Prospect Heights mayoral candidates say leadership, unity lacking

The two candidates vying for the Prospect Heights mayoral seat on April 7 said leadership and unity are lacking in the city during a weekend candidate forum at Indian Trails Public Library in Wheeling.

Ward 3 Alderman Dolly Vole faces political newcomer Nick Helmer for the two-year unexpired term of Mayor Rodney Pace, who resigned for health reasons in September 2007, shortly after being re-elected.

Vole said the two biggest issues are uniting the town and city finances.

"The city is very divided no matter who you talk to," Vole said. "Everybody feels that they are not being listened to. We as a community need to be made in tuned with what (services) we can and can't provide."

Vole, 41, was elected to represent the city's 1st Ward in 1993, where she served until December 1996. She stepped down after moving out of the ward. She was elected 3rd Ward Alderman in 2007.

Vole said as mayor she would work to improve openness and communication in government, and ensure the city is accountable for its expenditures.

"We need more truth," she said. "We need to restore the (residents') trust."

Helmer said city finances are strained, but the problem also is the environment of confrontation within the current city council.

"The issue really is leadership and the lack of leadership that the city faces," Helmer said. "There is divisiveness, argumentation, there is lack of cohesiveness at the city council."

Helmer said he would encourage a divergence of opinion on the council.

Helmer, 66, a business owner and real estate developer, served from 1988 to 2000 on the Chicago Executive Airport Commission, formerly the Palwaukee Municipal Airport Commission.

"This issue of trust is totally overblown," he said. "(Vole) is on the city council so she mustn't trust herself either."

Both candidates agreed the city's financial situation needs more work.

The city of roughly 17,000 people doesn't have enough money to repair its streets and is cutting expenses to plug a nearly $500,000 deficit. City officials imposed a new restaurant tax and other fee increases, and future layoffs in police personnel hinge on a proposed police protection tax on the April 7 ballot.

Vole said more cuts are needed and the city council should review administrative salaries. She added, ultimately it's up to the voters whether the city can continue to offer police protection and other public services it currently provides.

"In order to bring revenues in, we have to find out from the city what level of services residents are willing to pay for," she said.

Helmer, who also supports the proposed police protection tax, said there are other ideas to explore for cutting costs such as reducing road salt consumption since rock salt prices are high, and increased use of solar panels to save energy costs.