Endorsement: Bogusz for Des Plaines mayor

Former Des Plaines Mayor Tony Arredia is an appealing candidate to return to the job he left four years ago because of term limits. He’s well-known, well-liked and earned a deserved reputation both as a cheerleader for the city and as a committed, hardworking leader during two previous terms, at least one of which included a serious flooding crisis. But Arredia has been sitting out the past four years and by his own admission has not closely followed city activities. Both his challengers, aldermen Matthew Bogusz and Mark Walsten, clearly have, and they’ve been steeped in the day-to-day business of navigating the city through a difficult economy and various development and budgetary challenges. Bogusz, in particular, has thrown himself into the details of city operations, including having chaired the engineering and finance committees and representing the city on the Northwest Municipal Council. Although he has served only a single term, he is intimately familiar with city operations and has a clear, well-stated vision for the future of Des Plaines. He has an impressive drive and is willing to do the groundwork necessary to be an effective leader. Walsten’s service and his vision for the city are also sound, but Bogusz is best suited to promote the interests of the city from Springfield to the front offices of city hall. He is endorsed.