Two-term trustee runs in three-way race to succeed Bullwinkel
By Chris Fox
Lombardian-Villa Park Review Staff Reporter
Villa Park Village Trustee Robert Taglia has served on the village board for the last eight years. He’s running to remain on the board as village president.
Taglia is one of three candidates in the race for village president in the election of April 4. He’s facing fellow Villa Park Trustee Albert Bulthuis and village resident Chuck Pickerill. The winner of next month’s election will succeed current Village President Deborah Bullwinkel, who chose not to seek re-election for another four-year term. Villa Park’s next village president will be sworn into office in May.
Taglia’s second term as a village trustee ends in May, so if he does not win next month’s election, his time on the board will soon end. Bulthuis was re-elected to a third four-year term on the board in 2015, so if he doesn’t win the upcoming election, he can continue to serve as a trustee for the next two years.
“I have eight years of experience on the board,” said Taglia in discussing his campaign for village president. “I have a good understanding of how the village operates. I know most of the employees on a first-name basis.”
When asked about his achievements as a village trustee, Taglia referred to the hiring of Villa Park Village Manager Rich Keehner. The village board approved Keehner for the position. He became the village manager in April 2011.
“Early on in my first term we hired a professional village manager,” said Taglia. “He had a lot of big challenges to address. He has put the right people in the right places. We’ve had a lot of new businesses come into Villa Park in the last eight years, and we’ve worked closely with existing businesses.”
Taglia said some of the important issues facing the village include road, sewer and storm water management projects, the need for a new community recreation center and addressing the condition of the village’s two public swimming pools. Lufkin Pool and Jefferson Pool reportedly require significant renovation and repair work, according to recent studies of both facilities.
“We have our challenges, that’s for sure,” Taglia said. “I really want to focus on resolving our issues with the pools, and I want to look into bringing a comprehensive type of community recreation building to the village. We need a more modern facility for the people of Villa Park.
Taglia said he would also like to address the village’s pension funding for police officers and firefighters. He also wants to focus on adding to the fire department’s minimum-staffing levels.
Taglia, who spent part of his childhood in Villa Park, returned to the village 15 years ago, when he and his wife Kimberly bought their first house. Kimberly is currently serving her first term on the District 45 School Board. Last year, the Taglias and their three children moved to a newer home in the village, six blocks east of their first house.
Taglia has a small staff working on his campaign for village president. He plans to spend the next month meeting face-to-face with as many Villa Park voters as possible.
“The next month will be a busy month of walking and knocking doors, and making phone calls,” he said. “If people are serious about considering you as a candidate, they want to meet you and talk to you in person. The people here want to know their candidates. They are passionate about Villa Park, and so am I.”
Taglia works on the instructional staff in the engineering school at Northwestern University in Evanston. He teaches design and prototyping at the university’s Segal Design Institute.
“I trust the people to make the best decision; I know they have good judgment,” said Taglia of the pending election. “I’m very proud of my record on the board of trustees. I’ve always done my job as a trustee honestly. This board has had its differences, but we have worked pretty well. I have deep respect for this board.”
Taglia, Bulthuis and Pickerill all held recent interviews with the Villa Park Cable Commission. The interviews are available on the commission’s TV Villa Park Style page at youtube.com. Enter “TV VP Style” into the YouTube search section.
Two-term trustee runs in three-way race to succeed Bullwinkel
By Chris Fox
Lombardian-Villa Park Review Staff Reporter
Villa Park Village Trustee Robert Taglia has served on the village board for the last eight years. He’s running to remain on the board as village president.
Taglia is one of three candidates in the race for village president in the election of April 4. He’s facing fellow Villa Park Trustee Albert Bulthuis and village resident Chuck Pickerill. The winner of next month’s election will succeed current Village President Deborah Bullwinkel, who chose not to seek re-election for another four-year term. Villa Park’s next village president will be sworn into office in May.
Taglia’s second term as a village trustee ends in May, so if he does not win next month’s election, his time on the board will soon end. Bulthuis was re-elected to a third four-year term on the board in 2015, so if he doesn’t win the upcoming election, he can continue to serve as a trustee for the next two years.
“I have eight years of experience on the board,” said Taglia in discussing his campaign for village president. “I have a good understanding of how the village operates. I know most of the employees on a first-name basis.”
When asked about his achievements as a village trustee, Taglia referred to the hiring of Villa Park Village Manager Rich Keehner. The village board approved Keehner for the position. He became the village manager in April 2011.
“Early on in my first term we hired a professional village manager,” said Taglia. “He had a lot of big challenges to address. He has put the right people in the right places. We’ve had a lot of new businesses come into Villa Park in the last eight years, and we’ve worked closely with existing businesses.”
Taglia said some of the important issues facing the village include road, sewer and storm water management projects, the need for a new community recreation center and addressing the condition of the village’s two public swimming pools. Lufkin Pool and Jefferson Pool reportedly require significant renovation and repair work, according to recent studies of both facilities.
“We have our challenges, that’s for sure,” Taglia said. “I really want to focus on resolving our issues with the pools, and I want to look into bringing a comprehensive type of community recreation building to the village. We need a more modern facility for the people of Villa Park.
Taglia said he would also like to address the village’s pension funding for police officers and firefighters. He also wants to focus on adding to the fire department’s minimum-staffing levels.
Taglia, who spent part of his childhood in Villa Park, returned to the village 15 years ago, when he and his wife Kimberly bought their first house. Kimberly is currently serving her first term on the District 45 School Board. Last year, the Taglias and their three children moved to a newer home in the village, six blocks east of their first house.
Taglia has a small staff working on his campaign for village president. He plans to spend the next month meeting face-to-face with as many Villa Park voters as possible.
“The next month will be a busy month of walking and knocking doors, and making phone calls,” he said. “If people are serious about considering you as a candidate, they want to meet you and talk to you in person. The people here want to know their candidates. They are passionate about Villa Park, and so am I.”
Taglia works on the instructional staff in the engineering school at Northwestern University in Evanston. He teaches design and prototyping at the university’s Segal Design Institute.
“I trust the people to make the best decision; I know they have good judgment,” said Taglia of the pending election. “I’m very proud of my record on the board of trustees. I’ve always done my job as a trustee honestly. This board has had its differences, but we have worked pretty well. I have deep respect for this board.”
Taglia, Bulthuis and Pickerill all held recent interviews with the Villa Park Cable Commission. The interviews are available on the commission’s TV Villa Park Style page at youtube.com. Enter “TV VP Style” into the YouTube search section.
