Source: Chicago Daily Herald
Passion and a strong desire to make their community a better place are the qualities each of the five candidates running in Palatine's 6th District village council race have in common.
Still, each feels uniquely qualified to capture the seat.
With Tuesday's primary election looming, the candidates for the Palatine Village Council seat are pulling out all the stops to get their messages across.
This week, each of the candidates shared their views with the Daily Herald as to why they possess the necessary skills to lead the district over the next four years.
As a business owner, 41-year-old John Simonaitis, who holds a bachelor's degree from St. Norbert College in Wisconsin, says his negotiating skills can be a useful tool in helping to communicate with fellow council members and residents.
"If I don't get the other council members to agree with me and be able to negotiate with them and work with them in understanding the issue that's in my district, it ends up going nowhere," said Simonaitis, who owns Parkreation Inc. in Prospect Heights.
Simonaitis says while the other candidates have focused their efforts on issues relating to the downtown area, he says there are other issues throughout the district and village.
Teri Williams believes her nine years as a member of the Palatine plan commission have brought her in tune with the concerns of the entire village.
"I've been hearing the issues that affect all the neighborhoods in Palatine, not just the downtown area," said Williams, a 43-year- old legal assistant and administrator of the law firm of Cox, Oakes & Associates in Northbrook.
Williams says she dealt with calls from residents concerning flooding, snow removal, senior living and low-income housing.
For 39-year-old Brad Helms, a lifelong resident of Palatine, the quest is to continue with his family's public service work.
"I feel that I have a sense of belonging in the town because my family has been a part of where we are at today. I'd like to continue that," said Helms, who has an associate's degree in applied science from Harper College.
A golf course superintendent for the Palatine Park District, he says his connections to the downtown neighborhood gives him insight into the needs of its residents.
As the owner of a software business in downtown Palatine, 58- year-old Arthur Goes brings with him much education and public service experience.
He holds an industrial engineering degree from Northwestern University and an MBA from the University of Chicago. Goes also served as a board member of Palatine Township Elementary District 15 in the 1970s.
"A lot of issues that you handle in business are very similar to village issues. ...Part of my job is to assess customer needs," Goes said. "I do know how to listen and I've done that."
For Roy Streed, participation on various issues that have come before the village council over the years is what sets him apart, he says. Some of his efforts, he says, have led to positive change in the village and his neighborhood.
"I've heard all the ideas of what was going on," said 47-year- old Streed. "I have a kind of feel for what some of the issues are."
Streed is director of information technology for SBC and holds a bachelor's degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.
