Antioch mayor defends “indecisiveness” accusation from opponent
The challenger in the race for Antioch mayor said indecisiveness by her opponent shows a lack of leadership for the village.
Mary Gaborek said incumbent Larry Hanson has taken too long to make major decisions, resulting in Antioch lagging behind other towns.
Hanson said indecisiveness would imply things are not getting done, but his track record shows otherwise.
Hanson, a 53-year-old business manager, faces Gaborek, a 49-year-old housewife, for the top elected position in the April 9 municipal election.
Hanson served 14 years as a village trustee before winning the mayor’s job four years ago. Gaborek has been PTO president at Antioch Upper Grade School and W.C. Petty School, and also served on the advisory board at the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
In her Daily Herald candidate questionnaire, Gaborek said “the current mayor fails to act in a timely manner regarding important issues to our community.”
“Decision-making should be timely and based on educated and on informed representation, utilizing strong communication amongst the mayor, the village attorney, staff, trustees and residents,” she said. “Decisions need to be based on merit, not just on political affiliations, campaign and supporters.”
As examples, she said Hanson delayed decisions in bringing Lake Michigan water to Antioch, leaving the village behind in the planning process.
Hanson said he doesn’t run the village as a “one-man show,” but rather allows the decision-making process to include the village staff and village board.
“I sat through indecisiveness while serving as a trustee for 14 years, and I saw times when nothing would get done,” he said. “But, in the last four years, things have been accomplished in Antioch.”
He pointed out he has turned in a balanced budget while serving as mayor, and the village has its first strategic plan in place.
“Everything I have done in the last four years has set up a course for the future of Antioch,” Hanson said. “We still aren’t out of the woods; we still have some planning to do and must continue to work on keeping the budget balanced, but the board has worked together to keep things moving forward.”