Endorsements: Johnson, Pierce, Poulos endorsed for Antioch trustee
Veteran village board leadership or a fresh approach is the choice facing Antioch voters in the race to fill three village trustee seats in the April 4 election.
Incumbents Scott Pierce, Ted Poulos and Jerry Johnson face challenges from newcomers Bob Burke, Jeremy Lohman and Christina Wojciechowicz for the four-year terms.
Boosting economic development, reinvigorating Antioch's quaint downtown, addressing aging infrastructure and taxes are among the issues in the campaign.
Johnson, Pierce and Poulos are part of the board that has brought the village through the recession by trimming staff and other expenses and raising fees to stabilize finances.
In the last several years, that board also has built a foundation to boost economic development that includes the village's first strategic plan, and an incentive package to lure residential, commercial and industry. It most recently formed an economic development task force with representatives of major business sectors in town that will meet regularly to identify problems and needs. And, the village took a key action and has been working with a developer to complete the unfinished Neumann Homes project.
With finances under control, including building a $1.3 million reserve fund to help address aging infrastructure, and several tools in place to bring in business, village leaders hope to unlock Antioch's economic potential.
The incumbents' experience and teamwork will be important to capitalize on any momentum, so Johnson, Pierce and Poulos are endorsed.
The 55-year-old Poulos stands out. He's the retired dean of finance at College of Lake County and brings an important financial background to the board. He supports sprucing up the rear of downtown businesses and wants the board to develop a capital improvements plan and study underground water and sewer pipes within a year. He has been a trustee since 2008.
Pierce, 55, a field service engineer and a four-term trustee, also wants to focus on needed maintenance of roads in subdivisions and underground infrastructure. He has proposed a traffic accident reduction plan for highways entering the village to reduce speeds and improve safety.
Johnson, 45, is a business owner who was elected to the board in 2013 after serving for three years on the village's parks and recreation board. He wants to work with landlords of commercial buildings to help them create and offer incentive plans to prospective tenants.
Lohman and Wojciechowicz say new blood is needed. They say property taxes are too high. They are critical of spending, but vague about specifics. Burke said his main focus will be to advocate for the village's senior citizens.
The challengers are active in the community, but none has elected or appointed government experience that would warrant replacing the incumbents in Antioch.