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Positive change coming to Island Lake?

For more than a year, the Island Lake village board has needed to change the way it conducted itself. It has been a group noted for dysfunctional relationships that put politics and retribution ahead of doing what’s best for the community. Most recently, the board has wallowed in an ongoing power struggle, leading to gridlock, a lawsuit and tax dollars wasted on dueling lawyers representing warring factions.

But something happened last week that may finally signal a change is on the horizon, one whose effects we and tension-weary village residents will eagerly watch. The village board voted 4-2 to approve a package of 11 actions that will settle a lawsuit Mayor Debbie Herrmann filed against opposition trustees who previously had taken a series of steps to reduce her powers.

The compromise will allow legal bills to be paid and will repeal disputed ordinance amendments that would have reduced the mayor’s executive powers, particularly involving hiring and firing of the town’s attorney and various other employees.

To no surprise, not everyone is happy with the details of the settlement, and not everyone agrees there was compromise on both sides. However, board members are expressing relief.

Even Trustee Laurie Rabattini, who as one of the chief combatants called the settlement terms “disappointing,” acknowledged the fight has been “a long distraction.”

It’s unclear what softened the hard-line stances and rhetoric and eventually led to the settlement. Maybe it was the arrival of new trustees Thea Morris, Shannon Fox and Chuck Cermak, who won seats in the spring election.

Maybe it was the departure of Don Saville and John Ponio, who decided not to run for re-election after becoming polarizing figures on the board.

Maybe board members have gotten an earful from constituents cringing, “Enough is enough!”

Whatever the cause, we hope the agreement will serve as a new foundation for the board to work together and begin addressing the many important issues facing Island Lake.

Look, board members don’t have to be best friends to be effective. In fact, there is great value in electing officials who don’t rubber stamp administrators or fellow board members and who have the courage to challenge the status quo when they believe the community won’t benefit from a decision.

But there’s a difference between using power like a cudgel — to play political games that embarrass an opponent and grind the process to a halt — and being professional — to seek actions that solve problems and benefit the community.

There are plenty of examples of those board members in the suburbs, and there’s no reason Island Lake trustees can’t be among them.