Endorsement: Lambert, Russell and Schwenk for Mundelein village board
This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
The Mundelein village board race became decidedly less contentious with the withdrawal of challenger Ramesh Sharma, who had asserted that Asian people were smarter than others.
Sharma's name still will appear on the April 4 ballot, but the race is down to four candidates for three 4-year terms. Incumbents Kara Lambert, Eric Schwenk and Kerston Russell are running for reelection, while Robin Meier, who chose to run for mayor in 2021 instead of defending her trustee seat, hopes to rejoin the board at a time when the village is poised for transformative development.
A plan to convert the Wirtz family's farmland into the massive Ivanhoe Village development eventually could increase Mundelein's population by 30%. A 139-unit townhouse complex and a four-story apartment building are in the works downtown. And 222 townhouses are envisioned for the Townes at Oak Creek project on Townline Road east of Route 45.
Managing that growth is top of mind for Russell, a trustee since 2015, who notes in his candidate questionnaire that the village must ensure development "does not overwhelm the community, especially financially."
Similarly, Meier, who also previously served on Mundelein's planning and zoning commission, says the village should prepare for the increases in traffic and wear and tear on the roads that new development would bring.
Lambert, too, is concerned about potential growing pains, citing the need to keep up with infrastructure and hire more police officers and firefighters. Schwenk, who formed an unofficial slate with Lambert four years ago when they sought their first board terms, says exciting times are ahead but also is realistic about the complications such unprecedented growth could bring.
We endorsed Meier's re-election bid in 2017, and, with 11 years of trustee experience under her belt, she'd be a fine choice.
But Lambert, Russell and Schwenk have been good stewards, too, and are well-positioned to navigate the next four years. The incumbents are endorsed.