Des Plaines aldermanic candidates differ on downtown and traffic plans

Candidates for seats on Des Plaines’ city council differ on plans for the downtown area and the best way to ease train-related traffic delays.

Two people are running for each of four aldermanic posts that are up in the April 1 consolidated local election: current City Clerk Jessica Mastalski and newcomer Margaret Chlebek in the 1st Ward; incumbent Sean Oskerka and challenger Debra Lester in the 3rd Ward; newcomers Thomas A. Merlin and Michael Hardiman in the 5th Ward; and incumbent Patsy Smith and challenger Bob Porada in the 7th Ward.

All eight candidates discussed these and other issues Wednesday night during a public forum at city hall sponsored by the Journal & Topics Media Group.

Efforts to revitalize the downtown district along and around Miner Street was the first issue raised during the nearly 90-minute discussion.

While Oskerka, Hardiman, Merlin, Smith and Chlebek explicitly supported the city’s downtown plans and projects, Lester qualified her answer by saying she backs “thoughtful development” there. Lester expressed concern about the cost of buildings the city has purchased for future redevelopment, and she said officials should be more transparent about how much maintaining such buildings — specifically the Leela Arts Center building at Miner and Lee streets — costs taxpayers.

Porada was more critical, saying the downtown’s street system is preventing the area from thriving economically. He singled out Miner Street as a problem, calling it “a super highway” that people are afraid to cross on foot.

Porada, who unsuccessfully ran for a council seat in 2015 and 2017, also disparaged the downtown Metra station by calling it “the world’s largest bus depot.”

Mastalski praised city officials for trying to improve the downtown but said they don’t have “an overall vision.” She said the recent trend of allowing developers to construct apartment buildings with ground-floor retail space might not be the answer and could lead to prolonged vacancies in those storefronts.

The candidates differed even more when asked about the proposals for easing traffic delays caused by trains running north and south on the Union Pacific tracks. City officials have been studying the problem for years.

Hardiman and Smith favored creating a bridge for either Algonquin Road or Oakton Street over the tracks. Mastalski said an overpass in either location would be successful but said doing it on Algonquin Road makes more sense because one on Oakton would create more auto traffic near Maine West High School.

Chlebek and Porada backed an Algonquin Road overpass, while Lester said an underpass for Oakton Street traffic would be best.

Oskerka said he’d support an overpass or an underpass and would prefer it be constructed on Algonquin Road.

The candidates also discussed their political and community experience, whether Des Plaines would benefit from more public art and if they support cannabis dispensaries opening in town, among other issues.

While most of the candidates focused entirely on the issues raised by the moderator, Porada and Mastalski jabbed at their opponents on personal issues.

A video of the forum can be viewed on the city’s website.