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player ready...The Citizens’ Council of La Grange is backing experience as it announces the candidates it is supporting for village president and other local offices.
The council held a slating session Wednesday at Village Hall where it decided to endorse incumbents for Village Board spots. Tom Livingston, who is seeking a second term as village president, was unopposed before the council, as was John Burns who is seeking re-election as village clerk.
The council also is endorsing three incumbent Village Board members for the three spots up for election in April. They are Bill Holder, David McCarty and Mark Langan. A fourth candidate, Louis Gale, was not slated by the council.
Gale, an attorney and engineer who also serves on the village’s economic development commission, said he was disappointed, but plans to file petitions as an independent candidate.
“My intention is to still run,” he said. “It gives me pause not to get the endorsement, but the election is in April and things could change by then.”
He said he does not expect the Village Board race to turn bitter.
“It’s not going to be contentious,” he said. “I’d just like to have a voice on the Village Board.”
Beth Augustine, chairman of the council, noted that the deadline to submit petitions to run for local office is Dec, 19 and that more candidates could emerge to run in the April 4 election.
The citizens’ council describes itself as a 76-year-old nonpartisan group that seeks to educate its members on issues that affect the village and to be always on the lookout for potential candidates for the village, park and library boards.
Each of the candidates for village offices was allowed to make a short statement about their experience and to cite what makes them a good candidate for elected office. Augustine said one of the goals of the council is to determine if candidates are prepared for the amount of work holding local office can entail.
“We want to know if they’ve been to board meetings,” she said. “We want to know what they know about the role and the work load.”
The council also asked questions about such topics of economic development and safety within the community.
Livingston mentioned redevelopment of the former Rich Port YMCA into 254 units of luxury apartments as one accomplishments during his tenure that will boost the local economy.
The occupants of those units “will be new residents. They will be our new neighbors. They will consume and buy things,” he said.
In the area of safety, board member Bill Holder said he would like to see a police officer stationed at the Lyons Township High School North Campus. The south campus in Western Springs already has a police officer, he said.
McCarty, who is an architect, cited an agreement to consolidate emergency services with nearby communities as an accomplishment. If re-elected, he wants to update the village’s building and zoning codes.
He said his experience as an engineer would be useful in tackling how to improve infrastructure, which is one of his top issues.
Langan was not at the caucus meeting. He presented when the council reviewed candidates earlier this month for the library and park boards.
After all candidates presented, the council members discussed the qualifications, reviewed data sheets, references and personal notes taken during the question-and-answer session. Secret ballots were cast in a series of votes to come up with the slate.
Augustine said deciding whom to support was not easy.
“When a trustee seat is contested, it is good for the process but it can make for a very difficult vote and that was certainly the case this year,” she said. “Council members felt all candidates were qualified but it is our mission to make evaluations and recommendations.”
For the Library Board, he council slated incumbents Becky Spratford and Suzanne Stegeman, and newcomers Joyce Hagen-McIntosh and Tom Krueger.
It is backing incumbent Bob Vear for the Park Board, who is running for one of three spots up for election.
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Park district director Dean Bissias said he is not worried about there not being more candidates.
“There is still time,” he said.
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