Bartlett board candidates discuss local business

Bartlett will have at least two new village trustees after voters cast their ballots in April.

T.L. Arends is the only incumbent running, as trustees Sherry Bormann and John Kavouris aren’t seeking re-election. That gives Joseph Felice, Gregory Martin and Eric Shipman chances at a four-year term.

Voters first elected Arends in 1991, and she’s been privy to various attempts to draw businesses to Bartlett. It’s remained a hot issue. Communication between existing business owners and the village board was an issue in the 2009 village president election which saw Michael Kelly defeat Bormann after longtime Village President Catherine Melchert retired.

All four candidates agree Bartlett village officials can help existing businesses more. Arends said she’s seen the village helping more in recent years, specifically when the state passed the indoor smoking ban in 2008.

Some business owners said that Bartlett makes it more difficult by requesting permissions they wouldn’t need if they operated in other communities.

“We have to look over the regulations,” said Martin, an artist who served as an Army medic.

Arends, a vice president for business development at Harris Bank, disagreed with that assessment. She said Bartlett regulations are comparable to its neighbors. Arends said she’s worked closely with businesses and her resume, which includes a stint as president of the Bartlett Chamber of Commerce, sets her apart from the field of candidates.

“I don’t think we’re going to see that quality in any of the other candidates,” she said.

Felice, whose election experience stems from a failed village president bid in 2001, said Bartlett fails to promote business away from its downtown area. He’s also unhappy with that effort.

“I call downtown, ‘ghost town,’” Felice said, referring to vacancies in the Bartlett Town Center development.

Felice said every business is important to Bartlett and that the consumer focus has shifted to Route 59 and Lake Street. He said the village should stop trying to make downtown similar to the bustling centers of town like Arlington Heights and Naperville.

Martin said he wants to see diversity downtown.

“Something else other than a doctor office, and I have nothing against doctor’s offices,” he said.

Felice and Shipman suggested the village looking into bringing in a bowling alley, something that’s family friendly that could serve as an anchor to draw more customers downtown.

Shipman, a sergeant with the West Chicago police, is also a member of the Bartlett Volunteer Fire Department, which is a fundraising group and responsible for the annual Street Dance that takes place downtown.

Shipman suggested holding more downtown events, like the Street Dance, to help draw customers.

“All three times we’ve done the Street Dance, we’ve had enthusiastic support from the village board,” Shipman said.

Martin said drawing businesses is important for the village’s sales tax base. He doesn’t want residents to pay additional taxes if the economy is slow to recover.

Arends isn’t worried about a tax increase due to slowing sales. She said that Bartlett isn’t as dependent on sales tax revenues compared to neighboring communities, so taxpayers won’t feel the impact from reduced spending as much.

Shipman said Bartlett needs to better market the village, but he doesn’t want to see drastic changes,

“I don’t want to see this town be the next huge metropolis town with thousands and thousands of skyscrapers and freeways right through the middle of it,” he said.