Candidates
Our goal is to join hands with our community, honor our common concerns and work together to create a brighter tomorrow. This space is dedicated to providing you with more details about our mission, our team, and the values we stand for. We believe in the power of unity and the impact it can have on building a better future for everyone.
Mayor
Robert J. Lovero
Robert "Bob" Lovero has lived in Berwyn since 1961 and made public service an integral part of his life. He strongly believes in a cohesive community and wants Berwyn to remain a safe and prosperous place to raise a family. Three generations of Lovero’s have called Berwyn their home and Bob has always had his family’s support in giving back to others and dedicating himself to the betterment of Berwyn.
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As Mayor, Lovero completely transformed the local business community by revitalizing the business districts through helping local business grow and attracting large chain anchors like Starbucks, Tony’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, Culvers, Chipotle, Kia Motors, Home Run Inn, Old Navy, Panera and so many more. Cooperative ventures like the Berwyn Shops (hyperlink: https://www.berwynshops.com/) and Berwyn Sprout (hyperlink: https://www.berwynsprout.com/) are evidence of his continuing commitment to economic growth by bringing together community partners to mentor hopeful entrepreneurs into successful small business owners.
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Berwyn’s explosive growth under Lovero fueled the “Why Berwyn?” (hyperlink: https://whyberwyn.com/) movement which spotlighted the culture and vibrance of our community regionally, drew in new residents, and continues to help property values appreciate. The plethora of businesses embedded in neighborhoods has driver Berwyn to be named one of the top 10 walkable communities with affordable homes in the nation (https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/most-walkable-us-cities-with-affordable-homes/).
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Maintaining safe neighborhoods has been a top priority in the Lovero administration. While other communities saw a drastic rise in crime and exodus of public safety officials in recent years, Berwyn trended in the exact opposite direction. Under Lovero’s leadership, the police department has increased staffing while crime continues to decrease consistently leading to Berwyn now being recognized as one of the safest cities of its size in the United States by the Safewise (hyperlink: https://www.safewise.com/safest-cities-america/) home security platform. Berwyn also became the first community in the area to bring two full time crisis intervention mental health professionals on staff to assist first responders in supporting those in need.
for Treasurer
Lizbeth "Libby" Linares-Herrera
Libby is a proud first-generation Latina and 30-year Berwyn resident who originated from the Little Village area of Chicago. She holds a B.A. in Finance and Entrepreneurial Business Management from Depaul University and Illinois insurance licenses in casualty, health, and life. Libby also became a Hartford Commercial Lines Coverage Specialist and founded her own successful local insurance and financial services agency that serves over 1600 households in our area. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Berwyn Development Corporation, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF), and Depaul University Alumni Association.
Her passion is protecting families and their financial assets, which motivated her to run for Treasurer. Now, she can use her skills to further serve the community in a new role. Libby is committed to economic development, public engagement to increase financial literacy, and ensuring responsible spending. Her unique background in reviewing reports, understanding the importance of comprehensive plans, conducting due diligence, being transparent and communicating with the public make her an ideal candidate for Treasurer.
As a wife and mother of three children, Libby is also a staunch advocate for safe neighborhoods. She wants to ensure that Berwyn continues to invest in public safety to protect families, our most precious commodity.
Libby’s hobbies include physical fitness and volunteering in various roles at her church.
Alderman 3rd Ward
Richard E. Leja
Richard Leja is a 43+ year resident of the 3rd ward and has been a tireless representative of the ward during his first term on the city council. As a retired union painter, Alderman Leja has made serving the community his purpose in life and puts in the hard work every day to support his vision. As alderman, he is committed to being your voice and representative, no matter who you are, where you are from, or what you believe, working hard to make Berwyn a welcoming, safe, and desirable place to live.
Public safety and continued public engagement are at the heart of alderman leja’s vision. He is currently the chairman of the Fire and Police committee on city council where he remains very involved in making constituents voices a priority and in maintaining safe neighborhoods. Alderman Leja has strong ties and support from the police and fire departments, who recognize his commitment to keeping Berwyn safe.
Alderman Leja is particularly committed to fostering strong relationships with our senior residents, ensuring they feel valued and heard. He is a strong proponent of the proposed senior community center that will greatly enhance our Senior Services program.
He is an active sponsor of our youth sports programs, attending most games, interacting with parents and families, supplying refreshments at the games and hosting celebrations to honor the players to close out each season.
Alderman Leja is a strong advocate for the use of public green spaces, with a particular emphasis on Proksa Park. He envisions these areas as hubs for green initiatives, promoting environmental sustainability and community well-being. His plans include expanding the use of these spaces for recreational activities, community events, and educational programs benefiting residents of all ages. This led him to put through a moratorium on building on land less than 30’ wide, helping to mitigate flooding in Berwyn.
Richard attends nearly every district 100 school board meeting, visits the schools and attends student functions and activities. Which led him to discover we were dangerously low on crossing guards protecting our students. With the Blessing of the mayor and help from the Berwyn Marketing Department, Richard created an initiative to raise awareness of our crossing guards and their diminished numbers while promoting their recruitment. His initiative began early in 2024 and has raised our crossing guard count by over 50% in less than a year.
