Sarto emphasizes positive in village

Carpentersville Village President Bill Sarto's State of the Village address Tuesday night was part pep talk, part congratulatory with a healthy helping of history.

In his first State of the Village address since he took office in May 2005, Sarto lauded the work of the village staff, committees and commissions, while emphasizing areas of enhancement to make Carpentersville a regional leader.

Illegal immigration wasn't mentioned during Sarto's 38-minute speech.

"Our success and future success can only happen with dedicated hard work and with a concerted team effort," said Sarto before about 50 residents, village staff members, local officials and trustees. "No one person, acting alone, can get this village where it ought to be."

Some of the highlights included:

• Assisting state and federal law enforcement agencies in the arrests of eight men involved in an extensive drug distribution network in the western Chicago suburbs.

• The Fresh Market grocery store that is slated to open later this year on the village's east side.

• Reconstruction of Main Street Bridge, one of three regional crossings over the Fox River.

• Updating the village's design and zoning codes, which had been untouched for more than 30 years.

Future projects also were pointed out during Sarto's address.

Two of the most significant developments are the Bolz Road Bridge connecting the Longmeadow Parkway Corridor, as well as the construction of a new public works facility.

"This new bridge will be a major factor in the development of the Brunner Farm along Route 31," said Sarto, who described the property as the "economic engine" of the village. "This new bridge corridor will help us connect to the remaining properties to our west."

Sarto urged the importance of a new public works facility, which will sit on a 28.5 acre site on the village's east side. The village purchased the land in December for $2.4 million.

"This facility is needed now," Sarto said. "It must be put on the fast track. This facility must be built by the end of next year."

Those in attendance -- for the most part -- commended Sarto for his positive message.

"It was proof of how the village is moving forward, and he brought out the good things that we unfortunately don't get a lot of press about," Trustee Keith Hinz said. "It was very positive, and I am appreciative of what he did."

Elva Mejia, who has lived in Carpentersville for more than 30 years, said the message of teamwork is needed.

"Overall, he recapped all of the success, but there is still more to do," she said. "We all have to work together. When everyone has the same vision they have to get up and help out to improve the community and make it a place where we want to live."

But others said Sarto omitted key members of the team.

"It is a shame he didn't acknowledge his own board and former commission and committee members," Trustee Judy Sigwalt said. "Like he said in the beginning, 'No one person can do this alone.' He failed to mention his board and failed to mention past commission members who have put in a lot of work over the past two years."