Current, former Oswego trustees to vie for village president’s job; one running as a Republican, the other as a Democrat

A current and a former Oswego village trustee have joined the race to serve as Oswego village president.

Village trustee Brian Thomas and Ryan Kauffman, a former village trustee and village police commissioner, both filed petitions to run for village president prior to the Nov. 28 filing deadline.

Thomas filed to run as a Republican candidate while Kauffman will be the first candidate to run for village president as a Democrat.

Incumbent Village President Troy Parlier announced his plans to run as a Republican for a second term in the position Nov. 28.

Village Clerk Tina Touchette reported Tuesday, Nov. 29, that enough candidates had filed petitions to require a primary election.

In the Feb. 28 primary, village voters will choose between Parlier and Thomas as the Republican candidate.

The winner of the primary will challenge Kauffman in the consolidated election April 4. The winner will serve a four-year term.

Kauffman, who works as a business and technology consultant with a background in finance, was elected to the village board in April 2015 and narrowly lost his bid for re-election in 2019.

He then ran unsuccessfully for the the position of Kendall County Circuit Clerk in the November 2020 election. In that race, Kauffman, running as a Democrat, lost to Matthew Proschaska, a Republican, by a margin of 1,594 votes out of 61,852 cast.

Kauffman said he chose to run for village president because he loves the community and raising his children in the village. He said he found his calling while serving as a village trustee, and will be running on a platform of community safety and lowering taxes.

While he filed to run as a Democrat, Kauffman said he does not think party politics should have a place in local government. He said it is difficult to say whether party affiliation will be a factor in the election, but he is looking forward to the race.

Kauffman said his number one goal will be keeping Oswego’s downtown a safe, walkable and family friendly space as it continues to grow. He also said he would work to cut reckless spending and reconsider all of the village’s planned rental developments.

“I have serious concerns about the way we’re spending money and the items we’re spending money on right now,” Kauffman said. “Cutting expenses is something I want to address head-on.”

Kauffman said he is concerned with the direction current administration is taking in regards to rental properties, and cited the lack of due diligence and research being done to determine if a development is warranted prior to approval.

“I am not against rental properties, per se,” Kauffman said. “I have an issue with rubber stamping every single development that comes Oswego’s way.”

Kauffman said the depleting water supply, high tax rates and traffic problems are among the biggest challenges facing the village.

Kauffman said it has always made him cringe to hear about the new developments in Yorkville or Naperville. He said while those are wonderful communities, he wants to foster that kind of growth in Oswego.

“I want that for us. I want the buzz to be about Oswego,” Kauffman said. “I want everyone to be proud to live here and I want the new restaurants and the new fun stuff to be happening here.”

Thomas was elected to the village board in 2019 as a Republican, running on a platform of financial responsibility and reducing taxes. He has not yet returned calls seeking comment for this story.