Carpentersville mayor Ritter to run for re-election

Citing progress Carpentersville has made in the past eight years, Village President Ed Ritter says he wants to keep up that momentum by seeking a third term in office.

Ritter, who has lived in the village for more than 20 years, served as a trustee before he was elected village president in 2009. Since then, he said, the village has stabilized its finances, strengthened the local economy, and improved its streets and infrastructure.

A Wal-Mart Supercenter, for example, recently opened along Route 25, attracting new businesses to the area, Ritter said. The village created tax increment financing districts to help fund infrastructure projects. Renovations to Carpenter Park and Keith Andres Park are underway, and the village is also involved in a roughly $50 million project to redevelop Spring Hill Mall.

"I'm very excited about all the positive changes that have happened ... in Carpentersville," Ritter said. "But (I) recognize that we have more to do."

Ritter has long pushed for Carpentersville to become a more business-friendly community. The village board's goals this past year included hiring an economic development director and creating a strategy to better market the village.

If re-elected to his post next spring, Ritter said he hopes the village will continue attracting businesses, recruiting industry and improving infrastructure, particularly in the Old Town area. He also wants to focus on bringing in new housing developments, such as senior housing or riverfront condominiums.

Additionally, Ritter said, he wants to use Carpentersville's unique features and recreational opportunities - the Fox River, the bike trail and the updated parks - to attract visitors, business owners and residents to the area.

"Don't blink," he said, "or you will miss something good happening in Carpentersville."