Wauconda mayoral candidates see different infrastructure needs

Wauconda's mayoral candidates have different priorities when it comes to possible infrastructure improvements.

Crumbling curbs, an oft-congested traffic intersection and an aging waste-treatment system are among the areas in need of repairs, they said.

Four men are running for mayor. Incumbent Salvatore Saccomanno will be joined on the ballot by challengers Mark Knigge, Thomas F. Larkin and Roger Wojcicki.

The seat carries a 4-year term.

The candidates spoke about the town's infrastructure needs in a questionnaire for the Daily Herald.

Knigge, a retired researcher who's been a village trustee since 2005, said attention should be given to the Slocum Lake drainage ditch, which is part of the village's waste-treatment system.

Knigge is part of a committee working with the Stormwater Management Agency and other organizations to develop a comprehensive plan for the needed repairs and maintenance.

"This waterway is in dire need of upgrading and repair after years of neglect," he said.

Larkin, a retired police officer and former school board member, is concerned about the spot where Route 176 crosses under Route 12.

"Traffic backups and accidents (are a problem)," he said.

The village should study how the underpass should be improved, Larkin said, but he didn't have any ideas.

Wojcicki, a project manager who lost a bid for the village board in 2007, said many of Wauconda's older neighborhoods need street and curb repairs.

Village officials should make best use of the $7 million loan voters recently approved for road improvements, he said, by determining which areas can be fixed with minimal spending.

"All the areas will be addressed, but it makes economical sense to prioritize which areas will be fixed first," Wojcicki said.

Saccomanno, who's finishing his first term as mayor, was the only candidate who didn't name a specific improvement project.

"Infrastructure improvements must be based on need," he said. "If a certain part of the village has an infrastructure problem, it will be considered based on the severity and not the location."