Candidates for village, park, school and library boards in Kirkland discussed the issues facing their community in a town hall style forum held at the Kirkland Fire Department facility. The forum was sponsored by the Kirkland Chamber of Commerce and was moderated by Ken Brooks, chamber president.
The candidates were given nine questions in advance of the forum to have prepared answers for. Members of the audience were then given opportunity to ask questions of the candidates directly.
Just a few short years ago Kirkland (as was many other northern Illinois communities) was facing numerous annexation requests and residential subdivision plats. The various boards wrestled with how they were going to manage the inevitable growth confronting them.
And then real life got in the way.
Home prices rose unchecked. Real estate became such a surefire short term investment that even bad risk mortgages were profitable. In the spirit of Ross Perot that giant sucking sound we heard was the deflating appraisals that turned a gazillion homes upside down in their mortgage.
Growth management? Kirkland candidates were asked, “How do you maintain services when homes are selling for less than 50% of their original value which is reducing our EAV and the state’s looking at cutting another 10%-20% from local government?”
Watch the videos below to see the candidates for the Village of Kirkland Board of Trustees, Franklin Township Park District, Kirkland-Hiawatha School District and the Kirkland Library District respond to some pretty tough questions. Turn your volume up because the event was not amplified.
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I like this and I am thankful for the coverage. The video prooves a point…..If one has not even attended a Village Board meeting in many years, i.e. John Pierce and Mike Crase, how then, could they possibly presume to fix problems that do not even exist. And for John to make the statement to me in person, that he “will be a thorn in my #%% for the next two years,” is in a word pathetic!! Government will never work when people have a vindictive agenda and seek election. This current Village Board will never be responsible for taking away the safety and welfare of our citizens. If these guys are elected….it may be a toss up!! You the voter’s are in the driver’s seat.