Volo candidates discuss public safety concerns
Candidates vying for seats on the Volo village board agreed there is always something that can be done to keep residents safer.
Their ideas to increase public safety range from installing new stop lights at key locations to adding more police patrols from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Incumbents Chrissi Steffani-Wardlow and Michael Wagner, and newcomers Mike Pones, Kent Hansen and Kurt Justice are running to be elected to the three, 4-year village board terms in the April 5 election.
The ideas regarding public safety were included in candidate responses to a Daily Herald questionnaire.
Steffani-Wardlow, 47, a payroll manager, said increased traffic on routes 12 and 120 has become the biggest cause of concern from a public safety standpoint, and that many busy intersections require significant improvements.
“The comprehensive plan forecasts where future improvements will be needed, and as the village of Volo continues to responsibly take these steps, the public’s safety will continue to improve,” she said.
Wagner, 40, a fire-medic for the Wauconda Fire Protection District, said a potential increase in crime rate due to higher population within the last 10 years should be looked at.
“As we grow, we will continue to add to our contract with the Lake County Sheriff and add more patrols,” he said.
Pones, 41, an information technology network engineer, also said crime is increasing in Volo as the village grows.
“Police patrol is an area of concern of friends and neighbors as some worry that we do not have a big enough presence in the village,” he said. “I would look to review the amount of hours police spend patrolling in the village, especially as we grow both residentially and expand commercially.”
Hansen, 48, a minister, also focuses on traffic concerns in an effort to keep people safe.
“A stop light is needed at the corner of Route 60 and Fish Lake Road,” he said. “There have been many accidents at that intersection.”
Justice did not answer the questionnaire.