As your Alderman Richard will continue to be a leader who combines experience, passion, and a genuine dedication to the growth, prosperity and safety of our community.
Alderman 4th Ward
Robert W. Fejt
Bob Fejt, the senior alderman, is seeking re-election, bringing his extensive experience and steadfast commitment to the community. Known for his dedication to maintaining a clean and safe environment, Bob has been organizing monthly ward clean-up drives for over a decade. He firmly believes that a clean community is a respected community, and a respected community is a safe community. This philosophy drives his efforts to enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Public safety and continued public engagement are central to Bob's platform. He understands the importance of fostering strong relationships between the community and local government, ensuring that residents' voices are heard, and their needs are met. Bob's direct approach and consistent presence in the community make him a trusted and approachable leader.
Bob is also a strong advocate for the use of public green spaces. He envisions areas like Proska Park as hubs for green initiatives, promoting environmental sustainability and providing residents with beautiful, functional spaces for recreation and community events. His commitment to preserving and enhancing these green spaces reflects his dedication to improving the overall well-being of the community.
During his tenure on the city council, Bob made a point of giving back to the community by financially supporting programs in other government entities such as the school districts and park districts. He continues to encourage inter-governmental cooperation as a comprehensive approach towards a better Berwyn.
With a distinguished career spanning 30 years at the Berwyn Fire Department, Bob brings a wealth of experience in public safety to his role as alderman. His background in emergency services has given him a deep understanding of the importance of a secure and responsive community infrastructure. In addition to his public service, Bob is a small business owner, running a successful landscaping business that underscores his commitment to beautifying and maintaining the community.
for Alderman 6th Ward
Theodore J. "Teddy" Polashek
Teddy is a lifelong resident of Berwyn, graduate of its schools, and the first-generation son of immigrants. As a former two term Alderman, past Mayoral contender, and founder of the Berwyn United Party, Teddy Polashek is a constant presence in the community. He is best known for forming his own volunteer “snow patrol” that started out assisting the elderly and mobility challenged with their homes and later expanded to shoveling every sidewalk in the ward whenever it snowed. He also started a corner beautification program where he used his own funding to landscape the sections of land often neglected at the corners of blocks.
As a career firefighter who worked his way to the rank of Lieutenant, Teddy developed a passion about maintaining public safety. His professional experience gives him unique insights into the importance of a robust and responsive safety infrastructure that is often neglected in other area communities.
Continued economic development remains one of Teddy’s priorities. He is a staunch advocate for the businesses along Cermak Road and the 16th Street corridor and plans to collaborate with stakeholders to bring innovative ideas to life and ensure continued growth and walkable options for residents
Teddy enthusiastically supports a senior and family community center and looks forward to seeing it become a reality. Once built, he plans to concentrate on programming to make sure our seniors are able to enjoy the center.
He is also deeply committed to the youth of the community and has been a member and coach at Sokol Tabor for his entire life. The concept of Sokol is that its members are family and participation support body, mind, and sense of community. This is where Teddy developed his responsibility to others and drive to constantly volunteer to help those in need.
As President of the Czech American Cultural Center (https://www.chicagocacc.org/) Teddy deeply believes in initiatives that support our diverse cultures and bring communities together through appreciation for art, dance, musical performances, and youth education programs.
When Teddy is not volunteering, he enjoys spending time with his wife and son, little Teddy.
for Alderperson 7th Ward
Sara Barnett Bruckmann
Sara Barnett Bruckmann is a senior government service professional with a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in public policy from the prestigious Northwestern University school of professional studies. She has over 20 years of experience in administrative roles overseeing large-scale projects to support government, business, and civic endeavors. Sara served in various roles under Governor Pat Quinn in his executive administration including the Illinois Department of Commerce, Chief of the Illinois State Lottery, and as Assistant Deputy Director for the Illinois Office of Tourism for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic opportunity.
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Sara also led outreach campaigns for significant public/private economic initiatives and headed an international trade mission highlighting dedication to economic growth and community development. She previously served at Visit Oak Park, where she promoted western Cook County to travelers and gave her firsthand experience in boosting local economic activity. She is currently the Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.
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Having previously worked in Barack Obama’s Illinois Senate campaign, Sara also understands the importance of bringing grassroots advocacy to the masses. She again proved herself to be a driving force as a strong advocate for Berwyn’s transformation into a non-partisan community. She founded the Berwyn First Initiative where she partnered with Deanna Carbajar and Ruthy Ortega to drive the referendum to passage with nearly 75% approval.
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Through decades of experience, Sara managed relationships with key stakeholders, navigated legislative initiatives, and received numerous accolades and awards for her work across the spectrum. She wants to leverage her experience and professional network with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce to drive Berwyn’s economic engine, bringing in valuable sales tax dollars to ease property taxes. She also understands that public safety is a critical element for a thriving business community and plans to work closely with city officials to ensure a secure and prosperous environment for all.