Endorsement: Doerr for Des Plaines park commissioner (but appoint Khan too)
The race for one seat on the five-member Des Plaines Park Board in the April 6 election offers one of the most intriguing choices in the Northwest suburbs.
Incumbent Commissioner Erin Doerr, appointed to the board a year ago, is running for a full 6-year term against Faraz Khan, an 18-year-old whose interest in state and national politics spurred him to run on the local level.
Doerr, 42, - whose volunteerism also has gotten her involved with the Des Plaines Youth Commission, the PTO and as a Foundation board member with Des Plaines Elementary District 62, animal rescue, environmental conservation and her church - clearly has poured herself into park business during the ten months she has served on the board.
She is earnest and knowledgeable, if a tad self-assured, and has the chops to become a leader on the park board.
Khan, a resident of a small portion of Park Ridge that is included in the district, graduated last year from Maine South High School and is studying at the University of Illinois, although he says he will transfer closer to home if elected so he can devote himself fully to the park board.
He brings enthusiasm and positive energy to the campaign and has obviously researched the issues.
Like Doerr, he offers the park board the benefit of ethnic diversity, but beyond that, he also would provide a youth perspective that few elected boards in the suburbs offer. That's an important benefit, he rightly points out, given the emphasis park programs place on youth.
We like both candidates.
Our endorsement goes to Doerr, whose service and experience have earned it.
But let us make one further recommendation. With the sad passing earlier this month of park Commissioner Bill Yates, the park board will be appointing a replacement shortly after the election.
If Khan is not elected by the voters, we recommend that the park board strongly consider him for that appointment.
There are two good candidates in this race. Let's put both of them on the park board.