Providing help for seniors, community engagement among Gurnee trustee candidate issues

Addressing senior living needs and pushing for more resident engagement are among the ideas offered from Gurnee trustee candidates ahead of Tuesday's election.

Voters will select from five candidates running for three 4-year village board trustee seats in the April 7 election.

Three trustees - Greg Garner, Cheryl Ross and Steve Park - will be on the ballot with newcomer Eric Sindermann and Terry Waddell-Moenter, who fell short in the 2013 village board race.

All five candidates addressed issues in a joint Daily Herald editorial board interview and on questionnaires. One question for the candidates was whether they have a good idea to better the community that no one else is talking about yet.

Ross, who's been on the village board since 2007, said Gurnee has encouraged construction of senior housing complexes such as Thomas Place and Heritage Woods of Gurnee. However, she said, more can be done to help Gurnee seniors living on their own.

"Some examples include ways to check on our seniors during emergency situations or providing transportation services for those that are no longer able to drive," said Ross, a retired teacher.

Waddell-Moenter, who is self-employed, said she would work toward creating more visibility for village trustees among residents. She said that could lead to more community engagement with village government.

"Residents should know who their elected officials are," Waddell-Moenter said. "The mayor (Kristina Kovarik) has programs in place, (such as) 'Coffee with the Mayor' and the mayor's luncheon."

Garner, who was appointed to the village board by Kovarik in 2005 and failed in a bid to oust her as mayor four years later, said something needs to be done to boost a section of the village east of Route 41.

"We must expand the success we have experienced on the west side of Gurnee to the east side of the village to provide better economic balance and to strengthen and further support the no village property tax policy," said Garner, a senior executive sales specialist.

Park, a Gurnee trustee since 2011, has experience in city planning and works for a private real estate development company. He said he has development ideas that could help the village.

"Gurnee needs to seriously look at redeveloping older projects and underdeveloped sites," Park said. "Upgrading the quality of our community will lead us to a better sense of place for our residents and visitors."

Sindermann, who is self-employed, said he'd push for greater transparency in part by seeking faster public release of village board meeting minutes that are available on Gurnee's website. He said rapid disclosure can ensure "the purest intentions of government."

None of the candidates favor Gurnee seeking more revenue by returning to an annual property tax levy. Gurnee has not levied a property tax since 2000, when the village created a local sales tax.