Endorsements: Malik Khan, Kanu Panchal and Daniel Zierk for South Barrington village board
Six candidates are running for three 4-year terms on the South Barrington board of trustees. Incumbents Joseph Abbate and Kanu Panchal are facing challengers Madhusree (Maddy) Ghosh, Shahzad Kazi, Malik Khan and Daniel Zierk.
Panchal, Kazi, Khan and Zierk participated in a joint interview with the Daily Herald editorial board. Abbate and Ghosh were invited but didn’t participate.
Some of the issues South Barrington faces include a controversial proposal to build a church and religious school on vacant land in town, a recently approved proposal for a solar farm on Mundhank Road, and the need for commercial development in areas other than The Arboretum.
Khan, a Realtor and information technology program manager, describes himself as a passionate transformation leader and hands-on technologist with experience in leading large initiatives. He thinks the village should take advantage of its great location to attract both small businesses and corporate headquarters to get more revenue and lessen the burden to the residents.
Zierk, the village clerk since 2023, says his position has provided him with hands-on experience in municipal operations, policy implementation and communication between residents and officials. He says there are a lot of misconceptions about the church plan and the matter itself has never come before the board.
Panchal, a surgeon appointed to the village board in 2022, says the village provides a high quality lifestyle with a low crime rate and wants to give back to the community, where he’s lived since 1985, by continuing to serve. He believes the solar farm is a relatively clean project and residents’ concerns about its aesthetics can be addressed with landscaping.
Kazi, a banker who’s been on the plan commission since 2022, expresses concern about developers applying for de-annexation, and that there is a perception the South Barrington village board is difficult to work with. He voted against the solar farm proposal, he said, in part because of nearby residents’ concerns about the ecological impact of the project.
On her candidate questionnaire, Ghosh, who lists her occupation as self-employed, says she would bring leadership, entrepreneurial experience, and a solid business and marketing background to the board. She says the board should focus on expanding the tax base and exploring new revenue sources.
On his questionnaire, Abbate, who is retired, points to his experience as an incumbent trustee and says the most serious issue facing the village is the development of large lots, and the board’s response should be to support the village requirements. In our efforts to involve him in our endorsement process, we found him distant and unresponsive, not qualities we value in a village trustee.
Given their experience, we favor retaining Panchal and adding Zierk to the board. For the third seat, Khan and Kazi are both excellent choices but we favor Khan’s technological background and proactive approach. Khan, Panchal and Zierk are endorsed.