Five seek three seats on Elburn board

Unkempt empty lots in an unfinished subdivision prompted Ethan Hastert to run for Elburn village board.

He is one of five people seeking three seats. The lone incumbent is William Grabarek. Former village employees Dave Gualdoni and Audrey Symowicz, plus Richard Garcia are also running.

Development is on the mind of all five, especially given the recent approval of the concept plan for Elburn Station, a big project near Anderson Road. Garcia, 46, cites it as the reason he decided to run. “It's too dense, and I have an issue with the (Anderson Road) bridge,” he said. “What I find right now is that residents do not want it (the bridge).” He also worries about how the village will supply water and sewer to the development, and how that will affect aged infrastructure in the older part of town.

Hastert, 32, lives in the Blackberry Creek subdivision, in a section pockmarked by vacant lots. The subdivision's developers have filed for bankruptcy and banks foreclosed on the project.

Grabarek, 71, isn't fond of the Elburn Station plan since it has less retail. “I did not like to be muscled by the county and Shodeen,” he said, referring to Shodeen's refusal to give the right of way for the Anderson Road bypass unless the village board approved the development concept. Grabarek voted in favor, however, after extracting a promise that Shodeen would invite residents to participate in the design of Elburn Station.

Symowicz believes there is too much housing planned for Elburn Station, and would prefer to see the retail component built before housing.

The economic slowdown is a good time to study how Elburn handled growth, and to plan what to do when building restarts, Grabarek said.

Grabarek said next time he prefers to require letters of credit rather than performance bonds from developers for infrastructure work.

The village has struggled to get money to finish things like streets in Blackberry Creek; there is $10 million of work to be done. Gualdoni favors requiring the funds upfront, and Hastert believes the village ought to at least obtain money from the developers initially to hold in escrow for legal costs associated with enforcing performance bonds.

Hastert suggests the village convene a committee of village officials, the public and business interests to evaluate existing plans against revised growth expectations.

He also called for the village to provide more information. “I can't find the (Shodeen) presentation — it should be on the website,” he said. Gualdoni said there might have been less protest the night of the Elburn Station vote if people had been able to see the proposal ahead of time online.

Symowicz, 32, and Gualdoni, 38, said the board needs to pay more attention to matters such as fuel economy of vehicles and burning diseased ash trees instead of renting a chipper. “You can look at the little stuff to make cuts to save the big stuff,” Symowicz said.

She also worries what will happen to downtown businesses when the Anderson bypass is in place.

“We have an aging downtown on a state highway that could have great potential,” Gualdoni said. An attractive downtown will draw new businesses and increase sales tax which could pay for new lighting, sidewalks and parking.

Garcia suggested offering tax incentives to attract businesses. “I know we get income from more than just property and sales tax,” he said.