Last-minute write-in candidate makes Park Ridge Board

Metro Wire Staff

Mounting a successful write-in campaign, a longtime Park Ridge resident has won a seat on the Park Ridge Board of Trustees.

Charm Fournier became a registered write-in candidate shortly before the April 3 election in what had been a three-way race between candidates for two seats. Trustee Randy Busch was running for re-election, and won with 120 votes.

Fournier came in second with 106 votes, and will replace Gordon Renfert, whose term expires this month.

The two other candidates, Steve Menzel and Christine Neidlein, garnered 96 and 82 votes, respectively.

One main issue affecting the village race centered around the future of the Park Ridge Fire Department, with both Busch and Fournier advocating to keep the department intact. In an advisory referendum held during the February primary, the village voted almost 2-1 in favor of keeping the department.