Endorsement: Clark for Mettawa village president

Mettawa’s leaders realize that their wooded hamlet continually must face the realities of sprawl and encroaching development. It’s fitting, then, that the top priority for the two candidates in the race to replace Mayor Jess Ray is to preserve the rural character of the village. Current Trustee Jeffrey Clark, who is semiretired from the broadcast industry, is facing Casey Urlacher, a self-employed contractor who is relatively new to Mettawa. They agree that further commercial development is not needed, nor is any paid full-time staff, though Urlacher would consider hiring a part-time manager. We like Clark’s approach. He knows that elected officials cannot just stand by but must actively work to maintain what he calls a “special little village.” He wants to engage the residents of the town (pop. 550) and put video of village meetings online. His experience in public service, which include fire department volunteer and plan commission member, gives him the edge. Clark is endorsed.