Arlington Heights voters go with experience at the polls

Unlike Palatine, it looks like voters are pretty happy with the way things are going in Arlington Heights. Not only did Arlene Mulder win back her spot as village president but so did every last one of the village board incumbents.

Winners Joe Farwell, Tom Glasgow, Norm Breyer and Bert Rosenberg beat political newcomers Mike Sidor, Keith Moens, Tabitha Long and Barbara Browne by more than 1,500 votes. Glasgow, the only non-incumbent elected, was the former zoning board chair and said he had the support of Mulder and the other board members.

Mulder herself defeated challenger Phillip Walter by getting 66 percent of the votes.

Compare that to Palatine where former Bear Jim Schwantz beat out longtime incumbent Mayor Rita Mullins, who was running for her sixth term. Incumbent mayors in towns including Bensenville, Lake Zurich, Libertyville and Wauconda were also defeated.

In Arlington Heights, the challengers complained that the village board didn't listen to residents. They pointed to a packed November board meeting as the perfect example. That's when the board saw as much of an uprising as there's ever been in Arlington Heights as 150 residents crammed the room to complain about a planned increase in the tax levy. In response, the board approved a smaller 0.32 percent levy increase and later laid off six employees. Because of pension commitments, the village will actually collect $165,000 less for general purposes than in 2008.

"It was a shock but it showed we were really listening," Mulder said. "We told the staff to go back and reduce the budget. We made the changes."

Back in her office on Wednesday and facing another four years as village president, Mulder said getting and keeping businesses in Arlington Heights will be one of her concerns.

"We need to look at all areas in the village, not just downtown," she said. "For example, there are spaces in the industrial park on the northern end of the village we want to fill."

Mulder said she will be relying a lot on John Melaniphy, who was hired in the fall as the village's business and development coordinator.

"We had more than 200 applicants for that position and his job is to look for business opportunities," she said. "He has a great background in retail."

Newly re-elected Arlington Heights trustee Bert Rosenberg said maybe some downtown retail shops should stay open later to attract restaurant and Metropolis customers.

"Can we make them stay open later? No," Rosenberg said. "But maybe the chamber can suggest it. And many it's something they can try once a month."

Mulder, Farwell, Rosenberg, Breyer and Glasgow will sworn into office on May 4.