Endorsement for Elk Grove Village board: Czarnik, Lissner, Schmidt
Elk Grove Village is a suburb that thinks big and has the results to show for it.
Last year, the village board opted to put sponsorship money behind the Bahamas Bowl to tout the opportunities in its expansive business and industrial park. While officials in other towns might have shied away from the risk, those in Elk Grove Village understood that without some risk, there is no reward.
Response on the village's Makers Wanted website indicate that the sponsorship, which the board has now voted to renew for another year, has been enormously successful.
Such forward thinking is a big part of what makes Elk Grove Village “The Exceptional Community” its motto claims it to be and it's typical of Elk Grove's solid and reasoned village board.
Two of the trustees on that board are running for re-election: Sam Lissner, a dedicated 24-year veteran of the board who exercises sound judgment and possesses the experience and expertise to go with it; and Nancy Czarnik, a collaborative and civic-minded trustee for 28 years who has been a longtime advocate of the business park.
We enthusiastically endorse them both for re-election.
Legendary Trustee James Petri, meanwhile, is stepping down after 42 years on the board. His impact has been so substantial that the village's new public works facility was named in his honor earlier this year.
Petri will be missed, but his departure provided the opening that, we suspect, played a large part in encouraging four newcomers to enter the race.
We've found it difficult to choose among three of them. Civically active business owner Julee Mortensen, Youth Committee member Scott Saxe and retired police chief Stephen Schmidt all are impressive candidates and would be able trustees.
Ultimately, we side with Schmidt whose long experience in village government provides him with great insight into Elk Grove's challenges and opportunities and would make for a smooth transition to work alongside Mayor Craig Johnson and the other trustees. We endorse Schmidt. He's given a lot to the community and deserves the chance to give more.
Another candidate, Jeff Ziemann, president and business manager of Laborers Union Local 6, did not respond to our repeated requests for an interview or to complete a candidate questionnaire.