All Four Buffalo Grove Trustee Candidates to Participate in Forum

All four Buffalo Grove trustee candidates will participate in Thursday night’s forum, they have confirmed.

The plans, which were settled Wednesday, came after the three current trustees who are seeking re-election backed out of the event earlier this week due to concerns over compliance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Trustees Les Ottenheimer, Andy Stein and Beverly Sussman, along with write-in candidate Jeff Battinus, have since agreed to modifications in the forum’s agenda. The event will feature two of the candidates from roughly 7-8 p.m. and the other two from 8-9 p.m. This will prevent the three elected officials from being present at once, therefore eliminating the possibility that an Open Meetings Act violation might occur. 

“It’s going to be like musical chairs,” Ottenheimer said.

The March 7 event, which is being organized by Save Buffalo Grove, will be held at the Village Bar & Grill. The grassroots organization is made up of residents who are concerned about the downtown Buffalo Grove proposal. 

Leon Gopon, one of the group’s leaders, said he’s pleased that all four trustee candidates will participate in the forum.

“It’s great. That’s what we wanted in the first place,” he said Wednesday. 

During the first hour of the event, audience members will be invited to submit cards with their questions for the candidates. The questions chosen by the moderators will be asked to both pairs of candidates, Gopon said.

The event is expected to conclude around 9:30 p.m.