Three-term Village President Wallace to hand reins to lifelong Bartlett resident Gunsteen

If Bartlett Village President Kevin Wallace needed evidence his three terms were successful in erasing personal animosity from the village board’s governance, he found it in his imminent handover of the office to lifelong resident Dan Gunsteen after an uncontested election.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with Dan’s leadership moving forward,” Wallace said of the ascendance of the one-term trustee. “It’s been the honor of my life to serve in this role for the past 12 years.”

Gunsteen said if he’d had to campaign for the past three months, he would have promised voters a continuation of the growth, stability and professionalism of Wallace’s tenure.

“I just want to see us move forward in a positive way,” the electrician-turned-business owner said. “I think the passion I bring comes from being a lifelong resident.”

Both men said they believe the name recognition they initially benefited from came in part from their coaching of youth sports. Though not a Bartlett native himself, Wallace has been in the village for some time and chairman of the chamber of commerce.

By clearing away most of village hall’s personality-driven conflicts, Wallace paved the way for such accomplishments as the Brewster Creek Business Park that houses nearly 80 businesses, the Bob Loquercio Auto Group on Lake Street, extensive redevelopment of the downtown and the transition to Lake Michigan Water.

Gunsteen said he wants to apply the lessons learned from the tax-increment financing (TIF) district used to realize Brewster Creek to the new 154-acre one aimed at redevelopment of the village’s gateway along Lake Street.

Gunsteen would like to see retail, restaurants and even a hotel with a banquet hall developed there while the TIF district is a funding source for corresponding public improvements over the next 23 years.

He also believes the change of administrations is an ideal time for a fresh look at the efficiency of the village’s operations and its strategic planning.

Like any resident at the time, Gunsteen said he was aware of the petty conflicts of the village board during the three or four years preceding Wallace’s arrival. He thought of those as the dark days of Bartlett, when damage to the village’s reputation may have intimidated the developers that have since been found.

Gunsteen added it was just around the birth of social media that Bartlett seemed to be getting dragged down by that phenomenon’s worst characteristics.

Even for a couple years after his election, Wallace said efforts continued to pull him into the fray. But he endured in a way probably as rare then as now — by ignoring it.

Today’s village board by no means agrees on every issue, but has established a mutual respect notably absent from its predecessor of 12 years ago, Wallace and Gunsteen agreed.

“It’s important to feel you’re a group of decision-makers,” Gunsteen said of the board’s mindset.

The new village president will be sworn in at the May 6 village board meeting.