Guethle, Strusz and Lambert for North Aurora village board

Daily Herald Editorial Board

One thing the six candidates running for three seats on the North Aurora village board have in common is how strongly they feel about the upside to their village. Incumbents Mark Guethle and Robert Strusz are joined by Ryan Lambert, Christopher Sparks, Ronald Lau and Laura Curtis. All the candidates except Curtis focused their No. 1 campaign issue on business development in the village. For Curtis it was No. 2; No. 1 was taxes. Guethle and Strusz, both involved in the community and endorsed by several board members, have done fine work on behalf of the community and we see no reason they should not continue. Sparks is fairly new to town, attends board meetings and asks questions. Lau has some good ideas but they get lost amid his off-putting argumentative tone and his incessant badgering of Guethle to the point we feel he’d be an impediment to the board’s business. Curtis, a real estate appraiser and an alternate on the Kane County Board of Review, offers an interesting suggestion about forming a panel or consulting with commercial brokers about what to do about getting stalled developments going again. Lambert says the village should also be looking out for the health of existing businesses and advocates sprucing up Route 31, considered a village entryway. Lambert, a lifelong resident, is familiar with how the board works since he’s been the fire district’s representative at board meetings. His list of civic involvement is lengthy and he would be a great voice of the people. Curtis has valuable ideas and energy and we encourage her to stay involved. Guethle, Strusz and Lambert are endorsed.