Our endorsements for Lake County Board 2, 5, 12, 13 and 18

Curbing tax levy increases, retaining employees, preserving open spaces and improving access to forest preserves were among the issues candidates vying for Lake County Board districts 2, 5, 12, 13 and 18 debated during recent Daily Herald Editorial Board interviews. Here are our recommendations:

District 2: Schlick

Democrat Hilary Winiarz is challenging Republican incumbent Adam Schlick in the race for the District 2 seat. Winiarz, 55, of Hawthorn Woods is a writer, change manager and product manager for Accenture and a former Ela Township precinct committeewoman. She criticizes her opponent for missing county board meetings and not being in touch with what residents need. Schlick, 42, of Wauconda is a battalion chief with the Wauconda Fire Department and a former Wauconda village trustee and Wauconda Park District commissioner. During his two years on the board, his priority has been maintaining a balanced budget while limiting tax levy increases. Both emphasize the county’s responsibility toward protecting its forest preserves, particularly improvements to Lakewood Forest Preserve near Wauconda. We commend the candidates for their commitment toward the environment in a county with more than 31,200 acres of natural land and the second-largest forest preserve district in Illinois. Schlick’s experience and insight will be valuable as the county seeks to borrow $155 million for further forest preserve land acquisition, public access improvements and habitat restoration. Schlick is endorsed.

District 5: Hunter

Democrat Michael J. Conway is challenging incumbent Republican J. Kevin Hunter in the District 5 race. Both have extensive governing backgrounds. Conway, 59, of Lake Villa is an attorney and has served on the Lake Villa District 41 school board for 17 years and has taught at the College of Lake County for 25 years. Among his key concerns is providing the Lake County Sheriff’s Office sufficient funds to fully staff the Lake County jail. Hunter, 64, of Ingleside is a retired firefighter who previously served as president of the Lakes Region Sanitary District, a Grant Community High School board member, a Fox Lake village trustee and a member of the Regional Operations & Communications (ROC) Facility Board. Serving on the county board since 2021, Hunter has given back to his community in multiple capacities. Hunter’s public service experience is a cut above. He is endorsed.

District 12: Parekh

Republican Andrew Dalkin is challenging Democrat Paras Parekh in District 12. Dalkin, 59, of Lake Forest is an attorney representing law enforcement officers for the Policeman’s Benevolent and Protective Association and a supervisor at the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. He criticizes his opponent’s attendance record for county board meetings and seeks to improve transparency and community engagement. Parekh, 52, of Highland Park is a marketing director for Sumitomo Pharma and a former West Deerfield Township trustee. From December 2022 to Oct. 8, 2024, Parekh has missed only three board meetings, county records show. Parekh most notably led county efforts to eliminate single-use plastics and funded a gun violence prevention initiative. He deserves another term to continue working on such efforts. Parekh is endorsed.

District 13: Hart

Longtime Lake County Board Chairwoman Sandy Hart, a Democrat representing District 13, is being challenged by Republican Ben Grum, a police commander for the city of Lake Bluff. Hart, 56, of Lake Bluff has served on the county board for 12 years, six as board chair, and previously served on the Lake Bluff Park District board. She led the county during the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and helped bring a number initiatives to fruition including the building of the Regional Operations and Communications Facility. Grum, 39, of Lake Bluff has no prior experience in elected office but is passionate about public service and seeks to make local government more responsive, transparent, and effective. Hart’s record speaks for itself. She is endorsed.

District 18: Knizhnik

Incumbent Democrat Sara Frederick Knizhnik is challenged by Republican Alex Sofronas in District 18. Knizhnik, 52, of Vernon Hills has served two years on the county board, previously served as Vernon Township trustee and is the chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative at the Lake County state’s attorney’s office. She is a public policy advocate for SAFE Illinois and has been a strong proponent of gun violence prevention laws. Sofronas, 29, of Kildeer is a performance marketing and analytics consultant with no prior experience in elected office. His campaign priorities are fiscal responsibility and public safety. Knizhnik has the experience and expertise that make her a valuable asset on the board. She is endorsed.