Glendale Heights candidates debate lack of business

The retired police officer running against incumbent Glendale Heights District 3 Trustee Michael Light says the village has not done enough to encourage businesses to come to the area.

Michael Summerville, also Queen Bee Elementary District 16 board president, says the village needs to entice and pursue better businesses to bring in more revenue.

"The gas stations and everything are nice," he said. "(But) we have no sit-down family restaurant."

Summerville said the village should hire someone dedicated to economic development who could execute a vision.

"I think we're lacking that," Summerville said.

But Light said the village already has someone in their community development department who has actively pursued businesses.

"She is forever wining and dining, trying to get people in," Light said. "But with the economic state that we're in, it's hard for a business to actually come in."

Light said a new tax incentive district on North Avenue at President Street will encourage businesses to locate there.

He said the village has worked to bring in big box stores, but such businesses look for larger pieces of property.

"A lot of smaller businesses we've been getting in," Light said.