Wayne trustee hopefuls differ on how to preserve village's charm, horse roots

Candidates seeking three 4-year terms on the Wayne village board have differing opinions on how to preserve the village's small town charm and equestrian roots.

Incumbents Michael Anastasio, Michael Dimitroff and Ann Tigges are seeking re-election April 4 as village trustees; challengers Shawn Hilton, Jim Lorenz, Patrick O'Brien and Kathleen O'Rourke also hope for a chance to serve on the board.

Anastasio said the top issues facing the village are public safety and finances. He wants to preserve Wayne as a high-value, low-cost community in terms of public safety and is open to more cameras for police surveillance and at the entrances of subdivisions.

"In this day and age, with all these random acts of violence that are occurring, I don't think that you can be too safe," Anastasio said.

Dimitroff recalled the village's fight against the first stoplight decades ago. He also cited public safety as a top priority and traffic as a top concern; the village, he added, must be clear in its views to county leaders.

"That's the heart of Wayne, the equestrian tradition," Dimitroff said.

Tigges said train horn noise was an issue for residents until the village worked to establish a quiet zone. She currently is on a commission outlining the village's concerns about increased noise from new flight patterns coming in and out of O'Hare International Airport. She said one improvement she would favor is opening up the forest preserve paths through the village to pedestrians, bikes and dogs.

Lorenz says one of his top concerns is traffic and he wants to lower the 45 mph speed limit on Dunham Road, one of the main north-south routes through the village.

"The traffic is nuts," he said. "I'm all for the police doing what they're doing. You don't speed in Wayne, and there's a reason for that."

O'Brien said the effects of traffic can be felt around town and he would oppose any expansion of Army Trail Road. One key to preserving the area's rural character is ensuring new residents are aware of the area's history. "It's important that the next Wayne residents have knowledge of history," he said.

O'Rourke also cited traffic as a concern, noting two main contributors to the problem - the Stearns Road extension and Gate Road bridge - have been built since the village's Comprehensive Plan was written in 2005. She suggested adding to or updating the plan because "these things that were supposed to happen, happened."

Hilton could not be reached for comment.