Gurnee mayor says she wants second term

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik will formally announce she's seeking a second term at an event tonight.

Kovarik, 51, said one reason she wants a second four-year term is because the village would benefit from steady leadership in uncertain times.

"There's so much more I'm going to get done," she said. "I'm excited."

Kovarik said her first-term accomplishments included creation of a strategic plan, backing the addition of technology to make village departments more efficient and creating an advisory diversity committee. The diversity committee was designed to help bring more minorities onto Gurnee's municipal work force.

But Kovarik's diversity committee has been criticized by the trustee who has chaired it since November 2005, Greg Garner. In November, he contended Kovarik helped to water down a diversity plan his committee created.

Looking ahead, Kovarik wants to launch an annual festival featuring ethnic foods and events, and a periodic event targeting new Gurnee residents that's "like a better version of the Welcome Wagon."

Kovarik began her village government career when former mayor Richard Welton appointed her to the advisory plan commission in 1997. She was elected to the village board in 1999 and became mayor when she topped Donald Rudny in 2005.

She's tried to be visible on regional issues during her time as mayor, most recently becoming Lake County's representative to promote Chicago's 2016 Olympic Games bid. Her role comes as part of a Metropolitan Mayors Caucus committee charged with pumping up the Olympics effort.

Kovarik will make her re-election announcement tonight at a fundraiser benefiting two local organizations, Daisy Resource Center of North Chicago and Gurnee's Pay It Forward Foundation.