Elmhurst's Longest-Serving Alderman? It Depends

ELMHURST, IL – During Monday's Elmhurst City Council meeting, two members were referred to as the longest-serving alderman.

So who is the longest-serving? Apparently, it depends.

At the beginning of the meeting, City Clerk Jackie Haddad-Tamer proposed that Ward 1 Alderwoman Marti Deuter "as the longest-serving alderman" fill in for Mayor Scott Levin, who was absent.

The council voted for Deuter to preside.

Near the end of the meeting, Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram referred to himself as the "longest-serving alderman" when he argued against the practice of suspending the rules.

Deuter has served a total of 10½ years, Bram 20½ years.

But Bram's service has not been continuous. He ran for mayor in 2021, finishing second out of three candidates. His council term expired with that election.

Bram ran unopposed in the election last April for the other Ward 3 seat. With his latest service, he has been serving continuously for about five months. But given that his original tenure started months before the Sept. 11 attacks, he is hardly a rookie.

If Mark Mulliner had won re-election in Ward 7 in April, he would indisputably have been the longest-serving alderman. At that point, he had served 24 years.

Mulliner lost to Rex Irby.