Incumbents deserve credit for putting Gurnee on right path

Voters in Gurnee have past and current board members to thank for the fact that the village has strong enough reserve funds and a lean enough staff to weather this recession. They saw red flags before the economy really took a dive, and they prepared by tightening the purse strings and looking for new revenue. There's some debate among candidates about whether officials did enough in the past. But they all agree the village needs to step up its efforts in the present and in the future to make sure Gurnee stays the retail and entertainment hub of Lake County. Gurnee Mills needs to be returned to the shopping jewel it once was, and the east part of town holds tremendous potential.

In addition, parts of the village could use some general sprucing up. All three mayoral candidates - incumbent Kristina Kovarik, Trustee Greg Garner and local businessman Anthony Maniscalco - have strong visions for the village, and solid ideas on how to make them a reality. We believe Kovarik is in the best position to lead the way. Kovarik has a decade of village board experience. Her administration has created the first-ever strategic plan, and the village has made significant strides in public safety and technology under her watch. As the economy founders and as neighboring towns are poised to compete with Gurnee over precious sales tax dollars, the village needs Kovarik's steady hand.

In the same vein, we recommend incumbents Jeanne Balmes, David Ohanian and Hank Schwarz retain their trustee seats. Any of the five candidates would make fine board members, and we hope challengers Kirk Morris and Mark Ratfelders find other ways to contribute to the betterment of the village.