A forum for the eight candidates running for Arlington Heights village trustee drew nearly 300 people Tuesday night to the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre.
Arlington Heights attorney Ernie Rose opens the forum.
Members of the new Downtown Arlington Heights Business Alliance hosted the event. Its 50 members incorporated last year with a goal of creating events year round as a way to draw more people to the central business district.
“It was the first time all the candidates came to together as a collective,” said Amy Philpott, who moderated the forum. She is a local realtor and member of the Downtown Arlington Heights Business Alliance.
“It was a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to the community, but our primary goal — with the significant number of candidates in the race — was to increase civic engagement,” said Ernie Rose, an attorney and board member with the Downtown Arlington Heights Business Alliance. “We thought of it as providing a consumer service, to talk about the issues facing downtown Arlington Heights and broaden the perspective of the community.”
The business group plans a similar forum for the mayoral candidates at 7 p.m. March 4 at the Metropolis. Sign up for the free event, here.
(L-R) Anargyros Karafotias, Bill Manganaro, Carina Santa Maria, Colin Gilbert, Greg Zyck, Jim Bertucci, Michele Hunter and moderator Amy Philpott
In all, seven of the eight candidates were in attendance, including Jim Bertucci, the only incumbent running; Colin Gilbert, Michele Hunter, Anargyros “Argie” Karafotias, Bill Manganaro, Carina Santa Maria and Greg Zyck. Only Martin Bauer was unable to attend, since he was in Germany celebrating his mother’s 80th birthday. But he did participate, pre-recording his introduction and answers.
Before the forum, candidates were given three questions to answer, including one about the global issues facing Arlington Heights, about their vision of downtown Arlington Heights and finally about the Chicago Bears possibly building a stadium on the Arlington Park site and their views about the redevelopment of the parcel. Due to time constraints, no questions were taken from the audience.
The candidates also answered a series of 10 questions that the business alliance has made available to the public. Read their complete answers here.
A recording of the forum was filmed by staff members at the Metropolis and was made public on its YouTube channel. View the forum, here.
“Using our downtown location — and the Metropolis stage — brought the candidates together,” Philpott added, “in one of the most pivotal elections in years.”
Brooks agreed, adding: “I thought that all of the candidates did a nice job within the confines of the format. It allowed candidates to provide some thoughtful answers, giving the audience at least a good start on getting to know them.”
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