Endorsement of Adam Stolberg: Letter

Written and submitted by Walter Hainsfurther

The issues that face the City of Highland Park and its City Council are complex. They go beyond the knowledge and expertise of candidates without significant experience in currently finding solutions to issues facing the City. They include City finances, business district vitality, infrastructure, and development issues. In Highland Park, for as long as I have lived here, experience makes the difference.

I have had the opportunity to serve the City of Highland Park as both a Zoning Board of Appeals member and a Plan Commissioner for over 15 years. I have worked with the City Council, in various forms, for the over 30 years I have been a resident. I also have worked with elected governmental bodies throughout the Chicago area, so I know the attributes necessary to make one an effective public servant.

Of the candidates running for the vacancy resulting from Paul Frank’s resignation, only Adam Stolberg possesses the experience needed to guide the City to a better tomorrow.

Adam served the past 5 years as a member and chairman of the Plan Commission in Highland Park, a training ground that has produced some of our most effective City Council members, including the current mayor, Nancy Rotering. Adam led and successfully implemented the merger of the former Design Review Commission members into the new Plan and Design Commission. The result is a streamlined process for applicants.

As a Commission member, Adam saw and acted on many of the important issues facing the City first hand. This is especially true with several of the major developments either in place or planned for around town. What is the future of Downtown Highland Park? How can we encourage transit oriented development and changes in the Ravinia District? Does a high density, senior housing development fit the area around the former B’nai Torah site? How do we maintain the character of our community while insuring it remains the vibrant area that is the envy of the North Shore?

In his “day job” as the head of a property management company, Adam listens to the communities he works with, and balance competing interests. As anyone who works with condominium associations can tell you, there are competing demands made by residents who are often uninvolved until a situation that impacts them arises. That is something that many of us can relate to and Adam knows how to strike balance and find solutions. He understands and manages infrastructure and property services for these communities, so these issues are second nature to him. There will be no learning on the job for Adam, since he has years of experience dealing with similar situations.

Finally, Adam wants to serve us for a very simple reason: Help Highland Park continue to be the community that we all love, if not even more so. He has no other agenda.

I hope that you will join me in supporting the experienced, clear choice for the two year term on the Highland Park City Council… Adam Stolberg.

Walter Hainsfurther, FAIA

Highland Park, IL
Zoning Board of Appeals 1989 -1999
Plan Commission 1999 – 2005