Harms, Nielsen and Bartlett for Lake Villa board

Daily Herald Editorial Board

Having battened down the hatches to weather the recession, Lake Villa needs to be poised to take off when it ends, according to the four candidates for three seats on the village board. Downtown redevelopment and Lake Michigan water are two issues looming after the April 5 election. We endorse incumbents Karen Harms and Jeff Nielsen, as well as newcomer Scott Bartlett. Harms, a longtime school finance director and civic volunteer, has been on the board since 2006 and worked hard to secure a water allocation for the village. Nielsen, a fourth-generation Lake Villa native and two-year trustee, owns a business in town and has solid ideas for preparing for an economic turnaround. Bartlett, a lifelong resident and volunteer firefighter in Lake Villa, can lend expertise from his job as a facilities manager and as a former Lake County public works and transportation employee. He favors marketing the village better to bring in new businesses, possibly by hiring someone to focus on that job. Rodney Geller, an IT professional and vice president of the Cedar Crossing Homeowners Association, also is in the race.