Two vie for 3rd Ward seat in Harvard
By BRIAN SLUPSKI - bslupski@nwherald.com
HARVARD – Two candidates are competing in the April 7 election to represent Harvard’s 3rd Ward.
Incumbent Alderman Scott Logan has served one term and is seeking re-election. Logan, 48, moved his company, Logan Actuator Co., to Harvard in 2003. He is a past president of Harvard Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a member of Harvard Economic Development Corp.
Logan’s opponent is 45-year-old Andrew Cook, who moved to Harvard about four years ago. Cook owns his own lighting business, is an artist, and works as a gaffer on movies and TV shows.
Last year, Cook sought to ban ornamental pesticides in Harvard, a move that Logan did not support.
“It was not something that I thought the city should do,” Logan said.
Cook said he was not happy with how Logan dealt with him.
“[My experience with Logan] goes to the overall tone of arrogance,” he said, adding that Logan treated him as if he were “an enemy.”
Despite that, Cook said it was not the primary reason that he is running.
“Municipalities with a population under 2 million people can’t ban pesticides anyway, so the point is moot,” Cook said.
Rather, Cook said, he is running to improve how 3rd Ward residents are represented. Cook also said he would support measures to create a voluntary, automated, emergency telephone notification system for Harvard. Cook said such a system would allow residents to receive a call in the event of an emergency, such as a train derailment or a tornado.
Logan said the top priority for the city in the next four years should be economic development. It is important that the city work with the EDC and the chamber to attract businesses to Harvard, he said.
“I do try to represent the views of the 3rd Ward and the city as a whole,” Logan said. “I’ve certainly tried to let people know how they could reach me.”
Although Logan said that economic development should be a priority, he does not think the city should go overboard with tax incentives. Logan said the purpose of economic development should be to lessen the tax burden on residents, and incentives can undercut that goal.
Cook said that he also favored economic development and that the city should look at the federal economic stimulus package and explore the possibility of bringing green industry and green jobs to Harvard.
The 3rd Ward race is the only contested race in the city of Harvard this spring.
