Sheffield seats new board

SHEFFIELD — Sheffield seated its new village board Monday, but the new trustees weren’t exactly the same people chosen by residents last month.

On April 7, six people ran for three four-year trustee seats. Winning were newcomers Sue Bromme (185 votes), Jeff Sudakov (144 votes) and Adrienne Ries (139 votes). Also running were incumbents Harley Barton, who received 78 votes; Robert Vandermeersch, 50 votes; and Roger Mills, 22 votes. Joann Bertetto ran unopposed for an unexpired two-year term.

However, after the election, questions arose about the eligibility of Sudakov, who was apparently registered to vote in Princeton instead of Sheffield. The Illinois Municipal Code requires that a person be a “qualified elector of the municipality” in order to be eligible to hold office.

But by Monday’s meeting, the issue had been settled.

“In respect to Jeff Sudakov, it was not a match between Bill Rosenow and Jeff Sudakov,” Mayor Bill Rosenow said. “It’s a decision Jeff has made on his own, and he’s not going to accept the position.”

Sudakov then read a letter to the board, saying he and his wife live in Sheffield, where they run the Chestnut Street Inn.

However, he is also a legal resident of Princeton, in a home owned by his father where his wife’s mother and grandmother live.

“To protect Monika’s mother and grandmother, I am the resident in charge of the property,” he said. “I didn’t know that this would make me ineligible for the Sheffield board. Had I known, I would not have sought office.”

Sudakov said he considers his home to be in Sheffield, and he only wants what’s best for the village.

“There’s nothing to substantiate any claim that my intentions were immoral or illegal,” he said.

Sudakov said his reason for running were to serve the community, but that was not going to be possible at the current time.

“To avoid any legal costs to the village of Sheffield and to allow the mayor and the village trustees to move forward with the business of the village of Sheffield, I resign my seat as a village trustee,” Sudakov said.