Hawthorn Woods race heats up

Hawthorn Woods businessman Joseph Mancino says he's gearing up for a tough fight to win the mayor's job in the April election.

Mancino kicked off his campaign Wednesday at an open house for his Hawthorn Woods Open Government Party. The slate includes members Kelly Corrigan, David Ansani and incumbent Trustee Neil Morgan, who are running for three village board seats.

Current Mayor Keith Hunt, a Chicago attorney, refused to say Wednesday whether he is running for re-election or putting together a slate. Hunt joined the village board in 1999 and was first elected mayor in 2001.

Trustees Greg Gehrke and Jim Silvers, whose seats are also up for re-election, ran alongside Hunt in 2005. Gehrke and Silvers joined the board as trustees after being elected in April 2001. Gehrke oversees the water, sewer and infrastructure committee. Silvers heads the village's finance committee.

Hunt said it's too early to start talking about the April 7 election.

"We will make an announcement when we think the time is appropriate," Hunt said.

Hunt said in June he had started fundraising though not necessarily connected with the election campaign.

Candidates will be able to file petitions for the April consolidated elections Jan. 19 through 26.

Mancino said the village needs "open and fair local government free from personal agendas and egos."

He criticized Hunt's tightfisted leadership style, which he believes squashes dissent and is responsible for staff turnover.

"We feel that our hired village professionals have not been allowed to perform their duties," he said. "We encourage participation not only from our residents at large but our committees of volunteers. They are not being heard. Our committees have largely been cut out of all decision processes."

Hunt scoffed at the idea that village committees were being shut out.

"It's ridiculous," he said. "The committees all meet. They make recommendations and the village board votes on the issues."

Since last November, Hawthorn Woods has been grappling with revenue shortfalls caused by a slowdown in new home construction. The village slashed expenses significantly and laid off 14 employees.

A few months ago, village officials were projecting a $66,000 deficit in the village's 2009 budget proposal. Yet, the village's advisory finance committee rejected the idea of imposing new user fees and tax hikes to balance the budget, Hawthorn Woods Village Administrator Jim Bassett said Thursday.

Bassett said over several months the village has turned around a roughly $722,000 deficit to end the fiscal year on Dec. 31 with a projected surplus of more than $250,000 in the general fund and community development fund.