Marengo will not have a competitive race for its City Council in the upcoming election, drawing ire from a few of the incumbents over the lack of involvement from the community.
Five seats are up for grabs in April, and five candidates, all of whom are incumbents, have filed to run.
The election comes during a crucial point in Marengo’s development, as the city is looking towards developing the Interstate 90 and Route 23 interchange south of town, which city and county officials have long hoped could result in an economic boon for the area.
Along with development, Marengo’s infrastructure has drawn attention from both residents and aldermen as potentially the biggest challenge the city faces going forward.
Michael Miller is the lone candidate in Ward 1; as is Michael DeSerto in Ward 2. Darin Mobley is running alone in Ward 3, while Ward 4 had two open seats. Michael Proffitt filed for for a two-year term there, and Carla Weiss for the four-year one. All five are currently on the board.
DeSerto said the lack of filings for City Council makes it feel like the city has lost a sense of community. This is the second time he will run unopposed, he said.
“I think building a sense of community is one of my larger priorities,” DeSerto said.
He and Miller both noted there are a lot of people in town who complain about things going wrong, but do not get involved.
While Mobley said he and a couple others are fairly new and so there is still fresh blood on the City Council, he said he’s always encouraging people to participate.
“I think we have a good group of aldermen now, and we work together well to move the city in the right direction, in my opinion,” Mobley said.
As the city moves into 2023, the City Council has its sights set on bringing business into town – with priority going to the I-90 corridor – and upgrading its infrastructure.
The I-90 and Route 23 corridor marks the first location where McHenry County is connected to the interstate. The city also recently received a grant needed to launch necessary infrastructure in the area. As a result, it’s been targeted by many local officials as a potential spot to bring in hefty development and business.
“We need to get some utilities down there first,” Miller said. “That’s going to take a lot of time and money. That is not going to happen overnight.”
DeSerto said he’d like to see businesses brought in that are tied to manufacturing, but his ultimate goal is to bring in jobs. That in turn could lead to more residential development, which could bring in businesses that will generate sales tax.
“I’d love to see another grocery store in town,” DeSerto said.
Mobley said he didn’t have a preference in terms of the kind of business that goes in the area, as long as it helps grow the city and tax revenue. Proffitt said either commercial or manufacturing businesses would be positive.
“Having convenient shopping locations is a benefit for all,” Mobley said.
Away from the interchange and closer to the heart of town, Miller said the focus needs to be on bringing in the right businesses to help promote community and growth. One example he gave is a hardware store, which Marengo currently doesn’t have.
“We want to make sure what we get into town is best for the long term,” Miller said.
Candidates also emphasized the need to upgrade the city’s infrastructure, including its roads and its water and sewer systems. Several, including DeSerto, listed it as the biggest challenge for the city going forward.
“We’ve been kicking the can for the last 30 years,” DeSerto said.
Mobley called infrastructure his biggest priority. He said without strong infrastructure, it will be much harder to attract new businesses, and with the size of Marengo, he said the city has been working with a “strained budget.”
“It’s what our residents use every single day,” he said. “We’re trying to put our dollars toward things that will have the most impact.”
The budget was something Proffitt said was a concern in terms of upgrading roads. Overall, he just wants to keep the ship steady.
“It’s not very feasible for us to pave a lot of ground every year,” he said.
Attempts to reach Weiss were unsuccessful.
