Bogdanowski, Bojarski and Murphy for Lake In The Hills trustee
An open seat on the Lake In The Hills village board fueled a lot of interest from candidates, with six running for three seats in the April 2 election.
Development and traffic are primary issues, with several commercial projects on tap, vacant storefronts elsewhere, and the western edge of the village along Route 47 poised for growth. Parks also are a concern, with several candidates advocating for more recreational programming and protection of open space.
Running for the four-year terms are incumbents Raymond Bogdanowski and Suzette Bojarski, as well as newcomers Jeffrey Jakubik, Diane Murphy, Michael Schneider and Alan Wilson.
We endorse Bogdanowski, Bojarski and Murphy for their experience in Lake In The Hills government and their ideas for moving the village forward.
Bogdanowski, elected in 2001, co-chaired the Summer Sunset Festival committee and previously chaired the police commission. He has served residents well during his long tenure. He says one priority is taking lessons from the growth of the Randall Road corridor to use in planning for development to the west, a goal that would benefit from his experience in village government.
Bojarski was appointed to the village board in October after two years on the parks and recreation board and seven years on the steering committee for the Community Paint-A-Thon, which organizes volunteers and sponsors to paint the houses of residents in need. We like her proposal for a small-business "incubator" in cooperation with neighboring towns to support small businesses and startups.
Murphy, who co-chaired the Summer Sunset Festival committee along with Bogdanowski, has a long resume of community involvement including a decade on the parks and recreation board and a current seat on the planning and zoning commission. We think her experience and hard work will continue to benefit the village if she is elected to the village board.
Among the others, Jakubik in particular would be a good addition to a village board or commission, especially the parks and recreation board, which closely matches his interests.