Newly elected Judge Nick Kantas gives the oath of office to Senator Mike Porfirio. (Supplied photos)
Porfirio resigns township post to take Senate seat
Congratulating Mike Porfirio after he was sworn in as state Senator are (from left) Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek, Lyons Mayor Chris Getty and Summit Mayor Sergio Rodriguez.
By Steve Metsch
Mike Porfirio is now a state senator and the Township of Lyons Board of Trustees has a vacancy.
Porfirio submitted his resignation as a trustee, which was accepted by the board at its Jan. 10 meeting.
Porfirio was elected to the Illinois Senate in November, and was sworn in as a state senator for the 11th District on Jan. 11 by newly elected Judge Nicholas Kantas. Porfirio took the oath in Bridgeview rather than in Springfield because of a family emergency.
He replaces Steve Landek who retired from the legislature but remains mayor of Bridgeview.
Township Supervisor Christopher Getty read Porfirio’s letter of resignation to the board.
“We wish him well,” Getty said of Porfirio, who had also served as clerk during his time with the township government.
Porfirio did not attend the Jan. 10 meeting.
The board gave Porfirio “a paperweight for his desk” in recognition of his service as township clerk and will likely do something similar, Getty said.
Trustee Colleen Kelly, who heads Building & Senior Services, said she had heard from a senior who said she used the senior bus service “to do all of her Christmas shopping.”
During public comments, Chuck Bosko, of the Western Springs VFW Post 10778, thanked the township for its continued support of the Memorial Day Parade.
Bosko, an appeals specialist with the Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs, hopes to make a presentation to the board at a future meeting about services available to veterans.
“I want to give trustees examples of how we can help. Give out some brochures,” Bosko said.
The board will next meet at 6 p.m. Feb. 14.
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