Mt. Prospect trustees laud departing barber Korn, welcome Saccotelli

Mount Prospect village board members paid their respects this week to outgoing Trustee A. John Korn and also welcomed new Trustee Colleen Saccotelli.

Mayor Arlene Juracek and village board members collectively read a resolution that recounted Korn's accomplishments.

They noted that Korn, a resident for 47 years, has worn many hats as volunteer and businessman - including as owner of the Cumberland Barber Shop in Des Plaines and an active member of the Mount Prospect Lions Club. He has also donated 26 gallons of his blood over the years.

In addition, he served on the village's Sister Cities Commission and its Finance Commission before being named to the village board in 2005 to serve out the unexpired term of Trustee Irvana Wilks, who had been elected mayor.

Trustee Steven Polit said Korn was a man who stuck to his guns.

"No matter how difficult his positions were, he stuck to his positions to a stubborn point, to make his point, to make people understand the things that he was saying," he said. "The community needed to hear the things that John was saying."

Trustee Paul Hoefert said Korn's ear was to the ground as part of his job as a barber.

"John would come to the board and say, 'I'm hearing from people at the shop.' And I used to think, 'Boy, it would be nice to work in the community, like John does, and hear from people and be in touch in that way.'"

Korn said in 20 years of service, "I had the pleasure of working with three different mayors, 10 to 15 different trustees, three different locations (for village board meetings)."

True to his nature, Korn told it like it is. He said he feels sorry for the board in one respect.

"You guys are going to go ahead and have one heck of a time dealing with Springfield. And, whether the citizens realize it or not, we've got some major problems coming our way," he said.

"Back five, six years ago, when we had … a $3 million shortfall, we laid off 30 people, unfortunately," he said.

"Now if it's a $3.7 million like we're talking about, I don't know. I don't know how you guys are going to go ahead and handle it. It's going to be a very difficult situation."

On her first day as trustee, Saccotelli said, "I am honored to serve the residents of Mount Prospect and I look forward to a great four years."