Responsible incumbents for Arlington Heights Park District

Three incumbents and a challenger are vying for three, 4-year terms on the Arlington Heights Park District board in the April 7 election.

Interestingly, a couple of the candidates spend their time on parks in their day jobs.

Incumbent Maryfran Healy Leno, 39, works as the Itasca Park District executive director while challenger Donald Miletic, 39, is the Des Plaines parks finance superintendent. The other two incumbents are Robert Smith, 50, a financial planner and Robert Whisler, 48, president of an Arlington Heights commercial realty firm.

The next park district board faces the challenging task of dealing with four aging community centers at Frontier, Camelot, Heritage and Recreation parks in a down economy.

Whisler and Leno lean in favor of financing one building renovation every five to seven years because they don't believe voters will approve a tax hike. Smith and Miletic lean toward letting voters say via referendum whether they want the renovations to occur at all facilities in a quicker fashion. Miletic also favors pursuing creation of a dog park away from residential areas.

All four candidates are committed and qualified. The incumbents listened to residents and approved a no-increase tax levy. Leno, Smith and Whisler are endorsed because of their solid records of community service.