Niles Forward Party launches voter outreach with Kickoff Rally

The Niles Forward Party has been sending out campaign literature since the slate was officially unveiled on Nov. 8, 2014. But with the Feb. 28, the candidates sought to kick the campaign into high gear.

The Niles Forward Party Kickoff Rally took place between 12 p.m. – 3 p.m. at White Eagle banquet hall. The event featured face-painting and balloons for kids, games, some food and speeches by candidates and other Niles officials. It primarily aimed to introduce more residents to candidates, as well as to encourage residents to get involved in the campaign.

Throughout the event, candidates and their supporters described the Niles Forward Party as a slate that would end division within the Niles Village Board and advance projects and initiatives that would change the village for the better.

The Niles Forward Party (NFP) slate is made up of incumbent trustee and Niles Park District director Joe LoVerde, recently retired Niles police chief Dean Strzelecki and Niles Ethics Board member and former Niles Chamber of Commerce and Industry director Denise McCreery. Also running for the seats are incumbents Rosemary Palicki and Chris Hanusiak, as well as new candidate David Carrabotta. While LoVerde has occasionally voted against initiates supported by Mayor Andrew Przybylo, Palicki and Hanusiak voted against the mayor more times than the other trustees. Both trustees have raised questions over the village’s spending, the way some positions were created and the way tax incentives were granted.

All NFP candidates attended the rally, as did village trustees George Alpogianis, Danette Matayas and John Jekot. Przybylo, who owns the White Eagle, helped organize the event. Former Niles mayor Robert Callero also attended, as did several officials from other village organizations. This included State Representative John D’Amico (D-15), Niles Public Library Board President Morgan Dubiel and Niles Park District commissioners Ray Czarnik and Dennis O’Donovan. Dubiel and Czarnic are currently running for re-election.

Aside from officials, campaign organizers and supporters attended, and a number of residents came to find out more about NFP. Everybody who attended was invited to pick up candidate buttons, yard signs and fliers summarizing the NFP platform. Every table had slips of paper where residents could mark down how they would help the “Niles Forward team.” This included canvassing, office work and donations.

Jim Boratyn, a member of the NFP campaign committee, told the Niles Herald-Spectator that the slate was strong because of qualities each candidate brings to the table. He cited LoVerde experience as a trustee and Park District director, Strzelecki’s experience as a police officer and chief, as well as McCreery’s businesses connections. Together, he said, they have a handle on all the major facets of village life.

“The mayor put together a strong team of people,” said Boratyn. “These are the people that will lead us forward.”

He said that there were many things he enjoyed about Niles, mentioning the Niles Free Bus, low taxes and the Park District programs. The mayor, Boratyn said, has a strong, positive vision for the village. There’s just one problem.

“The sad thing is, there are people who keep voting against [Przybylo],” he said. “Not because they think they have better ideas – they just want to grandstand.”

Boratyn said that NFP wanted to encourage residents to send out absentee ballots. He cited aldermanic run-offs in Chicago as examples of how much a few votes could matter. For some residents, he said, getting to a polling place may be a hardship, so they wanted to make sure they know they have a more comfortable alternative. That’s why, during the rally, the campaign distributed fliers with detailed instructions on how to obtain an absentee ballot.

“As far as I’m concerned, anyone who’s 65 or older should fill [absentee ballet applications] out,” said Boratyn. “Do it from the privacy of their own homes.”

The candidates didn’t speak until the end of the rally. They touched on the themes Boratyn described, highlighting each others’ experience and qualifications and describing their slate as the best team to lead Niles toward better future.

“We care, we are dedicated, we have a vision for Niles, ” said LoVerde. “Please consider your future.”

McCreery promised residents that, if they are elected, they will listen to the public.

“If you do your part, I promise, on behalf of Joe LoVerde and Dean, that we will work better together,” she said.

All candidates expressed dismay at what they described as negativity on the village board, but no one voiced that sentiment stronger than Strzelecki.

“Four out of ten years [I’ve been a police chief], we had a board that worked together,” he said. “For the last six years, I sat on the dias, I watched in-fighting, talk about past issues instead of moving forward. We don’t want to live in the past – we want to move forward.”

Several officials who attended the rally spoke in support of the candidates. Callero said that he got to know all candidates well while he was mayor, and he had good reasons to endorse all of them.

“Joe because his leadership in Finance and Stormwater committees, Denise because of her passion for business and dean because he was a great police chief,” he said. “Vote for JDD – Joe, Denise and Dean. Please go out and help them.”

D’Amico offered similar sentiments.

“They are completely committed to doing what’s right for the town of Niles, and its an honor to endorse them,” he said. “Let’s make sure we move Niles forward, and this ticket wins and we can celebrate on Election Day.”

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Przybylo said that, if the voters like his initiatives, they should support the NFP.

“If you like what we tried to do, what we tried to accomplish, you’ll like it more with Strzelecki and McCreery.” he said.

Niles resident Ray Demski left the rally with a yard sign. He said that, to him, the support came down to his admiration for LoVerde and Strzelecki.

“I like Joe LoVerde – he has good business experience,” he said. “I was a part-time police officer, so I used to work for [Strelecki], and I think he’s great. I don’t know much about McCreery, but if these gentlemen picked her, she must be good.”

Resident Arlene Tykieniewski was less sure. While she liked LoVerde and Strzlecki, she wasn’t sure about McCreery. She also felt that she didn’t get enough information about the other candidates to make an informed choice.

“I haven’t been getting any mailings [from independent candidates],” she said. “I don’t know what they’re thinking. They’re sleeping on the job.”

Igor Studenkov is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.