Two challengers, one incumbent to take Fox River Grove board seats

A former Fox River Grove firefighter now working in fleet operations earned the most votes Tuesday in the race for Fox River Grove trustee.

With all precincts reporting, Tom Anderson, one of four challengers and two incumbents running for three 4-year seats, led with 28.9 percent of the vote. He credited his success to going door to door to get to know voters and their concerns.

“It comes down to a good ground campaign,” Anderson said Tuesday night. “And when I talked to voters, the biggest issue they talked about was revitalizing the downtown.”

Incumbent Suzanne Blohm, who was in office from 1997 to 2003 and again from 2010 to now, earned the second-highest vote tally, with 21.4 percent.

“We’re on the verge of some really good things happening in our downtown,” Blohm said, pointing to the downtown redevelopment. “It’s exciting, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Blohm, a registered nurse, said the board already is talking to businesses to see what it can offer with redevelopment help and is working on a parking plan. She also spoke of a need to market the downtown to developers and to outside businesses and also to enforce property maintenance standards.

Another challenger, Andrew Migdal, a director of operations, won the third seat with 19.1 percent of the vote. He pledged to work to secure more parking, which he views as a catalyst for bringing businesses to the village.

Chester Olencheck, who has previously run for trustee, wound up in fourth place with 15.3 percent of the vote, while Michael Ireland, the other incumbent running for re-election, earned 15 percent. Ireland had served as trustee from 2000 to 2004 and from 2008 until now.

Robert Kandler, another challenger, won 14 percent of the vote among the one precinct in Lake County reporting and the five in McHenry County.