Transportation tops Kane Co. board candidates' list

The two candidates vying for a seat on the Kane County Board in District 24 say traffic congestion in the Fox Valley, particularly in Carpentersville, is a major issue steering their campaigns.

The district covers most of the northeastern part of Carpentersville, as well as a section of Barrington Hills that sits in Kane County.

Incumbent Democrat Hollie Kissane said her decision to seek a second term on the county board was fueled by a desire to continue being a part of the Longmeadow Parkway project.

"There are still a lot of things that I would like to see get done," Kissane said. "I would like to be a big part of the (Longmeadow Parkway) bridge that is going through because I know there are a lot of problems with traffic in town."

Though Kissane said she initially did not support the 5.6-mile roadway that will provide a straight shot between Route 25 and Randall Road, she said has since changed her position.

"I am ready to face the facts because I see the necessity of it," said Kissane, a member of the Carpentersville parks committee. "I think it is unfair that it is going in in Kane County because I don't think the problem is down here. But we have to do something about the traffic, do what is right for everyone."

However, Republican challenger Kay Teeter, a current Carpentersville trustee, says Kissane has not done enough during her first term to ease the pain for commuters in northern Kane County.

"I think we need a stronger voice from the village board and from the village itself," Teeter said. "I know residents have questions about the Longmeadow Parkway and they are not getting a lot of information."

Teeter said Kissane's vote to allow the Kane County Forest Preserve District to purchase the Brunner Property, which the proposed bridge would bisect, contradicts her support of the project.

Earlier this month, the forest preserve district spent about $40 million to purchase a 741-acre swath of land - commonly known as the Brunner Farm - that runs between Route 31 and the Fox River in Dundee Township.

At the time, the forest preserve district left room for the possible sale of any part or all of the land, most likely a piece west of Route 31 just north of Country School Road. Kissane voted in favor of the sale caveat.

Teeter said that vote indicates that Kissane does not have to best interests of constituents in mind.

"Without the annexation of that property into the village of Carpentersville, it will be almost impossible to build the bridge," Teeter said. "She could not have taken into account the village's comprehensive plan or residents' concerns in making that vote."