Two of three candidates running for village trustee endorsed the idea of declaring River Forest a sanctuary community during a candidate forum Thursday while a third thought the idea warranted discussion.
Incumbent trustee Tom Cargie, and newcomers Respicio Vazquez and Patty Henek also favored adopting a resolution in support of universal background checks in gun sales and retaining red-light cameras.
They also addressed issues such as village finances, affordable housing, economic development, historic preservation and eminent domain during the event sponsored by the River Forest Service Club.
The forum, at Concordia University, was conducted by the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest. The league is noted for giving all candidates an equal and brief amount of time to answer questions.
All four candidates for park board and three of the five candidates for township trustee also answered queries germane to their contests.
Village President Catherine Adduci, who is running unopposed, also made a statement as did write-ins for village clerk Calvin Davis and Kathleen White.
Not attending were incumbent township trustees Mark Kelty and Anna Romeo and incumbent village trustee Tom Dwyer.
River Forest trustees have not yet discussed whether to become a welcoming, or sanctuary, community. A recent article in the New York Times defined a sanctuary city as a community that generally does not comply with federal requests to detain undocumented immigrants who have been arrested on charges unrelated to their immigration status and turn them over to the federal authorities for possible deportation.
A member of a District 90 committee that addresses inclusiveness issues inside the schools, Vazquez said people have defined sanctuary cities as a violation of federal law and that’s not what it is. He said it is “welcoming people. We’re all a part of this community,” said Vazquez who “is totally in support” of it.
Cargie’s only question is if non-home rule communities like River Forest can take a position similar to Oak Park. “If it is legal to do so, I’m all in favor of it,” Cargie said.
Henek said there should be a conversation. “It’s important to feel welcome in the community, safe and have people looking out for them,” she said.
Cargie, Vazquez and Henek also supported universal background checks for firearm transfers. That measure was in a Cook County advisory referendum that 84 percent of River Forest voters approved in 2014. That question called on the General Assembly to pass a package of gun control measures including prohibition of the sale and transfer of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. The package failed to win approval.
Some residents last month asked the village to approve a similar resolution, and Cargie, who spoke in favor of it, noted that if residents spoke that clearly in support, “we should formalize that. I’m hopeful we will have it on an agenda, and I hope it will pass.” The measure could come up before trustees later this month.
Henek also supported it, noting “we have to start somewhere, and this is that starting point,” she said.
Vazquez called it a no-brainer.
In addition, the three called on the village to continue using red light cameras. They called them an important tool for public safety. The cameras also provide a significant portion of the village’s capital budget. Removing them, Henek said, would complicate how the village pays for street and alley repairs and other capital improvements. The village brought in $667,000 from violations at Lake and Harlem and North and Harlem.
Park board candidates Cheryl Cargie, Calvin Davis, Gerry Dombrowski and Lynn Libera called for collaborating with the township and the Cook County Forest Preserve District to provide more space for park district programs.
Cargie, Dombrowski and Libera said the park district should continue partnerships with Trinity High School and the schools to share indoor space. Davis said the park district needs a facility but green space shouldn’t be removed. The park district should remove part of the parking lot instead. “Half of the people who park there don’t live here anyway,” he said.
In addition, they all called on the park district to use its $2 million surplus to expand programs particularly for seniors. Dombrowski wanted to see the installation of a turf field.