Endorsements: Nesvacil, Naughton for Arlington Heights park board
The Arlington Heights Park District is a tremendous asset - the beautiful, well-maintained parks, the pools, the paths, the courts, the programs. It's truly one of the Arlington Heights' best features, and what the park board needs are people who take seriously the job of maintaining the facilities, keeping up with changes in recreation, and offering opportunities for all age levels.
To use a (too) well-worn phrase in Arlington Heights, despite the failed $48 million and $39 million referendum efforts a few years ago, this park board hasn't been trying to build "Taj Mahals", but instead has been laying out the repairs and upgrades necessary to keep the park district in top form.
Voters told commissioners they love their park district, but the requests asked for too much at once. Now, the board has wisely turned its attention toward a slower-paced schedule of upgrades. With the state suspending park grants and even more pain possibly on the way, that kind of prudent approach is even more important.
Rob Nesvacil joined the park board in 2003 and Myles Naughton in 2007. Both men have been part of the board that navigated through some difficult times - changing course after the failed referendums and the flap over allowing religious displays in North School Park at Christmastime, to name two. Both are running for new terms. They have performed well and should continue.
The third entry, Brian Byrne is a young candidate who used the park district growing up and has a deep personal interest in seeing it continue to thrive. We like his youthful perspective, and we have no doubt he'd grow into the role. But as the park district moves into what could be a long period of uncertain finances, we'd prefer two steady hands at the wheel for another four years.
Naughton and Nesvacil are endorsed.