Endorsement for Barrington Area Library trustee: Clifford, Pintozzi, Carr

The race for three 6-year terms on the Barrington Area Library Board is a bit more contentious than it normally might be because of a dispute last year over whether library property should be divided to accommodate the realignment of Lake Zurich Road.

The village of Barrington wanted to buy the library's 2.5-acre parking lot to effect the realignment and Village President Karen Darch expressed that she was "very disappointed" that the library board wouldn't go along with the plan.

Three of the four library trustees who voted against the sale are on the ballot on April 2 - municipal attorney Carolyn Welch Clifford, an articulate and thoughtful 19-year veteran of the board and its current vice president; attorney Barbara Pintozzi, an inspirational believer in the role libraries play in the community and the republic, now completing her 12th year on the board; and board Treasurer Carrie Carr, a former Barrington Junior Women's Club president now completing her first term.

We endorse all three for re-election. They've helped oversee the continued successful evolution of the library and participated in the board's strong hire of Jesse Henning, the library's widely regarded executive director. Each of the three clearly possesses a love of the library and a well-conceived vision of its future. It would be a shame to lose all of that.

Even those who disagreed with their positions on the parking lot sale have to appreciate the courage they displayed in their convictions and the obvious thought that went into their votes.

The two challengers on the ballot - sales consultant Daniel Goitein and retiree Jan Miller, running together - are able and knowledgeable. Goitein, in particular, seems to bubble with fresh ideas.

But Clifford, Pintozzi and Carr offer both the experience and demonstrated commitment that the challengers cannot match. The Barrington area would do well to stick with them.