Economic development, Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed budget cuts and healing as a community after the divisive Roosevelt Exterior Project hearing took center stage Feb. 26 at a candidate forum on the campus of Concordia University.
Five of the six candidates for the River Forest Village Board in the April 7 election participated in the forum sponsored by the River Forest Service Club and the Oak Park River Forest League of Women Voters. Candidate Frederick J. “Rick” Gillis was unable to participate, but organizers reminded the audience that should be no reflection on his commitment to public service.
“The village is very fortunate this election season because I don’t think you can go wrong voting for any of the six of us,” said Village Board member Susan Conti, who is defending her seat.
Economic development issues debated by the candidates included the proposed TIFs on Madison Street and North Avenue, vacant commercial properties, and attracting quality businesses.
Candidate Richard Cooke said the village should create special service areas and offer sales tax rebates to attract developers.
“I think the village needs to focus less on the individual parcels and that they’re vacant and figure out why they’re vacant,” he said. “The issue is we have such great offers we need to decide which ones to pick and sift through lukewarm offers.”
Cooke also said TIFs scare him.
“The property has to be blighted. When you think of ‘River Forest’ and ‘blighted’ in the same sentence, it’s astounding,” he said.
“I think this market study we’re doing will direct us to what we realistically can do on our economic corridors,” Conti said.
“Overall we need to be process-friendly to the developers so if they come here that we’re moving those developments forward in an efficient way,” said Village Board member Carmela Corsini, who also is defending her seat.
In terms of Rauner’s proposed budget cuts, several candidates noted the village is fiscally sound and has good reserve balances to weather at least part of any budget storm sent its way from Springfield. Cooke said it’s unlikely Rauner’s budget will pass as initially presented, but most agreed if is does pass, village services could be affected.
“There aren’t a lot of cuts we can make that don’t involve someone not working for the village,” said former Village Board member Mike Gibbs, who hopes to regain a seat on the board.
Candidate Patty Henek, who led opposition to the Roosevelt Exterior Project citing traffic congestion that would be caused by closing the school’s north parking lot, said the village now needs to come together as a community.
“I think our community is better than that; we do deserve better than that,” she said.
But Gibbs said one of his primary concerns was a lack of communication about the massive $18 million stormwater management project. He said one resident he’d spoken with planned a large party at her home in July but had no idea on the impact of the project on herself and her guests because of a lack of communication and signage, he said.
“As a trustee with a construction background, I would, pardon the pun, flood the village with information,” he said.
Rebecca R. Bibbs is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
