Lockport Mayor Steven Streit is in search of a fourth time period within the April 1 election, however faces a problem from third Ward Ald. Darren Deskin, whose time period on the City Council would not expire till 2027.
Deskin mentioned he felt the time was proper to run for mayor, a place he had his eye on.
“Lockport is my hometown and I’ve needed to be mayor for a number of years,” Deskin mentioned. “It’s simply that the time was by no means proper, and now it’s.”
Deskin was first elected alderman in 2013 and served two phrases earlier than taking a break throughout redistricting to permit third Ward Ald. Christine Bergbower will serve a second time period, he mentioned. Deskin, who returned to town council in 2023, has been a chiropractor for 40 years and runs his personal clinic in Lockport.
If he wins the mayor’s seat, Deskin mentioned he’ll appoint somebody to take his place on the council to complete out his time period. He mentioned the primary cause for difficult Streit now’s his perception in time period limits. He mentioned Streit had already agreed to step down after his third time period.
“Win or lose, we are going to impose time period limits on all elected officers in Lockport. No one, together with me, ought to make a profession out of it,” Deskin mentioned.
Streit, Lockport’s mayor since 2013, didn’t reply to messages left by Southtown.
Streit is the CEO of OH Design Group, a customized design and advertising and marketing agency in Lockport. He is a U.S. Navy veteran who served on the USS California and USS Truxton as a machinist, in keeping with town’s web site. After his service, he moved to Lockport in 1990 and attended faculty on the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
Streit listed public security, bettering water high quality, infrastructure and downtown revitalization as prime priorities on a earlier marketing campaign web site. Lockport gained the 2021 nationwide Strongest Town competitors that acknowledged the transformation of town’s once-abandoned downtown that occurred underneath Streit’s management.
Deskin mentioned he considers bettering Lockport’s infrastructure a prime precedence and goals to draw developments to strengthen town’s place.
When he first ran for alderman, Deskin mentioned town’s getting old infrastructure was a significant concern, as he believes earlier officers didn’t prioritize wanted upgrades.
“We had some elected officers who did not need any progress within the metropolis. They needed to maintain Lockport in 1975, however we had issues,” Deskin mentioned. “And the largest downside was that town’s infrastructure was 60, 70 years previous and town was falling aside.”
Deskin mentioned he and different aldermen have labored arduous to switch town’s infrastructure, spending about $175 million over the previous 10 years to improve water mains and add sewer strains.
Deskin boasts different accomplishments, corresponding to investing about $3.5 billion in new housing developments over the previous 12 years and lowering town’s reliance on residential property taxes from 41 % in 2013 to 31 % in 2024.
“The metropolis streets 12 years in the past have been mainly falling aside, and now now we have grow to be the envy of the encircling cities,” he mentioned.
Deskin ran for District 85 state consultant in 2017 and ran as a part of the Republican ticket for Lockport Township supervisor in 2021.
In the third Ward, Bergbower faces a problem from Timothy Russ, director of buildings and grounds for Homer Elementary District 33C and board member of Lockport High School District 205.
First Ward Ald. Susan King, appointed to fill Patrick Sheehan’s seat in June, will run for a full time period towards former third Ward Ald. Marco Lobi. Second Department Ald. Patrick McDonald will run towards Joseph Fracaro.
Fourth Ward Ald. Renee Saban will not be in search of re-election in 2025 and Steve Cardamone is operating unopposed for her seat.
City Clerk Kathleen Gentile and Treasurer David Palya are operating unopposed for re-election.
smoilanen@chicagotribune.com
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