Anderson, who running for reelection as village trustees.

“This is such a good group of people,” Burke said. “I’m excited for the challenge and opportunity. I’ve lived in Evergreen Park for 27 years. I have raised my three kids here and have loved living here.”

>>> Mayor Sexton Surprises Many With Retirement Announcement

Mayor Jim Sexton stunned residents last week when he announced his retirement after 20 years as mayor, and prior to that 20 additional years as a village trustee and clerk serving under Mayor Anthony Vacco. Sexton has endorsed Burke for mayor.

"Kelly Burke is an incredibly talented lady," the mayor told EP Podcast. "She's an attorney, she's our state representative. She's been around the block. She will know a lot of people and be able to help us a lot because of all her connections in Evergreen Park."

For the past 10 years, Burke has served as state representative representing the 36th District in the Illinois General Assembly. She was elected as trustee on the Evergreen Park Village Board in 2019. Burke said she would continue to hold her seat in the Illinois State House if elected mayor.

The Illinois State Constitution allows legislators to hold multiple state or local offices. However, when the Illinois General Assembly is in session or the member is performing other official duties, such as committee meetings or public hearings, the legislator may not draw compensation from the other local or state elected office.

“If in Springfield, I would not get paid for that day as mayor. My pay [from the village] would be prorated,” Burke said. “I would be in contact with the village every day I’m in Springfield.”

Evergreen Park operates under a mayor-council form of government, where the mayor acts as the full-time chief executive officer, as opposed to hiring a village or city manager to run day-to-day operations.

The burning question of many residents is how Burke, plans to hold dual offices.

“I already have more than two jobs. I am an attorney and I teach a class at Loyola Law School,” Burke said. “I’m used to being extremely busy, and I’m good at multitasking.”

If elected mayor, Burke said she would resign from her job at a law practice. She will not take a pension as mayor and does not participate in the General Assembly's pension program.

“It’s important to keep in mind that the state legislators do a lot of different jobs,” she added. “I have colleagues who are coal miners, professors, firefighters. The breadth of experience you bring in is important. I think that part strengthens us.”

As state representative, Burke collaborated with Sexton and Ald. Matt O’Shea in Chicago’s 19th Ward on their shared problems with stalled CSX trains blocking street-grade crossings.

“I was able to work with Jim and Matt on the lawsuit against CSX with [Chicago’s law department],” Burke said. “We put the pressure on CSX. It’s not perfect, but it is better than what it was.”

Bringing the local economy back after the pandemic, particularly the village’s bars and restaurants, would be one of the village board’s biggest concerns.

“That’s part of the fabric of this community,” she said. “When things get back to something approaching normal as the vaccine trickles down, people are going to be going out in confidence to bars and restaurants again.”

Should she win next April, Burke would become Evergreen Park’s first female mayor. She knows she has big shoes when Sexton leaves.

“What I’m hearing is that people feel the mayor personally cared about them,” Burke said. “One of my strengths is that I do think I’m a people person. If you’re going to be in public service, you should really like people and have that personal connection to the village that Jim has.”