There are four seats open on the village council. And the Review offers its enthusiastic support to three candidates: Joe Byrnes, Rachell Entler and Daniel Novak. We do not offer an endorsement for the fourth seat.
Joe Byrnes is simply the salt-of-the-earth. Smart, decent, direct, friendly. He spent most of his career as a Forest Park cop and was acting chief when he retired some 16 years ago. He served a term on the Park District of Forest Park board at a time when that group distinguished itself for both its forward movement and its collegiality. This man loves this town, has the gift of common sense and, we trust, has the strength of character to remain an independent voice on the council.
Rachell Entler, another candidate with deep Forest Park roots, also brings the most intriguing spark to this campaign. Employed at the park district, a past member of the recreation board, Entler is both well connected to the village’s history but also seems the most comfortable with welcoming change and new voices. We don’t doubt her independence and, as the only woman and only person of color running, we strongly back her election.
Daniel Novak, like Byrnes and Entler, has deep ties to Forest Park. His dad, Dave, ran the park district for decades and now Dan is a top guy at the Wheaton Park District. Novak is the only fully independent commissioner candidate. The other four are aligned with Mayor Anthony Calderone.
This is a council that badly needs independent, thoughtful voices, and we are completely confident that Daniel Novak will bring those qualities, as well as some non-Forest Park governance experience to the village council.
If we believe it is time for voters to replace Calderone as mayor, then we cannot endorse either Mark Hosty or Tom Mannix for re-election. We find them individually and collectively to be small-minded practitioners of all that is wrong with Forest Park government. Mark Hosty, who we must say has his virtues, has served too long. And voters need to stop Tom Mannix before he thinks he owns the place, too.
