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4 candidates file for 3 village trustee seats in Buffalo Grove
Election 2013
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Updated: February 4, 2013 6:37AM
BUFFALO GROVE — The three incumbents on Buffalo Grove’s Village Board will face a challenger April 9.
Jeffrey Battinus will join trustees Les Ottenheimer, Beverly Sussman and Andy Stein on the spring ballot. The filing period for municipal positions closed at 5 p.m. Dec. 26, setting up the four-person contest with three seats up for grabs.
“I enjoy serving the people of Buffalo Grove, and I’d like to see what I can do with a full term,” said Stein, whom voters elected in 2011.
Stein said one of his prime objectives, if elected to the four-year slot, would be to attract new commerce to town. To accomplish the goal, he supports hiring a full-time replacement for Ghida Neukirch, the former deputy village manager whose responsibility was to bring new businesses into Buffalo Grove.
“It’s an honor to serve the residents of Buffalo Grove,” said Sussman, who seeks her second, four-year stint. “It’s wonderful to do whatever you can to help the village.”
Ottenheimer said the village is on solid financial footing, but added that 2013 shapes up to be a critical year because of continuing revenue uncertainties.
He said some of his priorities would be to further reduce expenses, and maintain Village Hall’s AAA bond rating.
For Battinus, the motivation to seek office comes from what he’s seen and experienced since moving to town in 2010.
He explained that he’s seen the commercial landscape changing too much for the worse.
“The more I run, the more I see businesses shutting down,” said Battinus, an avid runner. “It’s concerning.”
One of the hot issues in the village trustee race is sure to be the proposal for a built-from-scratch downtown development.
Battinus said he has yet to see enough details or figures to form a definite position, but noted that he has heard from a divided community while he walked door-to-door gathering signatures.
“I’ve probably knocked on more than 1,000 doors since I decided to run,” Battinus said. “I’m actually finding a 50/50 split.”
DISTRICT 102 SCHOOL BOARD
Five candidates are running for four seats on the Aptakisic-Tripp Elementary District 102 School Board. Board president Gary Friedlander and member Joan Koriath are not running for re-election.
Sitting members Lenny Ostach and Pelleg Graupe will seek re-election, with competition from Scott Linn, Jeremy Galfield and Zeba Sward.
When asked about a board with two or three new members, District 102 Superintendent Theresa Dunkin said she has no concerns about the potential turnover in leadership positions.
The district announced a new, three-year contract with its teachers’ union at the end of December, and Dunkin said whoever joins the existing board will find an environment to which is easy to adapt.
“Board stability, for District 102, will continue to be paramount,” Dunkin said. “Without board stability, we can’t continue to do the things we’re doing.”
PARK DISTRICT
There will be no turnover on the Buffalo Grove Park District’s Board of Commissioners.
The Park Board race offers three seats, and Jack Schmerer, Scott Jacobson and Adriane Johnson will return without opposition.
