Newly-elected Niles trustees Morgan Dubiel and Marryann Warda took their seats at the Village Board dais alongside reelected trustees Craig Niedermaier and Dean Strzelecki on May 9.
This marks the first time Niles has had a complete bench of trustees since 2021, when Denise McCreery, who is now Deputy Village Clerk, resigned her seat.
In a packed board room, trustees’ friends and family — including Strzelecki’s three-month-old granddaughter, sporting a large blue bow — spent time mingling and taking pictures before Mayor George Alpogianis called the room to order.
Former Trustee Louella Preston straightened current Trustee John Jekot’s tie before sending him up to the dais to watch Judge Anthony C. Kyriakopoulos swear in the board members.
More Top Picks Deck Lights
After they had taken their oaths and been seated around the horseshoe, the board members thanked the citizens and promised to represent their best interests.
“I believe in unity, even those who didn’t vote for us, who didn’t support us, we’re going to be your best trustees we can,” Dubiel said.
Warda used her first remarks as an elected official to “say thank you to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, thank you to God.”
Warda also thanked her family, fiancé and Alpogianis as well as her new constituents.
“Even if you didn’t vote for us, that’s fine,” she said. “I will be a voice for you.”
“I hope that we make you proud,” Niedermaier said.
Jekot and Trustee Danette Matyas welcomed the newcomers and heralded the return of their reelected colleagues.
“We’re going to work as a team, and we’re going to have fun,” Matyas said.
“It’s good to see a full dais once again,” Jekot added.