Endorsement: Kearns for Grafton Township supervisor

Grafton Township is in dire straits, and its 40,000-plus residents deserve better. The new supervisor must promise on Day 1 to stop spending money on litigation, learn to cooperate with the board of trustees and other elected officials, and work toward balancing the checkbook. The days of lawsuits and staggering red ink must stop immediately. Civility and common sense must prevail. James Kearns and Pam Fender have signed up to right the ship. The good news is there’s only one way to navigate from the current depths. Kearns is a local businessman. Fender is a Huntley village trustee who once worked for the township after getting hired by the trustees because they couldn’t get along with the supervisor. Fender says her No. 1 priority is to bring peace and normalcy back to the township. Kearns wants a forensic audit to get the financial house in order. He says the township must be run like a business. Both agree the supervisor and board must work together with total transparency. Fender and Kearns both want to make a difference, know the township is broken and basically agree on what needs to be done. While Fender has some admirable qualities and fully grasps the township’s problems, Kearns does, too, and we think he would be a more even-keeled leader. Kearns is endorsed.