Endorsement; Dash for Prospect Heights City Council

In years gone by, elections in the city of Prospect Heights were knockdown, drag-out affairs — bitter fights that reflected the deep political divisions that seemed to embroil the community in constant turmoil.

There still are disagreements in Prospect Heights, as there should be in any town. But the politics have grown calmer, and that's a good thing. It's a sign, we think, that the city government is responsive and operating reasonably well.

In the April 6 election, Alderman Danielle Dash faces a feisty challenge from tax accountant Mariusz “Mark” Folta, who says the city council needs to do a better job of listening to residents and of communicating.

No doubt he's at least partly right. Communication is a tough challenge to master, and it's hard to be perfect. There's always room for improvement.

That said, there are not a lot of glaring issues in the race. Ward voters have two worthy candidates to consider. Each is a longtime resident committed to Prospect Heights' welfare. We like them both.

Ultimately, our recommendation is Dash. She is new to the council, only appointed in January to fill Patrick Ludvigsen's unexpired term.

But she's got considerable experience working on behalf of the city.

She served on the city's Planning & Zoning Board of Appeals for almost 10 years, the last five as its chairman. Combine that with her expertise as a civil engineer and her resume is simply hard to beat.

She has our endorsement.