Clarendon Hills Asked To Delay Major Actions Until After Election

CLARENDON HILLS, IL – A slate of Clarendon Hills candidates is calling for the current Village Board to defer major long-term decisions until after the April election.

In a statement Thursday, the Clear Choice slate said it has invited the rival slate, Clarendon Hills Together, to join it at Monday's board meeting to make the same request.

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Such a request could affect proposed downtown improvements, which have divided residents for the last couple of years.

The Clear Choice candidates are Keith Chval for village president and Kathleen Hirsman, Erika Jones and Derek White for three trustee positions.

They said residents deserve an opportunity to weigh in before the village makes major commitments.

"Regarding the proposed plaza project in particular, with planned Village Holiday activities and the slow winter construction season upon us, there will be relatively little construction activity occurring in the near term," candidate White said in the statement. "Taking the time to hear from residents before moving forward would provide an important community benefit with minimal impact on the overall project timeline."

Originally, the village proposed replacing the downtown traffic triangle with a permanent plaza. But many residents opposed that idea, saying it would cause traffic backups.

In September, the Village Board approved a $1.9 million no-bid deal for downtown improvements.

The project does not include a permanent plaza, but would feature retractable bollards. That would let the village block the triangle for village events. Many opposed that idea as well.

The Clarendon Hills Together slate appears friendly to the village's downtown approach. They are Corri Natarelli for village president and Laura Donnelly and incumbents Ralph DeAngelis and Elizabeth O'Connell for trustee positions. Last year, Village President Eric Tech appointed O'Connell.

Tech has not revealed his political plans.

Patch left messages for comment with Tech and the Clarendon Hills Together slate on Clear Choice's statement.