Endorsements: Bray-Parker, Hudetz for Wheaton City Council

This endorsement is a consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board.

Incumbent Erica Bray-Parker has brought a wealth of experience to her time on the Wheaton City Council.

The high school social studies teacher has served as an at-large representative since 2019.

Wheaton's general fund balance is healthy and its finances are solid. There will be no property tax levy increase for the fourth year in a row and Bray-Parker's strong fiscal sense has been a driving force behind that. Her other top priorities include a focus on environmental stewardship and confronting Wheaton's sometimes challenging parking situation. She understands the issues Wheaton faces and is ready to provide solutions to address them.

Newcomer Frank C. Hudetz hasn't held a public office before, but he brings years of leadership experience to the table as a former CEO of Solar Communications. Hudetz appears well-versed in communication skills.

His goals are to provide care and resources for an aging Wheaton population, ensuring their needs such as housing, food insecurity, and health-related issues.

Hudetz also speaks thoughtfully and carefully about Wheaton's finances, revealing a candidate who has obviously done his homework. This mindfulness would serve him well on the city council.

Newcomer Brad Clousing, a commercial real estate broker, has thoughtful ideas about Wheaton's parking situation, its finances and its crime rates. We like what he has to say about improving the village's infrastructure as well. But in both of these cases, he lacks specific details to implement his plans.

Bray-Parker and Hudetz are endorsed.