Gurnee mayor’s friends, foe sworn in

Two perceived allies and a political foe of Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik were sworn in as village board trustees Monday evening.

Incumbents Greg Garner and Cheryl Ross were given the oath of office by Lake County Circuit Judge Diane Winter for another four years. Gurnee plan commission member Steve Park was sworn in by the judge for his first term as a trustee.

Trustee Michael Jacobs exited Monday night after serving a single 4-year term. He received a plaque for his service from Kovarik and exchanged handshakes and hugs with his colleagues.

Jacobs thanked residents for voting him in as a trustee four years ago and asked that the village board members not use their positions for self-promotion. Kovarik complimented Jacobs for his work on a village finance committee.

“On a personal note,” Kovarik told Jacobs, “you’ve been a good friend through all the ups and downs.”

Jacobs had planned to seek re-election, but he was yanked from the ballot early this year because his political committee owes the Illinois State Board of Elections more than $2,500 in fines connected to his 2008 run for Lake County state’s attorney, officials said.

Frequent Kovarik political nemesis Garner, who joined the village board in 2005 after she appointed him, ran with two unsuccessful candidates. Garner, Heath Hummel and Matt Koch were listed on the April 5 ballot as the Repeal Red Light Cameras political team.

At a meeting April 18, Garner complained about comments Kovarik made about him while she attended an Election Night gathering for peerceived allies Park and Ross. In particular, he challenged her to expand on why she said “Greg will be Greg” for another four years on the village board.

Kovarik responded that Garner’s query supported what she said about him on election night. She added Garner doesn’t bring “much value” to board meetings.

“You will be Greg like you’re being Greg right now,” Kovarik told Garner.

Garner said he deserves more respect than Kovarik has shown toward him.

Ross, first elected to the village board in 2007, was upbeat about Gurnee and Kovarik during the campaign. Ross said residents have been generally satisfied with how the village has been operating.

Park, a senior vice president for The Alter Group, has said his top goal as a trustee will be to examine what village government has been doing to stimulate economic development and determine what should be improved. He said he believes his commercial development experience will help him as a Gurnee trustee.