Choice is clear in Carpentersville

The upcoming trustee election in Carpentersville presents some very distinctly different choices.

One group - Paul Humpfer, Don Burroway and Jeff Sabbe - represents the strong fiscal responsibility that has been the hallmark of the last four years. Paul and Don are members of the Audit and Finance Committee. Their efforts have helped Carpentersville reduce expenses, continue infrastructure improvements, and receive a state award for accounting excellence.

On the other hand another group led by Carpentersville fireman Chris Scholl is advocating a hiring program of public safety personnel that could cost well over $1.5 million. Now I realize that it is an amazing conflict of interest for a firefighter to be on the village board in the village where he is on the department, but that is just another example of the strange laws Illinois sometimes has regarding firefighters.

As a board member, Scholl would be able to sit in executive session and listen to the board's bargaining discussions involving his own union's contract.

The Scholl group is also being bankrolled by a business owner in Carpentersville who for years has tried to avoid rules and regulations that he doesn't like.

The choice is clear. Either continue with the careful, conservative path set by the village board over the last four years or turn the board over to self-serving, big spending newcomers.

Ed Ritter

Carpentersville