Endorsements: Only Nitz, McGinty for Island Lake village board

Few towns in Lake County have seen the level of discord among elected officials as Island Lake has. Political feuds, not progress, have dominated much of the tenure of Mayor Debbie Herrmann and the village board. The April 9 election gives voters a chance to fill three 4-year trustee seats and chart a course of collaboration. Unfortunately, among the six candidates — all newcomers — that prospect is not promising. Although aligned with Herrmann, Ken Nitz and Ed McGinty advocate transparency, communication and economic development. We like Nitz, a young attorney who offers a fresh perspective. McGinty is an accountant and we think his skills will be an asset. We hope they’ll prove to be cooperative and inclusive. After that, however, as much as we regret withholding a recommendation, we cannot endorse anyone for the third seat. We don’t think Josh Rohde, another Herrmann ally, is a good candidate. We share some concerns and like some ideas raised by the slate of Mark Beeson, Tony Sciarrone and Keith Johns, but they’ve given us no sign they’ll be collaborative. Island Lake government already is hampered by too much conflict. It must find a better approach.