Endorsement: Pye, Jonen, Forte-Scott, Flannigan-Davies for Schaumburg Township Library Board
This year's election for the Schaumburg Township Library Board has spawned a large crop of candidates, although not because the library is embroiled in controversy.
In fact, the library, while challenged by the pandemic in the past year as all libraries have been, is widely recognized as both one of the state's largest and one of the state's best.
The large field simply is made up for the most part of candidates whose love of the library makes them want to be a part of making it even better.
Seven candidates are running for four 4-year terms. Six of them would be able, even excellent, trustees.
Those six are academic librarian Emily Gilbert, teacher Amy Mueller, Schaumburg Township Historical Society volunteer Carole Pye, all of Hoffman Estates, and incumbents Erin Flannigan-Davies of Schaumburg, Anita Forte-Scott of Hoffman Estates and David Jonen of Hanover Park.
We unfortunately cannot say the same for a seventh candidate in the race, William Olson of Schaumburg, who we fear would be such a disruptive force if elected that the library board likely would get nothing done.
Three of our endorsements go to the incumbents, Flannigan-Davies, Forte-Scott and Jonen. They represent a cross-section of the communities included in the library's sprawling district and share an understanding both of the library's needs and the taxpayers' wallets.
Forte-Scott, the current board president, gives off a sense of ownership that may not be completely healthy and it did give us some pause in making the endorsement, but her devotion and leadership over the past 15 years are indisputable, and no one recognizes the library's mission and challenges better.
In addition to those three, we endorse Pye. Her understanding of the benefit the library can offer to underrepresented communities, and her commitment to making that a reality, are inspiring.
We regret that sheer numbers leave us unable to endorse Gilbert and Mueller too. We feel particularly saddened to pass on Gilbert's candidacy; it is the second election in a row where we have done so, and she clearly has a lot of offer. Mueller does as well.