Endorsement: Sanchez for Park Ridge City Council in 2nd Ward

Two promising candidates are running for alderman in Park Ridge's 2nd Ward, and we like both of them.

Alfred "Fred" Sanchez, a school board member in Park Ridge-Niles Elementary District 64, is running against portrait and lifestyle photographer Julianna Lopez de Philbrook. The winner will replace Maureen Hartwig, who was appointed to the city council two years ago but is not running for election.

Whoever that winner is will become the first Hispanic alderman in Park Ridge in recent memory, perhaps the first ever.

It is the only contested aldermanic race on the ballot. In the 4th Ward, park Commissioner Harmony Harrington is running unopposed to replace Roger Shubert, and in the 6th Ward, Rick Biagi, a colleague of Sanchez on the District 64 school board, is running without opposition to replace Marc Mazzuca.

Lopez de Philbrook's candidacy has a lot of offer. While she has not previously been involved in civic activities, she's clearly energetic with a hometown devotion and she a sets out a commitment "to maintain our quaint, small-town character, prepare our community for the future and continue to welcome new residents."

But it's impossible to overlook the experience Sanchez has to offer.

He helped District 64 recruit and hire a new superintendent during the term he's completing on the school board. And he's been involved enthusiastically in the city's Holiday Lights program since its inception.

Like Lopez de Philbrook, Sanchez appreciates the special charm that Park Ridge has to offer and he says wants to strengthen the transparency in the way the city council operates.

Both are good candidates. Our endorsement goes to Sanchez.