Endorsements: Moylan, Zadrozny, Inzerello, Ebrahimi for Des Plaines City Council

This endorsement has been updated to correct that candidate Earl Wilson's prior service was as a member of the Des Plaines Public Library board, appointed to two terms.

The city of Des Plaines is in an interesting position as a mature community facing some stubborn, longstanding problems but with solid leadership that has built a strong financial foundation while constantly striving to renew the community's vitality.

Buoyed by the resources provided from the successful Rivers Casino, the city has the capability to experiment with new ideas. But at the same time, steady hands are needed on the rudders of local government to ensure that its endeavors have promise and, should they fail, won't knock the community off course.

Witness the Metropolitan Square business area, an ambitious retail center that hasn't lived up to its promise for stabilizing downtown development - and needs some innovative assistance if it's ever going to. Or, the region around the government center and the Des Plaines Theater which offer intriguing possibilities for revitalizing the area and creating a lively, attractive entertainment vibe.

Or, flooding problems that years of attention and construction have eased but never quite overcome.

Navigating such issues requires council leadership that has both vision and discipline. Fortunately, in nearly every seat that's contested in the coming election, voters have candidates who meet that criteria. Here are our choices in each ward:

Ward 2: Moylan

Incumbent Martin J. Moylan faces a legitimate challenge from Earl Wilson in a rematch of the 2019 race for Ward 2. Wilson is a former Des Plaines Public Library trustee, appointed to two terms, and a self-employed information technology specialist with his finger firmly on the pulse of issues facing the city and good ideas for addressing them. Moylan, the son of former Des Plaines mayor and Illinois state Rep. Marty Moylan, won the 2019 race and is seeking his second term on the council. We endorsed Wilson in the 2019 contest, and clearly we still find him an appealing candidate. However, Moylan now has a term under his belt, shows a strong familiarity with the issues and is actively involved with addressing them. We're inclined to recommend that voters give him another term.

Ward 4: Zadrozny

In Ward 4, Dick Sayad is a welcome and familiar face. He has served two eight-year stints on the City Council, sidelined each time by term limits, and he has remained close to the challenges facing the city and the proposals for addressing them. Attorney Artur Zadrozny is seeking a second term on the council, and he brings the zest and insights of Sayad along with some fresh perspectives that are both evident in advances the city has made in recent years and his proposals for meeting the challenges ahead. We side with him in this contest.

Ward 6: Inzerello

The race for Ward 6 is another faceoff featuring a former alderman. Mark E. Walsten, a self-employed home inspector, served two terms on the council from 2007 to 2015, including a stint as acting mayor in 2015. He remains thoroughly knowledgable about city operations and needs and has thoughtful, energetic ideas for addressing them. But Brian Inzerello, a project engineer and former Des Plaines School District 62 board member is also well-versed in the city's challenges and opportunities. He brings a special level of enthusiasm that we find appealing, and he gets our endorsement.

Ward 8: Ebrahimi

Shamoon Ebrahimi, a school counselor at Maine West High School, was appointed to the council in 2019 to replace newly elected mayor Andrew Goczkowski. He is challenged by Michael (Mike) Charewicz, yet another former alderman who was ousted by term limits in the past but remains devoted to the city and is full of good ideas for helping move it forward. Like the other challengers with prior experience, Charewicz is smart, earnest and energetic. It is difficult to reject that. But, again, Ebrahimi has similar qualities, a clear passion for the job and good ideas for advancing projects and issues he's already working on with the council. He gets our endorsement.