Fourth candidate seeks Yorkville mayor job

• Reprints

Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

YORKVILLE — A fourth candidate has announced he will join the field for the Yorkville mayoral election next spring.

Robert J. Gryder, 30, a Yorkville resident for 12 years, threw his hat into the ring this week for the April 5 election that so far includes three other candidates: incumbent Mayor Valerie Burd, Alderman Gary Golinski and attorney Carlo Colosimo.

“I am the kind of leader that understands the issues facing our city and how to handle them,” Gryder said in a press release.

“I will be focused on building relationships and consensus. The most important thing is that I will be an optimistic, can-do leader with a commitment to putting Yorkville first.”

Gryder is the son of Jo Ann Gryder, who served 10 years as president of the Yorkville Public Library Board until earlier this year, when Burd declined to reappoint her. Burd said she appointed a new member to the board because Gryder had failed to talk to her and show interest in being reappointed, and because she felt Gryder had fostered a contentious relationship between the city and the library.

Robert Gryder admitted that “how that mess was handled” factored into his decision to run.

“There were a lot of personal thoughts that went into that decision,” he said. “My goal in being mayor is to put the interest of the city first.”

Gryder said he wants to encourage new businesses as well as expansion of current business “that will bring new jobs to Yorkville and expand our tax base.”

Gryder grew up in neighboring Plano, and said he has lived in Kendall County his entire life. His family has lived in the county for more than 60 years, he said.

He is in administration for Adventist Health in Bolingbrook.