Alderman Richard E Leja

I am a 43+ years resident of the 3rd ward and have been a tireless representative of the ward during my first term on the city council. As a retired union painter, with strong ties to Berwyn's union community- as one of their own, I have made serving the community my purpose in life and I put in the hard work every day to support that vision. As alderman, I am 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 my vision. I am currently the chairman of the Fire and Police committee on city council where I remain very involved in making constituents voices a priority and in maintaining safe neighborhoods. I have strong ties and support from the police and fire departments, who recognize my commitment to keeping Berwyn safe.

I am particularly committed to maintaining strong relationships with our senior residents, ensuring they feel valued and heard. I am a strong proponent of the proposed senior community center that will greatly enhance the well being and safety of senior residents as well as  improve our Senior Services program.

I am 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.

I am a strong advocate for the use of public green spaces, with a particular emphasis on Proksa Park.  I envision all these areas as hubs for green initiatives, promoting environmental sustainability and community well-being. My plans include expanding the use of these spaces for recreational activities, community events, and educational opportunities. Recently, as Alderman I used my voice to advocate on behalf of our Park district in their application to the OSLAD Grant Review Committee, helping the District win this important grant that means so much for the future of Proksa Park and our city, benefiting residents of all ages. Working on more green spaces and open lands including put through a moratorium on building on land less than 30’ wide, helping to mitigate flooding in Berwyn- early in my first term.

I attend nearly every district 100 school board meeting, visit schools and attend student functions and activities. Spending time with families, teachers, crossing guards and school officials led to my discovering that we were dangerously low on crossing guards protecting our students. With the Blessing of the mayor and help from the Berwyn Marketing Department, I created an initiative to raise awareness of our crossing guards and their diminished numbers while promoting their recruitment. I began this initiative early in 2024 and have raised our crossing guard count by over 50% in less than a year.

 

As your Alderman I will continue to be a leader who combines experience, passion, and a genuine dedication to the growth, prosperity and safety of our community.