Hopefuls put roads at top of agenda
Two candidates are facing off in the Republican primary for District 5 Lake County Board Rep. The area covers Fox Lake, Volo, Wauconda, Ingleside and portions of Lakemoor and Round Lake.
The Daily Herald asked candidates to share their views on issues concerning voters in the Feb. 5 primary.
The candidates are: Bonnie Thomson Carter, 52, a self-employed insurance broker from Ingleside; and Kirk Denz, 39, a product manager for Motorola also living in Ingleside.
Q. What is the most pressing issue currently facing the county board?
Carter. The biggest issues facing county residents aren't county issues, they are under the jurisdiction of the state. State road improvements have been neglected and school funding reform has been ignored. I along with my constituents am frustrated by the state's lack of responsibility to the taxpayers. The challenge for the county board is trying to get the state to take care of their roads and other transportation options and overhaul the entire school funding process.
Denz. Choosing between the two biggest issues -- our continuing, extremely high property taxes (highest in the Midwest) and our grossly inadequate roads -- is difficult, but if I had to choose one, our roads would be the biggest issue. Lake County's roads are ranked by U.S. News and World Report magazine (in the summer of 2007) to hold the 14th worst/lengthiest commute in the ENTIRE nation. Poor planning and poor prioritization by our public officials are the primary reasons for this huge issue. As citizens are forced to move further out to afford housing and as Lake County-based industry has not been prioritized to sustain substantial growth (for jobs), people are forced into longer commutes. In addition, my opponent, a four-term incumbent running for a fifth, has failed her responsibility of building relationships with mayors, other county board members and especially state legislators so as to capture our overdue fair share of funding and support to build our now completely inept roads. An adequate north/south corridor (294) only exists in the far east section of Lake County. Nothing adequate in the central or west sections, which includes District 5. The east/west corridors simply are probably the worst, especially to and from District 5. Two-lane roads everywhere, most without turn lanes. Completely irresponsible leadership.
Q. Should a new Winchester House focus on a particular health-care specialty? If so, what specialty? If not, why?
Carter. Care for Alzheimer's and similar diseases continue to be a need throughout Lake County and I support Winchester House filling that void while being fiscally prudent. Long-term care has become a very complex business and needs continual attention to detail. When making the decision to rebuild Winchester House, the board included an advisory board of health professionals to oversee and guide the health needs of the Lake County residents.
Denz. If circumstances dictate that the best alternative (for those in need) is a county-owned, skilled-care facility, the county must then sensibly survey those Lake County residents' special needs to accurately assess the priority. To my knowledge, there is not yet a study complete to make any accurate assessment.
Q. Should the forest preserve board accelerate the pace of opening facilities to the public? Please explain.
Carter. This is already a priority of the Forest Preserve as you can see from the accelerated opening of Raven Glen, Hastings Lake and most recently Lake Carina this year alone. Work has already begun on Nippersink Preserve in Round Lake and Heron Creek in Long Grove and both will be open to the public in spring of 2008. Additional access via bike paths to other preserves has been accomplished through the cooperative efforts of the Forest Preserve, Lake County, municipalities, park districts and townships. Over 30 miles of trails are now accessible to District 5 residents.
Denz. If by opening "facilities," it is meant to open a 15,000-capacity stadium targeted for use by just one user group (such as the covertly passed equestrian complex at Lakewood Preserve,) no, I am against such radical changes, particularly because the owners of the land, the taxpayers of Lake County, had never approved such an agenda. The president of the forest preserve, my opponent, was the leader of this gifting away of our valuable land. A valuable land that has never proven even suitable for such a special agenda, that is without significant harm to the area. Both Illinois Federation for Outdoor Resources, a 78,000 statewide membership conservation organization which consists of many equestrians, and the Sierra Club have written letters to the forest preserve president opposing this plan. Further, my opponent went on Fox News and declared it was a "done deal" before the taxpayers even knew what was going on. This is irresponsible government. For argument's sake, even IF that site was deemed a good site, the inadequate roads in that area could never accommodate the Olympics there. I am for the Olympics in Lake County IF there is a solid plan that is not going to saddle the Lake County taxpayers with huge debt AND if a logical, suitable location is utilized. Whatever happened to the private land offer at Temple Farms in Lake County.?