Mettawa election candidates discuss important issues facing next board

Three village board incumbents and an election challenger have differing opinions on what they feel are the most important issue facing Mettawa residents during the next four years.

Incumbents Timothy Towne, Jan Pink and Pamela Sheldon are being challenged in the April 2 election by Pamela Fantus, the current Mettawa treasurer and a former Rondout Elementary District 72 school board member. Three seats are up for election.

Fantus, 64, said trustees who are elected must focus on updating Mettawa village ordinances to make them easier to navigate.

"These ordinances need to meet the needs of all residents," she said in a Daily Herald candidate questionnaire. "I would strive to value each resident's opinion equally and not just those of the most vocal residents."

Pink, 77, said the most important issue in the coming years is bringing Lake Michigan water to all residents who would like to replace the current well system.

"The public works committee has held open meetings for the residents and had many communications with engineering firms and Lake County," she said. She added that clarifying village codes, studying open land use and street sign replacement are other major issues in the coming years.

Sheldon, 57, said the greatest challenge for people who serve on the board is to properly balance key resident priorities that preserve the "country/rural oasis that Mettawa represents."

"To best address these challenges I would update the village strategic plan to adjust for the realities of the current market environment while planning for a sustainable future ...," she said. In addition, she said the village should focus on prioritizing infrastructure, and ensure responsible commercial development to maintain a low tax rate.

Towne, 73, said preserving the existing land use and zoning is critical to the village during the next four years.

"Maintaining the rural, residential and equestrian character of our great village, Mettawa!" he said.