Endorsements: Johnson, Pierce and Bluthardt for Antioch village trustee
Five candidates seek three Antioch village board seats on April 6. Incumbents Jerry Johnson and Scott Pierce face challengers Brent Bluthardt, Petrina Burman and Mary Priller.
Business owner Jerry Johnson, has been on the board since 2013. He's endured pandemic challenges and feels the village did a great job responding. He says residents were provided resource information about getting food, clothing, essentials, utility and financial assistance.
Johnson feels the village needs a pro-active approach to stimulate the economy and should continue with business incentives and the facade grant program. He recused himself from all discussions during an eight-month approval process for a $200,000 incentive he and partners received for the Rivalry Alehouse project in downtown. They could have gone elsewhere but brought $1.9 million of development to town.
Scott Pierce, a field service engineer for Natus Medical Inc., says residents demand high-quality police, fire, parks and public works services. Pierce says that despite increased demands because of the coronavirus, services went uninterrupted in the face of the pandemic thanks to a balanced budget, streamlined expenses and having alternate revenues. He wants the village-owned Pittman property downtown across from village hall turned into a family destination with walkways, water features, events and seasonal activities. He said the village's website is a work in progress and improvements are needed.
Brent Bluthhardt, a logistics and trade compliance manager, could bring good balance to the board. He would like to recruit and retain quality businesses, see future industrial park development and think creatively to draw high-end businesses. He says more transparency involving village business incentives is needed to dispel any hint of favoritism. Bluthardt feels the decision to allow marijuana sales in the village is good, but wants dispensaries located in industrial areas, outside the historic downtown and away from children and schools.
Antioch small business owner Petrina Burman also wants to see improvements to the village's website and says it's not user-friendly. She cautions the board to avoid any issues in business incentive proceedings that could turn costly for the village. She would like a portion of the Pittman property reserved for a certified Monarch Butterfly way station.
Mary Priller, a marketing and public relations employee for Visit Lake County, says to successfully “reopen” from the pandemic takes steadfast willingness to collaborate, hard work, teamwork and ongoing dialogue. She said she is excited to contribute and serve, and says she has the marketing skills needed to draw visitors to the village.
All the candidates have qualities to recommend them. We favor keeping the incumbents in place to continue the work to recover from the pandemic. Bluthardt will be a hard worker for constituents and will keep ethics and transparency in check. So, our endorsements go to Johnson, Pierce and Bluthardt.