Your vote counts, Northbrook: Support Ciesla for village president

As a longtime Northbrook resident, I strongly endorse Caucus candidate Kathryn Ciesla for Village President. During her 3 terms as trustee, she has provided responsible leadership throughout Northbrook. She listens to and navigates the complex needs of residents and businesses for the well-being of the whole community.

I've worked on neighborhood development and environmental issues in Northbrook for many years. Trustee Ciesla has consistently helped negotiate equitable outcomes. She contributes her extensive legal and administrative experience to serve the village effectively and ethically.

Rather than view every parcel of open space as an opportunity for commercial development, Ciesla balances the needs of residents, businesses and the environment.

This was not always the case in Northbrook. During Gene Marks' pro-development/anti-resident administration, some neighborhoods, like those in East Northbrook, were viewed simply as places ripe for dense commercial development, ignoring the 1500 households, small businesses and treasured open spaces that have been here for decades. Residents and local business owners united in opposition to his contentious administration and elected Caucus candidates led successfully by President Sandy Frum, including Trustee Ciesla. We worked together to create more productive relationships with developers that factored in traffic, zoning and impact with active community input.

Unfortunately, Northbrook's local elections often have low turnout. However, as we've learned during the past few years, our votes matter and our voices count, but only if we use them.

Please don't leave voting up to others. It's easy and important to vote: by absentee ballot, during early voting, or on Election Day. For ethical, inclusive and responsive administration, vote for Kathryn Ciesla for Village President.

Susan Jacobs

Northbrook