Endorsement: Judd for Rolling Meadows Ward 4
Voters in Rolling Meadows' Ward 4 are fortunate to have two conscientious and committed candidates running for city council on April 4.
Brad Judd is running for his third term representing the ward, which is between Kirchoff and Central roads and includes the controversial former Dominick's property.
Challenging him is Joe Gallo, a second-generation Rolling Meadows resident who said a city hall public hearing on the Dominick's site spurred him to seek a seat on the city council.
We give Judd the edge. His thorough knowledge of the city's finances is an asset, as is his commitment to holding the line on spending as the council has struggled to put the city on stronger financial footing.
On the problem of long fire department response times in some neighborhoods, he backs a plan to borrow money to relocate both fire stations for an estimated $9 million. Judd says that's cheaper than building a third fire station and bearing the substantial ongoing costs of staffing it and providing pensions for the new employees.
He hopes for mixed residential and retail use on the long-vacant Dominick's site but would support a condo, townhouse or single-family home development, as long as units are owner-occupied.
We endorse Judd, but urge Gallo to become more deeply involved in Rolling Meadows governance by seeking appointment to one of the boards or commissions. That will put him in a strong position four years from now, when Judd will have hit Rolling Meadows' three-term limit for council members.