Ken Santowski Submits Letter Withdrawing from Lakewood Village President Race

Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski suddenly resigned from his position.

Now Santowski has submitted a letter saying that he is not running for Village President.

Letter from Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski announcing he is no longer running for Village President.

Letter from Lakewood Village Trustee Ken Santowski announcing he is no longer running for Village President.


Accompanying the letter was this message from Village Administrator Shannon Andrews:

“While we have received the attached letter from Trustee Santowski, we are waiting for the submission of Form P-25, which will formally remove his name from the ballot.”

The only other candidate of the ballot for Village President is Trustee Paul Serwatka.

Village President Erin Smith is retiring after having served two four-year terms.


Comments

Ken Santowski Submits Letter Withdrawing from Lakewood Village President Race — 18 Comments

  1. It’s no wonder government is filled with so many slimy people.

    Good people are forced to leave because they can’t bare to put up with meanness, lies and underhanded assaults. Lakewood is ridiculous. It deserves what it gets.

    And out of curiosity, what type of pension/disability is Paul Serwatka receiving from the City of Chicago where he is no longer able to work as a firefighter?

    Mr. Serwatka says he will fight “To reject all state pensions and benefits and fight for legislation to end them.”

    Does he still recieve any type of benefit from Chicago, where he doesn’t even lives?

    Will Mr. Transparency tell everyone how much money he gets from them?

    And in the name of transparency, what is the exact amount of the salary that he waived upon becoming a Lakewood trustee?

    It sounds really noble when no actual numbers are used.

    Is he still waiving his salary?

    It seems to me Paul is great at saying one thing and doing another.

  2. “Good people are forced to leave”

    Mary – Please be sure to let us know when someone “good” leaves.

    Paul – Keep Fighting for us!

  3. Better Government Association (BGA)

    Pension Database

    Paul Serwatka

    Chicago Firefighters Pension

    $53,899 as of 2012 data year (BGA data year doesn’t always match the pension plan fiscal year or a calendar year)

    Pension is for 8 years of service.

    Benefit Start Date: December 20, 2007.

    http://www.bettergov.org > Pension Database

    To search on a name, type in the name in the search bar with the magnifying glass.

    Can type first name followed by last name.

    Or type last name only.

    Or type first name only.

  4. @Mary/Ken –
    “meanness, lies and underhanded assaults”???

    Pretty much sums up Ken Santowski’s, entire, but short lived, campaign!

    Ken hasn’t had one positive word to say…

    No direction to offer…

    Only promises of more of the same.

    And anyone who is against that is a bad guy.

    I’ve only ever heard Paul speak of holding government accountable and controlling reckless spending.

    Where’s the meanness there?

    As far as the “lies”…

    Santowski has been caught in so many, it’s like watching a Hillary re-run.

  5. Mary, Mary, quite contrary … to your misconceptions, Paul S. is the “good” guy …..

    I want to know why Santowski is good.

    I’m not disputing that he is, I just want some evidence.

    I know you are wrong about your innuendo about Paul!

  6. Mary writes:

    “It’s no wonder government is filled with so many slimy people. Good people are forced to leave because they can’t bare to put up with meanness, lies and underhanded assaults. Lakewood is ridiculous. It deserves what it gets.”

    She then goes on to make vicious personal and unsupported attacks on Paul Serwatka.

    I find the irony amusing.

  7. Having lived in Lakewood for almost 50 years, I find Paul to be a breath of fresh air.

    Like school teachers, police and other government employees Paul earned his pension.

    It takes a special type of person to be a firefighter in Chicago and anywhere for that matter.

    Mary is spewing nothing but the worst of innuendos.

    It is a time for change in the governance of Lakewood and I believe Paul and his slate of candidates will do the right things for all Lakewood residents.

  8. I didn’t make vicious, personal and unsupported attacks.

    I simply asked some questions.

    Sorry asking for some truth is offensive.

  9. “And out of curiosity,…….”
    T
    hat is the start of a personal attack since the story was not about Paul, it is about Ken.

    No where in Ken’s letter does it talk about anything but his withdrawing.

    Nice try Mary!!!!

  10. “I simply asked some questions.”

    From irony to disingenuousness.

  11. I have no idea why Mary insists in talking about naked people.

    The word you want deary – is bear – not bare.

  12. Hi Mary – these are valid questions – have you asked Paul directly?

    I’m hoping so – because if not, then this is just diversionary dialogue…..to really want to ‘know’ something is to ask the person directly.

    I’ve met and talked with Paul directly a few times – he is a genuinely concerned man and has true passion for Lakewood…..

    I like him!

    Now, your questions are worth asking so I hope you do/did ask Paul directly and even be willing to meet him to find out for yourself (I did).

    God Bless!

    Pam

  13. Obviously Mary is a new reader of the blog or she has a short memory.

    Paul and others have explained that component of his income over and over.

    Skillicorn, Proft and their supporters made sure that Paul’s life was laid bare for all to see during the primary this year.

    Cindy, there is that word again :-).

  14. Mary,

    You can learn all about Paul and his Lakewood Tax-Fighter Team’s efforts, both past and present, by visiting: http://www.LakewoodTaxFighter.com .

    There really isn’t anything not to like.

    The only ones who don’t like what Paul and his team have been doing are the status quo politicians who are being called out – or their cronies who stand to lose out on their “take” of Lakewood Tax Dollars…

    As far as Paul’s being a disabled Firefighter/Paramedic, as someone posted above, it is pretty common knowledge that Paul served 12 years as a career Firefighter/Paramedic before suffering a career ending spinal injury.

    He now receives a disability pension that is far less than what he earned as a Firefighter/Paramedic.

    He even talked about this in mailers he sent out to have of McHenry and kane counties during his state representative campaign, last year.

    How in God’s name does that make him a bad guy?

    Or in anyway make him incapable of governing our village??

    He certainly has proven himself to be an accomplished trustee.

    He’s proven himself to be a good, honest steward of our tax dollars!

    His Property tax Freeze Referendum proves he stands to hold government accountable!

    Why on Earth the other Lakewood trustees wouldn’t jump in and support that referendum – I think is definitely cause for concern!

    Paul has been doing nothing but good things for Lakewood. Ask any of the residents and they’ll tell you that.

    I don’t understand what or why his receiving a disability pension would have any bearing on governing Lakewood.

    As far as Paul taking a salary as trustee, it is also well known that Paul is the only current village board member who does not take a salary and never has.

    This information was all on the website as well.

    But, as Pam suggested, above, you can always ask Paul himself…

  15. A debt of gratitude is owed to Paul and team for their selfless hard work and troubles.

    Lakewood thanks you!

    Happy New Year to you!

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