Story posted Monday, January 5, 2009
Announcing An Announcement
Niles Trustee Biederman To Make Mayoral Intentions Known Jan. 12
By TOM ROBB Journal Reporter
Niles Trustee Kim Biederman is in full campaign mode as she moves toward making her bid to be the next mayor of Niles official.
Biederman told the Journal & Topics Newspapers that next Monday (Jan. 12) she would make a formal announcement regarding her run for the top village job. At that time Biederman is expected to announce she is running.
In spite of the fact that Biederman will not officially confirm that she is running, her recent actions make it all but a foregone conclusion.
The field of candidates is becoming more crowded and ever changing.
Acting Mayor Robert Callero announced his run to hold on to the job as mayor last month with the support of former mayor Nicholas Blase.
Callero’s term ends in April, putting him out of a village job if he loses in the election. By contrast Biederman is in the middle of her term as trustee and would have to step down as a trustee to assume the job of mayor.
Niles resident Mike Nitti may also be considering a run for Niles mayor, the Journal has learned.
Nitti’s business, Mike Nitti Cement Contractors, was located in Niles until recently when it moved to Des Plaines. Nitti could not immediately be reached for comment.
On Monday, Jan. 5, Niles Park Board President Ray Czarnik told the Journal he would not seek a run for mayor.
Late last year, Czarnik said he was considering a run for mayor but has now thrown his support behind the expected candidacy of Biederman.
Park District Executive Director Joe LoVerde announced his run soon after Callero was appointed acting mayor last year but has since pulled out of the race and thrown his support behind Callero.
Supporters of Biederman have hit the streets in recent weeks knocking on neighborhood doors, collecting signatures to have her name placed on the April ballot and distributing campaign literature.
Biederman had a Facebook webpage up for several weeks dedicated to organizing supporters of her run and recently launched the website kimbiederman.com where she lays out her campaign goals and history on the village board.
“As your mayor, I will be accountable and accessible to you. If you have any questions, please feel free to call me on my cell phone at (847) 840-0868,” reads a statement from Biederman on the website.
In a statement on the website, Biederman promises to “protect the tradition of low taxes and top notch services (in Niles), ensure open honest and accessible village government, help senior citizens remain active and independent, revitalize Milwaukee Avenue, improve our schools with new innovative ideas, keep our neighborhoods safe and fix Niles’ flooding problems.”
Biederman’s site said she would open village hall offices on nights and weekends, post village budgets online, air village meetings on local cable access television, institute a “pay as you go” program for any village spending and would fully fund senior citizens programs.