Itasca village president candidates differ over Riverwalk, community relations

The two candidates for Itasca village president agree on many things, but differ on one general principle: the need for change.

While Trustee Jeff Pruyn wants to stay the course laid out by the village board and departing President Claudia "Gigi" Gruber, Trustee Tom Reynolds believes the village needs to break from the past.

Specifically, Reynolds wants to halt future work on the Riverwalk, a concrete walkway in a flood plain along Spring Brook Creek, from the old village hall to Spring Brook Nature Center.

In an endorsement interview with the Daily Herald Saturday, both candidates supported finishing the current $1.5 million phase to finish the walk this spring. But Reynolds wants to hold off on the rest of a $20 million master plan that includes a children's exploration garden.

"We're not at the most financial time for beautification," Reynolds said. "Residents are scratching their heads wondering why the village is spending money for a sidewalk that, to exaggerate, is under water six months of the year."

Besides, he said, residents complain that it's not a river, it's a creek.

The board has said it will not undertake the next $250,000 phase of the project, Pruyn said, unless it can get a grant to cover 80 percent of the cost, which he said would be a worthwhile expenditure after the existing investment.

More generally, the opposing candidates differed on the state of community relations.

Reynolds called for hiring a consultant to conduct a survey of residents to see what they think of village services such as snowplowing.

Pruyn said past subject-specific surveys stirred more controversy than benefit by generating flak over whether the wording was fair.

Regarding village board meetings, Reynolds called for televising them, and posting and e-mailing the full agendas with background information online. Pruyn said the village has started the process to televise meetings, and he would not oppose posting the full agendas on the Web site.

"Every Tuesday night (at board meetings), we have nobody show up," Pruyn said. "To me, that's a testimony they're not upset."

Reynolds countered, "We've been kind of sedate in that respect. I don't think we can sit back and say, if people are interested they can see us."

Both candidates agree the village needs to keep making progress improving stormwater drainage, sewage treatment and road improvements. But they opposed new taxes and fees, and said budgets may need to be cut back this year due to the wavering economy, which has reduced sales tax revenues by more than $1 million, or 23 percent.

As one example, they suggested the possibility of cutting off health insurance coverage for board trustees, noting that other part-time employees do not qualify for insurance.

The April 7 election features Reynolds, who works for the Chicago Transit Authority, as part of a slate of new candidates called Citizens for Itasca. Pruyn, an accountant, leads the ticket for the Itasca First party, which includes incumbents and one newcomer seeking three trustee seats and the village clerk post.