Burket jumps ahead of Fasules in Glen Ellyn village president race

James Burket has a comfortable lead over Gary Fasules in the race to decide Glen Ellyn’s next village president.

Burket, a former village trustee, garnered 1,998 votes, compared to 1,490 for Fasules, a sitting board member, according to unofficial tallies so far.

During the campaign, the candidates addressed downtown housing and plans for an overhaul of the Metra station site.

Once Glenwood Station — the latest apartment development downtown — comes online, “I don't think we’re going to need any more density downtown. I think that’s going to max us out,” Burket said.

Burket said he understands why people want a pedestrian tunnel under the train tracks, but he thinks it's “a luxury more than a necessity.”

As proposed, the train station project also calls for warming shelters, a plaza, parking reconfiguration, utility and streetscape work as well as ADA-accessibility improvements.

“We're in an uncertain world, but if we can do it with all grant money, then let's do it,” Fasules said.

He stressed if grant money doesn't come in, “we don't put a shovel in the ground.”

On leadership style, Fasules in a candidate questionnaire said the village is governed under a “strong manager model with board oversight” and views the president’s role as a facilitator.

Burket said it’s like any other tradition — “If there’s a better way of doing things, it needs to be explored. Tradition only goes so far.”

Fasules led the Civic Betterment Committee slate, a roster of candidates that emerged after voting at a town-hall meeting. Burket ran an independent campaign outside of that nominating system.