I read with interest several letters recently submitted by residents who were disturbed by the failure of the 10-member Nominating Committee of the East to nominate Jon Segardahl for a second term as village trustee. It appeared that the writers blamed the Eastern Property Owners' Association for this action.

It is critical for everyone to understand that the Eastern Property Owners' Association, its officers and board of directors have nothing to do with the actions of the 10-member Nominating Committee of the East. This is an independent nominating committee, elected annually by the resident-electors of the East, and is not a committee of the EPOA. The committee's decisions do not, nor are they meant to, reflect the opinions of the EPOA board or its officers.

Every June, there is a meeting of the resident-electors of the East, the purpose of which is to elect 10 residents of the East to serve on the 10-member Nominating Committee. The EPOA simply provides the mechanism for this election. After their election, the 10-member Nominating Committee of the East convenes to nominate a candidate from the East for election to the village board of trustees, and, for the position of school board trustee from the East.

A resident-elector of the East is any person over the age of 18 years, who is a citizen of the United States, has a primary residence in the East and is eligible to vote in a general election. A resident elector of the East need not be a dues-paid member of the EPOA. Every resident elector of the East is eligible to participate in resident-elector business, which includes the election of the 10-member Nominating Committee of the East.

Unfortunately, when the last annual election of the 10-member nominating committee was held in June, very few residents of the East attended the meeting and participated in the process, even though a notice was sent, and the meeting was advertised in the local press. The results of the election are dependent upon those people who attend this meeting.

In accordance with both the EPOA's by-laws and the Community Agreement, any group of 15 resident electors of the East may present another nominee for candidate for village trustee. This petition must be presented at the Tuesday, Jan. 21 meeting of the resident-electors of the East, which will be held at 8 p.m. in the Stewart School cafeteria. The petition must state the names and addresses of each proponent, as well as the name and address of their choice for nominee and the office for which he/she is being proposed.

Should such a petition be presented to the chairman of the resident electors' meeting, a primary election will be held in the eastern section of the village exactly two weeks later on Feb. 5. The winner of the primary election will emerge as the candidate for village trustee from the East in the March 2003 general village election.

If there is no challenge at the Tuesday, Jan. 21 meeting, the chairperson of the resident electors meeting will then ask the secretary of the EPOA to cast one ballot for the candidate of the 10-member Nominating Committee. This person is placed on the ballot as the candidate of the Community Agreement Party in the village general election.

It should be clearly understood that anyone who challenges the nomination of the 10-member Nominating Committee would not be breaking the Community Agreement. Such a primary election is simply part of the process provided within the Community Agreement. It is also in accordance with the EPOA's by-laws, which affords every bonafide resident-elector of the East an opportunity to participate in the process for the selection of a candidate for election to the village board of trustees.

Should a challenge petition be presented, the Eastern Property Owners' Association is charged with the responsibility of holding the election.

Editor's Note: Nicholas Episcopia is president of the Eastern Property Owners Association.