The Lake Forest City Council and the Lake Bluff Village Board of Trustees officially have one new member following inauguration ceremonies held earlier this month.
In Lake Forest, Nick Bothfeld was sworn in as a new third ward alderman during the May 5 City Council meeting. He has lived in the city for more than 30 years and heads an eponymous financial planning firm, according to online biographies.
Bothfeld succeeds Ara Goshgarian, who is leaving the City Council after serving the traditional three two-year terms.
“I do leave with a level of sadness because this is truly enjoyable,” Goshgarian said in closing remarks at the May 5 meeting. “I think service is one of the most important things we can do.”
Fellow city officials praised Goshgarian’s efforts going back to his initial 2019 election.
“Ara has been an incredible asset for the City Council,” said Mayor Stanford “Randy” Tack.
Tack himself was sworn in for a second two-year term at the May 5 meeting. Lake Forest mayors customarily serve two two-year terms.
Bothfeld was inaugurated alongside Aldermen Pete Clemens (1st), John Powers (2nd) and Richard Walther (4th) all of whom received second terms from voters in April’s municipal elections.
Both Tack and the City Council candidates ran without any formal opposition after receiving the endorsement of the Lake Forest Caucus.
Each of the city’s four wards has two aldermen who serve staggered terms.
Up north in Lake Bluff, Regis Charlot was sworn in for a second four-year term at the May 12 village board meeting, according to Village Administrator Drew Irvin.
Besides Charlot, incumbent trustees Taryn Fisher and Susan Rider were inaugurated for new four-year terms.
Joining the board is Raffi Elchemmas, who had been Village Clerk. He succeeds Mary Cole who did not run for re-election as village trustee after her unsuccessful 2024 bid to become Lake County State’s Attorney.
Cole was honored for her service at the May 12 meeting, Irvin said.
Resident Graham Hallen was elected village clerk, replacing Elchemmas in that role.
The Lake Bluff village board has seven members, including Charlot.
Daniel I. Dorfman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
