Endorsements: Hood, Balmes, Wilson for Gurnee village board

No matter what happens in the April 9 election in Gurnee, there will be some fresh faces on the village board. Hank Schwarz is not running for re-election, and Kirk Morris is running for village president. Four candidates are running for three seats on the board, and of those, only Jeanne Balmes is an incumbent. We generally like all of the candidates, but it is easier to determine our favorite than it is to make the call on our least. Attorney Thomas Hood is thoughtful and articulate, with deep roots in the community and experience as chairman of the village board. He clearly is the best choice, and we strongly endorse him. Each of the remaining three candidates offers different attributes: Balmes, her experience on the board and her connection to the business community; Terry Waddell-Moenter, her positive attitude, civic involvement and appreciation of Gurnee’s growing diversity; and Don Wilson, his long village roots, zoning board experience and tempered feistiness. It’s difficult to choose among the three, but forced to, we endorse Balmes and Wilson. Balmes’ experience is especially important given how many new trustees will be elected. And Wilson is someone who isn’t afraid to question the way things always have been done, a helpful ingredient for the board as long as it’s done within a spirit of collaboration. Meanwhile, we hope that if she’s not elected, Waddell-Moenter can stay involved; she has a lot to contribute.