Dixmoor Mayor Fitzgerald Roberts might face a problem from former trustee Cynthia Mossuto within the upcoming April election, pending the end result of a problem to her nominating petition.
Mossuto submitted his candidacy for village president on a listing of candidates underneath the occasion identify Dixmoor United. Also on the record is Shuaverta Miles for clerk, together with Baltazar Martinez Jr., Joy Johnson and Raymond Lavigne for 3 trustee positions, in keeping with the village clerk.
Village lawyer James Vasselli mentioned Thursday Ira Rolark, who additionally petitioned to run for trustee, contested the petitions for Dixmoor United’s complete roster. There are three separate constituencies for candidates, one every for mayor, clerk and trustee, which, in keeping with village spokesperson Travis Akin, ensures that candidates usually are not a part of one constituency for the place for which they’re making use of for.
Akin mentioned Cook County did an audit of binders Friday to find out if there are sufficient legitimate signatures on the petitions. Then the county will ahead the outcomes to election boards, he mentioned.
According to the clerk’s workplace, Juanita Darden-Thompson is operating for re-election as village clerk, and Charlene McFadden, Dwayne Tyson and Angela Franks-Muse are operating for an additional time period as village trustees.
Roberts, a former trustee who was elected village president in 2021, mentioned he’s in search of a second time period as a result of he nonetheless has a lot to perform.
“I like what I do. I like being a servant. I used to be born a servant to assist folks. It’s not about racing simply to deliver a title. I’m operating so I can have the assets with which I can care for the folks locally,” Roberts mentioned.
Mossuto, a Dixmoor Public Library District trustee and former village trustee, mentioned he’s operating for village president as a result of he needs to see extra transparency.
“Lots of people known as metropolis corridor and we did not hear again. Over the previous two years I’ve filed for Freedom of Information Acts, together with by way of the Attorney General’s workplace. No response. So, as a resident, I am unable to get that data,” he mentioned. “I must rent a lawyer. But who has the assets to try this? I believe we have to have an open and sincere authorities.”
Mossuto and Lavigne confronted an objection to their petitions once they ran for a trustee seat in 2023 and have been initially faraway from the poll. After interesting, a Cook County decide overruled the board, permitting them to stay on the poll.
Given the objection two years in the past, Mossuto mentioned she and the opposite challengers anticipated to face judicial assessment.
If re-elected, Roberts mentioned he needs to proceed working to rebuild the village by way of infrastructure enhancements and to deliver extra companies and new residential developments to Dixmoor.
Roberts mentioned one in all his targets as mayor was to switch getting older water traces within the village, which is usually stricken by water outages. In September, crews accomplished a $3 million mission to switch a water primary that runs south underneath Interstate 57, however Roberts mentioned the work was not completed.
Roberts mentioned he plans to construct a brand new city corridor, improve the Dixmoor Community Center and is working to deliver a shopping mall to Sibley Boulevard within the village.
According to the village’s 2024 multi-year capital enchancment plan, permitted in August, rehabilitating the group heart is anticipated to price $500,000. This will finance the renovation of the prevailing construction, parking, improved drainage and connection to the sewerage in Avenida Paulina. The plan additionally consists of $10 million in Illinois Rebuilding funds to improve water infrastructure, together with a brand new pumping station, generator and water primary. There can be $4 million for lead service line substitute.
Mossuto mentioned the village’s water issues stay critical and will likely be his high precedence.
“I imagine there’s way more that may be completed in Dixmoor. The water state of affairs continues to be very dangerous. I imply, I reside in cellular house parks. For the final three days, the water stress has been actually low,” he mentioned.
Mossuto mentioned she additionally struggles to acquire assembly minutes and agendas for council conferences, that are solely posted on the village web site for January, February, March and April of this 12 months. He mentioned he can even look to postpone council conferences to a later time so extra residents can attend once they get off work.
“I need somebody within the village who has transparency with the residents, the place the residents are a part of the group,” he mentioned. “If you possibly can transfer it to seven, you’ll have extra residents concerned. There is not any openness right here. You know, the residents are all left in the dead of night, and that is not honest to anybody.
State marketing campaign finance disclosure stories present that Roberts’ marketing campaign, filed with the For the People political motion committee, acquired a single contribution of $3,000 from the Vasselli regulation agency, the village’s company counsel, through the July quarter -September. The report additionally lists $3,000 in debt owed to Roberts and directors Muse and McFadden since 2021.
Vasselli is listed as treasurer of the political motion committee.
smoilanen@chicagotribune.com
