Lake Co. board candidate hits rival's hiring promise
A veteran Republican on the Lake County Board on Thursday criticized her Democratic challenger's pledge to favor local companies for county projects.
"It smacks too much of Cook County (politics)," Republican Carol Calabresa said of Democrat Delfino "Del" Parra's promise to give preference to firms based in Lake County.
Calabresa and Parra, both of Libertyville, sparred about hiring practices and other issues during a joint endorsement interview at the Daily Herald's Lake County office.
They are running for the District 15 seat on the county board, which doubles as the county's forest preserve district board.
Parra, who's running for the second time, has repeatedly said the county board should give preference to local companies when it's seeking contractors for various projects.
"We have to hire locally to help our economy," Parra said Thursday.
Under state law, however, government agencies must allow firms to bid for most construction or public works contracts and hire the lowest qualified, responsive bidder. Bids are not required for jobs involving specialized service professions, such as architects, accountants or attorneys.
Parra said he would favor hiring a local company over one from a different county if both submitted identical bids for a project.
Parra also said he would work with local companies to ensure they understood how the bidding process works.
Calabresa, a commissioner since 1986, opposed that approach. County board members should avoid contact with potential vendors to prevent impropriety, she said.
Job applicants or companies wishing to work with the county should seek assistance from the county's human-resources department or purchasing department, she said.
Calabresa believes most county board members would like to see more local firms get county contracts, "but by law we cannot do it," she said.
District 15 includes much of the Libertyville area. The seat carries a two-year term.
Green Party candidate David Serdar also will be on the Nov. 2 ballot.