This election does not have the polarization we had back when Mayor Calderone was facing off against his vociferous opponents and two opposing slates of candidates ran for commissioner. And the development of Altenheim is not as nearly divisive as the Roos property. Every candidate wants green space - the primary constraint being that the state funds to demolish the old buildings require some commercial development.
So it’s just that a few more people want to be involved in Forest Park government than there are positions needing to be filled.
BTW — regarding Altenheim, I’d like it’s meadows continue to be used for a Summer Shakespeare festival. Last summer’s production was really entertaining. I’d also like a garden of plants interspersed with pedestals supporting figurative sculpture. But I realize I may be a minority of one.
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I rely on the Forest Park Review to be introduced to the candidates and they have submitted questionaires to each of them.
BTW - when David Orr was Cook County Clerk, voters could expect the Board of Elections to publish a sample ballot online -- as well as informational links to those candidates who submitted information.
This year, I didn't know what was on my ballot until I received one in the mail two weeks before the election.
I sure hope someone runs against Karen Yarborough when the county clerk's office is again up for election.
Mayor
John Doss
Rory Hoskins
Among the differences: Hoskins wants to the Village to buy the Army Reserve site, Doss does not.
Hoskins wants to make sure that acres of the Altenheim site are left green - Doss calls for as much green as possible across all vacant properties in the village. Hoskins reports that Altenheim Advisory Committee has had a series of open meetings to discuss this issue, Doss wants there to be open meetings. ( so how "open" the meetings have been appears to be an issue)
Doss proclaims that " Until every citizen is an owner, planner, and decision-maker in the systems that govern their lives and are provided the infrastructure needed to thrive, we will always have work to do."
But personally, I don't want to have to get up to speed on every issue -- I just want smart, honest, visionary, hard working public servants to make the call.
I'd also like a mayor who shows evidence of some kind of higher education - either in the resume or by how he/she talks. With an entire working life spent in our park district, it just does not appear that Doss qualifies - and I cannot find a website for him that might prove otherwise. I'm not comfortable with him hiring his own son to a full time job in the park district - and then excusing it because it was "not corrupt". I also don’t care for his self-centered explanation for why he’s running:
“It’s always been something I wanted to do, since I started my career for the village …. “I want a seat at the table, I want to help things here, and I’m excited at the opportunity.”
So given the evidence at hand -- I'm voting for Hoskins, the incumbent - though I do have some reservations.
He was quite brief in answering the question about transparency in the property acquisition process.
And we have testimony from a frustrated retiring commissioner, Joe Byrnes, that he did not give commissioners enough time to examine the documents relevant to the decisions they were required to make.
Apparently there's a majority among the commissioners who let him get away with that -- and a rubber stamp board of directors is never good in any organization.
So though I will vote for Hoskins, I hope to vote for commissioners who are more likely to be independent -- if I can make that determination.
Here is side one of the John Doss flyer.
The Doss constituency is not very diverse.
The Doss campaign could have have hired a few non-white shills to pose for the picture (like I'm sure the Vallas campaign is doing in Chicago). It's to their credit that they didn't. But still -- this flyer has a divisive message even if not intended.
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Forest Park Commissioner - vote for four
Michelle Melin-Rogovin - no government experience, not for profit fundraiser
Maria A. Maxham - writer for the Review - incumbent -
Jessica Voogd incumbent
Ryan C. Nero incumbent
Joseph 'Joe' Landgrebe - real estate broker - no gov't experience - suggests that zoning may be better than owning
Ryan R. Russ - no gov't experience, no college degree- short answers
Russ is only one who seems under qualified — and I can’t really decide among the others. Might stick with incumbents since they appear up-to-speed on the issues — and then add Melvin-Rogovin since she seems a bit more thoughtful than Landgrebe.
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Proviso District 209
There are three open seats for the D209 board - and only three of eight candidates returned their questionnaire to the Forest Park Review.
Perhaps the other five had good excuses for their absence — but this is about running a school and excuses are not acceptable.
(Postscript: the March 15 printed edition of the Review had responses from other candidates, but I had already mailed un my ballot. Curiously, the newly listed candidates were asked much different questions)
All three are strongly opposed to the current superintendent, Dr. James Henderson.
I don’t know both sides of the story - but I will vote for the three who answered the questionnaire.
John Kubricht
David Ocampo
Sandra Joseph-Hixson
