Endorsements: Carey, Justice, Moras for Libertyville trustee
Libertyville voters are in the enviable position to choose from four experienced and qualified candidates to fill three open trustee seats on the village board.
Incumbents Patrick Carey, Jay Justice and Rich Moras are on the ballot with former trustee Gary Franzen.
Carey was appointed to fill a vacant trustee seat in 2016, while Moras and Justice have been trustees for the past eight years. Franzen served as a trustee from 1998 to 2002 and is a former Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128 board member.
All are thoughtful and respected candidates with lots of community involvement.
The incumbents are part of the current board that has worked well together in good times and bad - from weathering financial problems during the recession to overseeing several important improvements. Those have included adding a second parking garage to support the booming downtown, and passage of referendums that funded improvements to deteriorating roads and led to demolition of the old Brainerd building and conversion of the site to a turf athletic field.
New issues involve the future of a few proposed large residential developments - the first considered in Libertyville in many years - that have sparked concern among some residents about their density and effect on traffic and schools. There's also interest in boosting economic growth in other areas of the village, such as along Peterson Road.
The current board's chemistry and experience will be important in addressing these and other issues, so we give the endorsement nod to incumbents Carey, Justice and Moras.
Carey, 67, is the village's retired police chief. His background in public safety and his understanding of traffic and parking should provide valuable perspective if development plans proceed. Carey would like to start informal neighborhood meetings with a village representative to learn about and work on important resident concerns.
Justice, 79, the retired vice president of operations at Advocate Condell Medical Center, touts his ability to foresee issues and craft solutions. Other candidates believe the village does a good job of communicating events and activities, but Justice sees room for improvement.
Moras, 52, a financial adviser, heads the village board's finance committee and is credited with helping guide Libertyville through the recession. His knowledge will be important, especially given the uncertainty of state funding. Rather than more cost reductions, Moras says the focus should be on using technology to be more efficient and rethinking how things are done.
Franzen, 74, a financial representative, left the village board after one term to spend more time with family. He says change on the village board is important to provide a different perspective. Right now, we think no change is warranted.