Endorsements: Duncan, Lohmeyer and Prigge for Barrington village board
This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.
The Barrington village board will have at least one new face after the April 4 election.
Incumbents Kate Duncan and Jason Lohmeyer are seeking reelection, but Emily Young opted not to run again, leaving the door open for challengers Margot Dallstream and Brian Prigge.
Duncan, an attorney who specializes in land use and development, previously served on the village's zoning board of appeals and plan commission. Some of the major projects in town - the construction of the Route 14 underpass and the "Golden Triangle" redevelopment - are right in her wheelhouse.
Lohmeyer, the chief financial officer of a health care company, prioritizes fiscal responsibility but recognizes the challenges of aging infrastructure. One area that needs investment, he says, is public works, specifically the water treatment plant. Lohmeyer also supports the use of AI to alert customers about potential water leaks, curbing unnecessary consumption and expense.
Along the same lines, Prigge, the chief technology officer for a health care company, would look to self-service and automation technology to provide cost savings. He also would use social media to increase transparency in government and communicate more directly with residents, which he says is key now that Barrington has home-rule authority.
Dallstream, who was a national accounts manager for a Fortune 500 health insurance company, suggests negotiating multiyear contracts with vendors to stave off the effects of inflation. Dallstream, who has the backing of the local Action PAC, also would explore joint purchasing agreements with neighboring communities to create economies of scale. A campaign mailer sent by Action PAC reads as if Dallstream is an incumbent, which is not the case.
Duncan and Lohmeyer have a record of performance and have earned another term. Between the newcomers, we give Prigge the nod because of his perspective as a small-business owner who weathered the economic downturn brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.