Elmwood Park Recall Election Could Be September

Representatives for the Friends of the Village of Elmwood Park turned in 109 signatures Friday, more than enough to trigger a recall of Village President Audrey Viau.

Village Clerk/Treasurer Veronica Rudychev took the petitions from Nick and Ana Haas at Village Hall. She has 30 days to certify the signatures and after that, the village will hold a caucus to choose who will run in the recall election against Viau.

that he is willing to step forward and serve as an interim president if elected.

Residents are angry over what they say are secretive dealings between Viau and Walmart over the proposal to build a new grocery store on the vacant Kohl's lot at Lathrop and Durand Avenues. The Friends group also contends that Viau is not competent to lead the village because:

• The say the village continues to mishandle the property where Village Hall is located;
• That Viau is purposefully dragging her feet appointing new members to the Plan Commission; and
• That she supports having John Shannon serve as village attorney in the Walmart matter while he represents the Heinrich family in a suit with the Baggs over the sale of Heinrich's property to Walmart.

The , and at the regular board meeting Thursday, Nick Haas announced that he had enough signatures in his hand to kick off a recall.

Unlike the recent statewide recall of Gov. Scott Walker, the Government Accountability Board does not set election dates for local recall elections. Instead, after Elmwood Park holds it's caucus, the Village Board will set the election date.

Rudychev anticipates a September election.

"I think that's the most realistic timeline," she said.

Patch asked Viau after the board meeting what she thinks of the pending recall.

"That is their prerogative," she answered. "I have no control over that."

As for the cost of a recall election, Rudychev said it could cost between $1,000 and $2,000 and will have to come from village coffers even though it is not in the budget.