Clarendon Hills Village President Len Austin said in September that he would run for a third term in April 2023 only if he there wasn’t an interested candidate he believed was a good fit.
Austin now will finish his run after two four-year terms, feeling confident that Eric Tech can take over the position and serve the village well.
“I’ve known Eric for quite a few years,” Austin said. “He wants to do it; he wants to give back to the community, and he has the time to do it, which is very important.
“He has great temperament and thinks things through very well. I think he can handle the tough times as well as the smooth times.”
Austin initially was elected Village President in 2015 as a write-in candidate and has lived in Clarendon Hills since 2001. He decided to get on the ballot as a write-in candidate after former Village Board member Ed Reid withdrew. With Reid off the ballot, voters would have had board member Eric Stach running unopposed, something Austin preferred to not happen.
He defeated Stach in 2015, winning 64 % of the vote. Austin was unchallenged in the 2019 election.
Tech heads a slate of candidates endorsed by the Clarendon Hills Community Caucus, which also is supporting current Village Board member Steve Tuttle, Ralph Deangelis and Mark Peterson for four-year terms, along with Omar Chaudhry and John Weicher for available two-year terms.
Tuttle was appointed in July to fill the seat left vacant when board member Carol Jorissen resigned because she was moving out of Clarendon Hills
The Caucus also has endorsed Lynn Dragisic for Village Clerk, Don Draft and Michael Barcelos for positions on the Clarendon Hills Park Board, and Kevin Killeen, Biraju Patel and Vicky Lessard for the Library Board.
Board member Greg Jordan decided to not seek reelection to the Village Board following 29 years of service to the village.
He has served on the Village Board since 2015 after previously being a member of Zoning Board of Appeals/Plan Commission.
“Traditionally, trustees serve two terms and leave,” Jordan said. “The only alternative I see would involve running for Village Board President, which I do not desire.
“I think I have provided my services to the best of my ability. However, I believe the Village could use new ideas.”
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
