Barnett, Olsen, Hosé Elected to Downers Grove Council

With all precincts reporting, incumbent Bob Barnett and newcomers David Olsen and Greg Hosé have been elected to the Downers Grove Village Council.

Barnett, Olsen and Hosé secured the most votes in Tuesday's election, according to unofficial results from the DuPage County Election Commission. They beat out longtime commissioner Marilyn Schnell and challengers Susan Walaszek and Don Jankowski.

Olsen was the top vote-getter with 2,765 (20.5 percent), followed by Barnett with 2,753 (20.4 percent) and Hosé with 2,573 (19 percent). Schnell came in fourth with 2,288 votes.

Commissioner William Waldack announced in November that he would be stepping down from the council in May.

Tuesday marked the end of an era for Schnell, who has served on the village council for 25 years. 

"I'm still processing everything right now, but I would like to congratulate the winners and wish them luck," Schnell said. "The voters have spoken, and I respect that."

At age 24, Olsen becomes one of the youngest commissioners to ever serve the village of Downers Grove. 

"I'm really honored to have been elected to represent the people of Downers Grove, and to bring new energy and a fresh perspective  to the village council," Olsen said Tuesday night. "I'm looking forward to the next four years and the work ahead."

Barnett, 43, said he hopes to apply the same principals of lean, efficient government in his second term.

"From my perspective, I see tonight's win as a commentary on the good work we've done the past four years, and I'm proud to have been part of that," Barnett said. "I'm looking forward to the next term and continuing that work."

For 31-year-old Hosé, the second campaign was the charm. After an unsuccessful run for village council in 2011, three years on the Environmental Concerns Commission and two years on the Downers Grove Plan Commission—which he currently chairs—Hosé is ready to serve the community in a broader capacity.

He released the following statement Tuesday night:

"As a young father, a homeowner and a taxpayer in Downers Grove, my commitment to this community and its future is why I ran for commissioner. Our village really is a special place and we have a responsibility to keep it that way. At the same time, we have challenges facing us to keep Downers Grove competitive, economically and commercially, we need to address our infrastructure issues, and we need to do all of this in a financially responsible way.

"I am committed to helping tackle our residents’ basic concerns: fix our streets, maintain our excellent service levels, and address our stormwater problems – but do it all in a way we can afford. Together we will help our Village grow and compete, doing it in a way that respects our neighborhoods and preserving Downers Grove’s unique character in the process."

The unofficial results for DuPage County are as follows:

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