Outgoing, three-term Village President Gopal Lalmalani has announced his Village Board endorsements for the April 4 election.
Lalmalani said previously that he was endorsing board member Laurence “Larry” Herman for Village President over two other current board members, Asif Yusuf and A. Suresh Reddy. He also had announced his endorsement of newcomer Netasha Scarpiniti over longtime Village Clerk Charlotte Pruss.
Now, Lalmalani is supporting incumbent Michael Manzo and first-time Village Board candidates Melissa Martin and John Anos over incumbent Edward N. Tiesenga and newcomers Naveen K. Jain and Henry (Hank) Haff.
Lalmalani said he was impressed that Martin, Anos, Manzo and Herman, in their involvement with the village’s Sports Core Advisory Committee, were able to accomplish an $11 million forecasted turnaround at the Sports Core.
“Melissa understands the issues and concerns that affect the younger residents in Oak Brook,” Lalmalani said. “As a trustee, she will be committed to professional financial oversight and discipline to ensure the village’s financial position stays strong. She is fiscally conservative, solutions driven, and carries a pleasant personality.”
Lalmalani said he has been very pleased with Anos in his role as co-chair of the Sports Core Advisory Committee.
“I have watched him closely over the years as an experienced person who has turned around the money losing Sports Core, thereby creating more opportunities to reduce the financial pressures on the village,” Lalmalani said. “His skills as a smart businessman and a long tenure as an Oak Brook resident are well known to our community. He will ensure his commitment to finding efficient and effective solutions to the village’s operational and financial challenges, without resorting to raising taxes.
“As a resident of Oak Brook since 1966, a seasoned businessman, and former president of Woodside Estates Home Owners Association, he is poised as a trustee to preserve our unique quality of life and to promote Oak Brook as a pro-business community.”
Lalmalani’s election as a first-term Village President in 2011 came at the same time Manzo was initially elected to the Village Board.
“Manzo loves Oak Brook and is very passionate about promoting and advancing the village,” Lalmalani said. “He truthfully and forcefully advocates for the best interests of Oak Brook.”
Lalmalani said Manzo has focused his energies on ensuring public safety, fiscal discipline, and innovating ways of solving the village’s challenges without raising taxes.
“He has worked very hard to ensure that those corruption-laden red-light cameras are permanently removed from the intersection of Route 83 and 22nd Street,” Lalmalani said. “As a three-term trustee, he has been instrumental in helping me and the board in selecting a highly qualified village manager, as well as bringing dynamic police and fire chiefs, who are now serving us well.”
More Top Picks Best Neck Massagers For Tension Headaches
Chuck Fieldman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.