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player ready...The three candidates chosen April 7 for the River Forest Village Board say they’re eager to see economic development efforts take shape within the village.
Last week, voters picked incumbents Susan Conti and Carmela Corsini, and Mike Gibbs, who previously served on the board from 2009 through 13.
Conti, Gibbs and Corsini received 1,056, 1,009 and 969 votes, respectively. Of 7,511 registered voters, 2,069 ballots were cast, with turnout at 27.55 percent.
Corsini edged out candidate Patty Henek by just 26 votes.
The three will be sworn in at the May 11 meeting. Corsini, elected to her second term, said voter turnout was decent, despite many people being on spring break.
“To me, that was impressive and means we have an engaged community, which is always nice to see,” she said.
Conti, entering her third term as trustee, said that although visible development progress has been slow over the years, “this year, it seems, we are going to make real headway.”
Conti said she hopes to see some real change in the next two to four years at the intersections of Lake Street and Lathrop Avenue, at Lake Street and Park Avenue, and with the Hines property, where a townhome development has been proposed.
Corsini said the board has actively looked at how it can improve economic development in the limited scope of commercial corridor that River Forest has, and the creation of an economic development commission has helped that mission.
After it was determined the Madison Street and North Avenue corridors qualified as tax increment financing districts, the economic development commission came back with recommendations on what those areas should include and look like, Corsini said. They’ve approved a marketing study to get a realistic picture for each district.
Gibbs, who lost a bid for village president in 2013, said he looks forward to returning to the board and once again working with village officials. He anticipates being brought up to speed during his first executive session.
“There’s some things that were on the table two years ago when I left and I think they need to be moved along a little quicker,” he said, like the redevelopment of the southwest corner of Lake Street and Lathrop Avenue.
Conti added that they’re awaiting state funding for the Madison Street streetscape project, a collaboration between River Forest and Forest Park, which they hope will enhance the corridor with the intention of attracting business to the area.
Gibbs believes improved interaction with other elected bodies, like the park district and township, is long overdue. A public meeting involving other local taxing bodies has been scheduled for May, to facilitate strategic discussions, Corsini said.
“We need to just be much more cognizant of that,” she said.
All three mentioned the benefits of the Northside Stormwater Management Project that’s now underway and expected to be completed in November. Though it’ll create some dust and inconvenience, the completed project will allow for much improved stormwater drainage, as well as increased property values, they said.
“The patience north-siders have will certainly be rewarded in six or eight months as the project moves east,” Gibbs said.
Corsini said she’s pleased to continue working with Conti and Gibbs, and appreciates board members’ varied experience and backgrounds.
“I think everybody has a really proactive approach to try to address whatever concerns the residents have,” she said.
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Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.