September 07, 2024
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Three candidates file for Algonquin Village Board on first day of filing

All three incumbents say they will run again as well as a UIC graduate student

By Aaron Dorman
Algonquin officials are battling with leaders of a community of condo homes in the village in McHenry County Court about how much the village government should pay to acquire almost 3 acres of land meant for storm water drainage, across the street from Algonquin's police department.

Four candidates, including three incumbents, filed petitions on the first day for candidate filing, Monday Dec. 12, 2022, for a seat on the Algonquin Village Board of Trustees.

University of Illinois Chicago graduate student and Algonquin resident Deniz Namik joined two incumbents in filing petitions for next year’s Algonquin Village Board elections on the first day of filing, the deputy clerk said.

In addition to Namik, current board members Maggie Auger and Brian Dianis filed on Monday, Deputy Clerk Michelle Weber said.

The other incumbent up this coming year is John Spella, who said he plans on filing later this week to run for reelection to the board.

Namik, 24, is studying at UIC’s College of Dentistry and said she was running to provide a new, younger perspective on the Village Board.

“I believe representation matters,” Namik said. “I care about the community, and I want it to be the best it can be.”

Namik cited various roles, including time in student government at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and work on U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood’s 2020 campaign, as experiences that made her qualified for a role on the Village Board.

Dianis, who first served on the board from 2005 to 2017 and was appointed again in June 2021, said he chose to run again in part because he felt like the current board had a good working dynamic.

“We work well together,” Dianis said. “It’s good being part of a great team.”

Dianis said he’d like to continue to be part of the planning process for downtown revitalization work, as well as the growth of the eastern portion of the village, including at the NorthPoint corporate campus.

Election filing runs through Dec. 19; the election will take place April 4.

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