Endorsements: Gorman, VanOstenbridge, Wood for East Dundee village board

East Dundee has had its share of headlines over the past year. Its battle with Barrington Hills over the proposed Insurance Auto Auctions site and Wal-Mart’s decision to abandon the village for a location in neighboring Carpentersville have gotten plenty of press and public attention. Add to that a quaint downtown that has more than its share of empty storefronts, and one might think the village is suffering. But the reality is the village is fiscally sound, thanks to some prudent decisions made over the past several years by village government. With that backdrop to the April 9 election, voters are fortunate to have five qualified candidates running for three open village board seats. Incumbents Rob Gorman and Paul VanOstenbridge have done a superb job in putting the town in its current position and deserve to be returned. While newcomers Mark Poyner, Dan Selep and Kirstin Wood each would be a worthy addition to the board, we give our nod to Wood, a federal employee, for her fiscally responsible and consensus-building approach to resolving business and community issues. Poyner, a real estate investor, is a lifelong resident and demonstrates a sincere commitment to community. Selep, a building engineer, shares a focus on improving downtown.