Hoeft for Huntley village president

Huntley village president candidates Timothy Hoeft and John Piwko see eye-to-eye on many of the issues facing the village, from the urgency to move forward with the nearly $15 million Kreutzer Road project, the changes to the community's downtown and the need for careful deliberation on a proposed train station along a Metra Chicago-to-Rockford route.

That's no surprise, given that they've served alongside one another on the village board — Hoeft first as a trustee and now as president, Piwko as a trustee — for most of the past 10 years. In fact, while experience is often a key consideration of ours when an incumbent faces a challenge, it's mostly a nonfactor here, as both candidates are well-versed in the issues of the day and each have served the community for more than a decade.

Piwko is a strong candidate, given his established record of public service and knowledge of local government. He has good ideas about drawing more people to the village's downtown and would bring a measured approach to future development.

But by and large, he does little to differentiate himself from Hoeft. They offer similar visions for the downtown, suggest cautious approaches on a potential grocery tax and train station, and agree on the balance commercial, industrial and residential development in town, and where in the village those elements belong.

More than that, however, we strongly believe Hoeft has earned another term. The community has seen remarkable growth during his first four years as president, and achieved it without upsetting its character as “The friendly village with country charm.” Under his leadership, Huntley has seen news business arrive to fill unused space downtown, the transformation of the eyesore Catty property into high-end apartments, and the arrival of multiple job-generating investments, including two Amazon facilities.

A second term, he pledges, would continue to focus on economic development and balanced growth.

We endorse Hoeft.