A caring leader for West Dundee

A caring leader for West Dundee

As a longtime resident of West Dundee and of the Fox Valley, I have seen many changes over the years — some positive and some negative. Recently, though, the village has lost major taxpayers such as Best Buy and JC Penney’s. The mall struggles. The village has yet to establish a retail presence on Randall Road. The impact of all of this is a reduced tax base for West Dundee.

In turn, West Dundee services have diminished, with the fire department nearly eliminating operations out of the Carrington Road station and the police department reducing its ranks by 20 percent since 2006.

The economy is only partially to blame, as our neighboring communities have thrived, in large part, due to the aggressive pursuit of new and diverse uses for available parcels in their respective towns. And, in some cases, those achievements have been to the detriment of the economy of West Dundee.

I think it is time to bring in dynamic leadership. It is for this reason that I support Chris Nelson for village president. Chris has extensive experience in municipal government and business operations, and has a master’s degree in public administration. He has contributed to many successful development projects in nearby communities, and recently was selected for an economic development fellowship with the World Business Chicago.

I have also worked closely with Chris for the past several years, having served with him in his role as president of the Grand Pointe Meadows HOA. I have found him to be a cooperative yet assertive leader who cares deeply about the residents he serves.

Cheryl Alopogianis

West Dundee