Candidates seek village improvement, businesses
By COLIN SELBO - cselbo@nwnewsgroup.com
FOX LAKE – Although the mayoral candidates get most of the publicity, trustee candidates running for seats on the Fox Lake Village Board also have suggestions on how to improve the village. Eight candidates are seeking three four-year seats on the board.
Running on the United Party slate – headed by Mayor Cindy Irwin – are incumbent Carol Ulasy, Donald Otway and Donny Schmit.
On the Focused Party slate – headed by mayoral candidate Ed Bender – are Kevin Burt, Valerie Griseta and Jon Mumford.
Incumbent Noel Working and Harry Schippers are running as independents.
Ulasy, 61, is finishing her first term on the board. Fox Lake must continue to look for ways to cut costs, she said, and keep looking for new revenue sources. There also must be a focus on bringing new businesses and developers to the community, Ulasy said.
Additionally, the village should encourage residents and tourists to shop in the village to help support local businesses, she said.
“I still have a lot to offer the village, and I am willing to give the village my time and expertise,” Ulasy said. “What distinguishes me is my dedication, willingness to work hard, willingness to go the extra mile, and the experience I have gained in the last four years.”
Otway, 55, is seeking election for the first time. The owner of a direct marketing consulting firm, Otway said his background gave him the experience and knowledge to bring businesses to Fox Lake.
The village cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and wait for businesses, he said, and instead must actively seek new businesses by promoting itself better. This can be done through better marketing methods and more use of the village Web site, Otway said.
“It just seems that we’re going in the wrong direction,” he said. “The funds [are] gone because the sales tax has gone down. The more sales tax, the more services you can provide.”
Schmit, 55, is seeking his first term on the board. A desire to continue serving the community prompted him to seek office, he said.
Involvement with a variety of volunteer activities with both the village and Grant Township shows that he is willing to take action to help improve Fox Lake, he said.
The board must work to represent the village in a legal and ethical manner, he said, and diligently manage village funds while continuing to provide services.
“As I near retirement, and because of my community involvement, I want to continue to serve my community, Schmit said. “Communication with the people of the village is paramount and must be a priority. The board needs to be more available to the people they represent.”
Burt, 46, has served on the village zoning board of appeals and the 911 commission. He ran for the board two years ago as an independent.
As owner of Hickory Knoll Golf Course in Lake Villa, Burt said he could provide necessary leadership to attract businesses to the village.
The problem for Fox Lake, Burt said, is that when businesses in the village close, it drives other businesses away.
Business closings cannot just be blamed on the economy, he said, as Fox Lake was seeing business closures before the economy went bad.
“The village needs a face lift,” Burt said. “Fox Lake has so much going for it. There’s so much potential here; we’re just not reaching for it.”
Griseta, 39, is seeking office for the first time. She has served on the village planning board.
The most pressing issue facing Fox Lake is keeping village finances in line. Problems with village finances can trickle down to negatively affect village businesses, she said.
The village also must work to balance the needs of permanent residents and visitors to find what’s best for both parties, Griseta said.
“We need an identity to our town,” Griseta said. “We can’t just sit back and wait for people to come to us. We have to know what kind of stores we want.”
Mumford, 36, works for the Fox Lake and Round Lake fire departments and is seeking office for the first time. He said the most pressing issue facing Fox Lake was a general decline in the appearance of the town.
Stricter code enforcement and increased pride in Fox Lake from officials and employees is needed to improve the village’s image, he said.
“If the town doesn’t look nice, people are not going to want to invest [in the village],” Mumford said. “Until you clean up the town, it’s going to be difficult to do anything on top of that.”
His experience with the fire department and working for the village streets department gives him a knowledge of the best methods to clean up the village that other candidates lack, Mumford said,
Schippers, 79, is seeking office for the first time. He said he was running as a way to give back to the community.
Schippers said the village could do a better job of ensuring the safety of residents, including dangers from snow piles created by snowplows that often get too high and too few sidewalks in the village.
Additional oversight from the village can help rectify the problems, he said.
The village also should not be spending money it does not have, Schippers said, or be spending money on unnecessary expenses.
“I see money being spent I think they could do without. I have a mind that’s frugal,” he said. “Being a little more tight-fisted, I think, would be good.”
Working did not immediately return calls.
