Hanover Progress Party forms

A small group of residents have banded together to fight what they say has become a "culture of no" in Hanover Park government.

The new Hanover Park Progress Party has its sights on three village board seats up in the spring 2009 election, when terms expire for Trustees Robert Packham, Web Eby and Bill Manton.

Acting party President Rick Roberts, former head of Hanover Park Boys Football Association, says he hasn't seen much progress in the 19 years he's lived in the village.

"I'm not a politician, but it's at the point where there are so many concerns for the future of Hanover," he said. "People are in desperate need of change and they're aggravated that nothing is getting done."

More than 30 people attended an organizational meeting last week, Roberts said, touting what he called a "groundswell of support."

The Progress Party backs Mayor Rod Craig. Craig, who narrowly beat Packham last year after the death of longtime Mayor Irv Bock, hasn't officially announced whether he'll run again or with what party.

Craig was an independent last year, but calls the new party a "pretty nice-looking group with real leaders." In the meantime, he says he's acting as a resource in the party's organization, such as helping to write bylaws.

Party leaders also aren't saying which candidates will appear on their slate.

Whoever they are, they'll campaign for platform issues including increased police funding, fixing problems at the Mallard Lake Landfill and moving forward with the proposed wind turbine near Greenbrook Elementary.

Ridding the village of what they call a "culture of no" is also a priority.

The party's Web site states the trustees have "deteriorated into a state of dysfunction" and that Craig "extended a hand of friendship to (trustees) only to have them block progress and resort to dirty, backroom politics."

Winning seats would give Craig more control, Roberts said. Craig and Trustee Toni Carter are usually pitted against the rest of the board.

Longtime trustees Eby, Manton and Packham all say they have yet to decide whether they'll seek another term. If so, they say it'd be under the Unity Party just as in the past.

"It could be time for new blood, but at the same time I've still got a lot to offer Hanover Park," Manton said.

Neither they nor anyone else has declared plans to run for mayor.

Sec. Laura Roehrig and Treasurer Gary Johnson round out the Progress Party's leadership. They couldn't be reached for comment.