The
advent of social media has provided candidates at any level a new vehicle by
which to deliver their messages.
President
Obama used it extensively in both his campaigns as did Chicago Mayor Rahm
Emanuel.
So
I was not too surprised when I started seeing various posts by the candidates
in the stimulating and issues loaded race for village trustee. With three names on the ballot, current Board
members Beverly Sussman, Andrew Stein and Lester (call me Les) A. Ottenheimer
III, and one write-in candidate, Jeff
Battinus, it’s hardly been as exciting as say, an appearance by Carlos Marmol.
The
four candidates have all said the usual stuff.
The three current board members have touted their experience and concern
for the village, something incumbents usually due.
Battinus
has been doing the same too, but since he has not served on the Board, he does
not have the experience to fall back on as the other three. Instead, he has been trying to forge ahead by
riding the coat tails of the proposed instant downtown. At last month’s candidate forum much of the
discussion focused on the 65-acre proposal for a central business district along
Lake-Cook Road on land currently being used as one of the village’s two golf
course.
A
little residential concern, objection and ::poof:: we have a campaign. Sort of.
With
only one proposal on the table a decision does not seem to be in the near
future.
If
there are other major issues in the
race, there has not been much discussion about them. Yep, folks are concerned about the Weiland
Road project. Yep, folks are concerned
about the budget.
But
when it comes to hearing what the Village Board has to say about it, there does
not appear to be a lot of interest in these topics. At the past two meetings, there have been
more people in attendance to say good-bye to retiring Police Chief Steve
Balinski and retiring Public Works Director Greg Boysen than have been to discuss village issues.
Oh
yes, let’s not forget the parents who came at last week’s Board meeting to
celebrate the state champion Buffalo Grove Cheerleaders.
So
cheerleaders and public works directors have taken the focus of the village. In an election year.
As
sitting Board members, Sussman-Stein-Ottenheimer III have had the chance to
let the public know of their concerns for issues facing the village, but have
not made village board meetings campaign forums.
So
where’s Battinus during the Village Board meetings? My guess he’s in one of two places – he’s out
running (remember, part of his candidacy announcement was based on his jogs
through the village) -- or he’s in Ela Township.
Say
what?
Just
check social media. Battinus has made it
a point to let the world know that he “likes” Ela First.
The
what? Ela First?
Ela First, as noted on its Facebook Page is “…Committed to the people of Ela Township, we will Continue to
provide quality services while maintaining a Balanced Budget with Integrity,
Accountability, and a Proven track..”
I’m not sure why Battinus is interested
or concerned in the fine folks of Ela Township – I mean Lake Zurich is
beautiful this time of year -- but it seems to me that a candidate running for
Buffalo Grove Village Board should be putting Buffalo Grove first.
He’s made it clear his opposition to the
instant-mall and has called for development along Dundee Road and Milwaukee
Avenue. But now what? One local paper endorsed him because of his “fresh
voice”. What it didn’t say is what they
fresh voice was going to say.
Yep, the village needs more commercial and
retail development – you can’t argue that.
But how should it achieve that?
The campaigns of all four candidates have been pretty mum on that.
It’s a $64,000 question that a lot of
folks in Buffalo Grove have been trying to answer. And who knows where the answer will come
from.
But odds are it won’t be in Ela
Township.
