Endorsements: Kokoris, Symonds, Prochot for Gail Borden Library board
Four people are running for three seats on the Elgin-based Gail Borden Library Board, and three are qualified either by deed or promise.
One is decidedly not.
There is only one incumbent in this race - John Kokoris - who is still fresh on the job, having been appointed to fill a vacancy last fall in the middle of the pandemic.
Kokoris is a communications specialist for Pace Suburban Bus who has nine years of experience working in libraries.
He says he is impressed by how well Gail Borden has adapted to the use of technology to stream programming online.
We agree. It's difficult to go on social media without finding a Gail Borden event or storytime.
Joy Symonds, who owns the Symonds-Madison Funeral Home, is active with the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin and other groups in town. She and her young family are big fans of the library's offerings.
She notes that as we emerge from the pandemic, job search assistance and financial literacy programming will be more important than ever.
Amy Prochot is a real estate property manager who has made getting involved in her community more a priority. She worked at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in college and became operations manager at the Lincolnwood Public Library.
Randy Hopp has the most experience with the Gail Borden Library, having been an elected trustee from 2009-2013. But his tenure was a disaster.
He was accused of exhibiting harassing and threatening behavior toward library staffers and was banned from the library for a time, being allowed to attend board meetings only in the presence of security.
The day after his loss in another bid for the library board in 2017, he was arrested after police found hundreds of stolen political yard signs at his home.
In 2019, he ran for the library board again, coming in sixth out of six candidates.
To this day, Hopp must make a request to visit the two branch libraries for a time when security is present.
Kokoris, Symonds and Prochot are endorsed.