Endorsement: Mike Reid Jr. for Hampshire village president

Geographically, Hampshire is relatively large compared to its population, a rural community whose residents on average are two to three times more spread out than those in neighboring communities.

So keeping people connected to one another is very important.

The race for village president is between 16-year incumbent Jeff Magnussen and eight-year Trustee Mike Reid Jr.

Hampshire would be well served by either candidate as village president. Both are earnest candidates with a deep love for the community they live in and serve. Magnussen has been a steady hand for many years, but we are persuaded by the challenger's argument for change.

Reid, a technology support coordinator for Community Unit District 300, notes that for as long as he can remember, Hampshire has been in a "constant state of maintaining," with miles of water main past its useful life, flood management measures in need of work and a village fleet in need of replacement.

Further, Reid prides himself on his outreach to the community. With his tech background, he has an eye toward communicating better and in a more sophisticated way with residents.

Magnussen handily beat a write-in candidate four years ago but hadn't faced a challenger since 2005. In Reid, he has solid competition.

We're encouraged by Reid's vision that Hampshire can and should be a community on the move. He is endorsed.