Just when you think we can add some freshness to the Naperville city council with the spring election approaching, an old familiar face (David Wentz) pops up again, wanting to get back on the council. It’s the same feeling you have when you get gum stuck on your shoe during a hot August day; it and he just won’t go away.
Wentz sat (not served) on the city council from 2013 to 2015. His two-year term was two years too long, however he tossed his hat into the ring in the 2015 election, along with 19 other candidates for the eight open positions on the city council. Typically there are four open positions (as there will be in the next election) but because of a couple of referendums, all seats were open at that time.
The referendums had to do with district representation vs. at-large representation. The initial vote by residents was a landslide in favor or changing at-large to district representation. City officials were not happy with the result, so they finagled another vote on the same issue, but this time changing the wording of the referendum, confusing enough voters so the result was to keep at-large representation. It’s much easier for ineffective council members to get elected from a large group of candidates, than for an under-performing council member to go one-on-one with a better candidate.
Dave Wentz would have come in first place with the most votes for city council in 2015 , except 11 other candidates received more votes than he did. In fact, Wentz came closer to finishing in last place (20th) than coming in 6th place. He garnered 4,678 votes equating to a measly 4% of the total vote. He explained his loss as wanting to ‘focus more time on his family, business, and community service projects’. Apparently by getting back into the political fray he’s willing to set aside family, business, and community service. His community service includes being chairman of Naperville’s Citizens Appreciate Public Safety Board. Let’s see a show of hands for all those against appreciating public safety.
Wentz said his reason for wanting to get back on the council was for “unfinished business”, which implies he actually started something on the council. The only business he started on the council was making motions to adjourn meetings.
No doubt that Wentz enjoyed being a Naperville councilman. All too often he had to remind businesses in Naperville with ‘ Do you know who I am! ‘ Apparently they did, along with a good number of Naperville voters on election day.