Fox Lake trustee candidates give ideas for the future should they be elected
Building a new hotel, creating more youth amenities and more community involvement by residents are among the ideas candidates vying for three open Fox Lake trustee seats said they would like push if elected April 9.
The seven candidates on the ballot are: incumbents Kevin Burt, Jon Mumford and Valerie Griseta are running together on the Focused on Fox Lake slate; the Common Sense for Fox Lake slate features challengers Ron Stochl, Bernice Konwent and Jeff Jensen; and Bob Hoffman who is running as an independent.
Focused on Fox Lake also includes incumbent mayor Ed Bender and incumbent clerk Kimberly Mate, while the Common Sense for Fox Lake party includes mayoral challenger Donny Schmit and clerk candidate Niki Warden.
During a Daily Herald endorsement interview Wednesday, the trustee candidates were asked what idea they would like to see completed in four years if they were elected?
Mumford, a 40-year-old firefighter, said he would like to see more piers installed at the village’s Lakefront Park, and additional development in the village’s downtown district.
“I’d also like to see progress, not recession,” he said.
Kevin Burt, a 50-year-old self-employed business owner, said he wants more implementation of the village’s comprehensive plan.
“I’d also like to see a hotel and more restaurants on Grand Avenue,” he added.
Ron Stochl, 52, chairman of the Fox Lake zoning board, said he wants to see more residents become community oriented.
“I would like to see more involvement from the people in the community,” he said.
Konwent, a 72-year-old retired buyer, said she would like to see the recently-closed Mineola Hotel reopened.
“It’s such a landmark,” she said. “I would like to see something done to bring this back.”
Jensen, a 45-year-old remodeling contractor, said he favors additional activities created for Fox Lake youth.
“I’m not sure if we would have to work with the township, but I’d like to see something done for our kids,” he said. “We don’t have a soccer league and don’t have any softball fields. I’d really like to see something more for the kids to do,”
Griseta, a 43-year-old sales administrator, who did not attend the endorsement interview session, said via email that she would also like to see a new hotel on the shores of the Chain O’ Lakes.
“I would like to see the hotel and restaurant proposed at the lakefront completed, along with the redevelopment of our downtown,” she said.
Hoffman did not attend the interview and has not responded to multiple requests for information about his candidacy.