Carlini to run for East Dundee village president

East Dundee Trustee James Carlini on Monday announced his plan to run against Dan O'Leary for the office of village president April 7.

Carlini, who was elected to the village board in 2005, said that after conferring with residents, business owners and developers, he was motivated to apply for the village's top post.

"We need leadership and I was encouraged by a lot of different people," Carlini said. "I think we need to do something above and beyond just plain economic development. We need a strategic direction to move forward quickly."

O'Leary was appointed to fill the village president post after Jerry Bartels left in 2007. Bartels was elected in May 2005 but stepped down two years later, shortly after new board members were sworn in, citing travel demands of a new job.

Like Carlini, O'Leary said support from local residents and business owners - including current village trustees - prompted his decision to seek election.

"It's more peer pressure than anything," O'Leary said. "That's a reflection of me not taking credit, it's really a team effort. There's still a lot of economic development that needs to happen."

However, Carlini said creating tax increment finance districts have done little to kick-start the village's revenue stream.

"We have created TIF districts, but we have not enticed anyone to come here yet," Carlini said.

The village is currently working to develop special taxing districts to attract and spur development from downtown to commerce centers along Route 25.