Endorsements: Kerrigan, Kalinowski, Vandenbergh for North Barrington Village Board

This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

Four qualified candidates are seeking three available seats on the North Barrington Village Board in the April 4 election.

Vanessa Kerrigan, the only incumbent among the four, is running on a slate with two newcomers, Neil Morrow and Mark Vandenbergh. Patricia Kalinowski, a former trustee, is back to seek another term.

Kerrigan is the immediate first choice for voters. Although she has only a little more than a year of service since being appointed to fill a vacancy in January 2022, she has quickly come up to speed on issues facing local government. She has a solid grip on the requirements of managing village finances and speaks knowledgeably and insightfully on topics ranging from stormwater problems to the relationships required to work effectively with other board members and village staff.

Kalinowski also is a solid choice for trustee. Her previous experience on the board as well as nine years of work on the Environmental and Health Commission have given her a strong foundation on all matters facing North Barrington, particularly budgeting and the technical challenges of addressing the village's stormwater problems. She has a strong personality and is not shy about challenging current operations, but she also recognizes and applauds recent successes. Her independence would be a valuable asset to board thinking.

Between Morrow and Vandenbergh, the decision is more difficult. Neither has prior experience in government or public service. Both have clear leadership potential, Morrow from his role as a sales director with a high-tech company, Vandenbergh from his work as a manager with a local packing company. Both acknowledge that they know little about the inner workings of North Barrington affairs and will clearly face a fairly steep learning curve to come up to speed.

Our support leans toward Vandenbergh, who seems a bit better prepared for the kinds of decisions and collaborative interactions a trustee will face.

All candidates recognize that North Barrington has put itself on a course for a stable and successful future. The combination that is best suited to help the village stay that course is Kerrigan, Kalinowski and Vandenbergh. They are endorsed.