Mount Prospect's 3rd mayor brought innovations, served through wartime
Inge Emil (I.E.) Besander was the third village president of Mount Prospect. He was elected in 1937, the year when the term of office was changed from two to four years, and served two terms.
Originally from Summit City, Michigan, Besander arrived in Mount Prospect in 1925 to sell real estate for the H. Roy Berry Co., one of seven real estate agents operating within the village by 1927. He moved his family in 1929 and started his own real estate business in 1931.
Florence, one of three children born of Inge and his wife Lydia, helped out in the office at 200 S. Main, moving in 1941 to Evergreen and Main streets.
His growing interest in the welfare of Mount Prospect motivated him to first run for village president. He succeeded Herman Meyn when the New Deal had been in full swing and the U.S. economy was on the road to recovery. However, up to 46 percent of homeowners could not or would not pay their taxes and the village was forced to lower police salaries.
As mayor, Besander brought about the combination of separate offices of village collector, water collector and village treasurer at a great savings to taxpayers. Garbage collection was implemented via a new tax voted on during his term of office. He also secured funds for street paving on the village's east side via the federal Work Projects Administration, which employed millions of people (mostly unskilled men) to carry out public works projects. In addition, Besander had ornamental highway lights installed through the use of gas tax funds.
By the end of Besander's first term in 1941, the U.S. had joined in World War II and the remainder of his Mount Prospect political career occurred during wartime.
Besander was elected Elk Grove Township Democratic committeeman in 1938 and in 1948, served as the 13th district alternate for the Democratic National Convention.
A veteran of World War I, Besander was a member of Mount Prospect VFW Post 1337 and American Legion Post 525, as well as the Shriners. Inge and Lydia had two sons, Donald, who served as Mount Prospect's postmaster, and James. The family lived at 123 S. Albert.