Lake in the Hills Village Board Trustee Candidate: Stephen Harlfinger

Name: Stephen Harlfinger
Age:  37
Family: Wife – Danielle, Daughters – Alexandria (12), Brooke (9)
Education: High School, Some College
Occupation: Vice President for Sterling Fire Restoration, Ltd.
Previous Elected or Appointed Offices: Incumbent Village Trustee
Position sought: Village Trustee
Political party:  Independent
Campaign Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Committee-to-Elect-Stephen-J-Harlfinger

What is the primary reason you are running for this office?  

To continue to serve the residents and businesses of Lake In The Hills as a Village Trustee as I have for the past 12 years.

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?  What are the top three issues facing Lake in the Hills residents?  

I will continue to focus on building safety, protecting our residents as consumers, and also continue to work to bring in and develop our commercial areas for business.

Recently I have been speaking with residents and staff about what we can do as a village to deal with the unfortunate homes that have been left vacant and/or foreclosed by the recent financial downfall this country has faced. Working with Financial Institutions and Landlords to get these homes once again occupied by people who want to be part of a community is a must. I would like to address the homes that have become abandoned and left to sit, becoming an eyesore in the various neighborhoods. We need to require that the landlords and/or financial institution that own the home maintain it to a higher standard until these homes are sold. If the home continues as a rental property, we need to ensure that the new residents and landlord continue to maintain the home, and be a part of the community. Hopefully we will be able to assist those that need a place to stay, and want to reside in Lake In The Hills because they get that sense of what it means to be a member of the neighborhood, community, and live in Lake In The Hills.


What sets you apart from the other candidates?  

I have served on the Village Board as a Trustee for the past 12 years which has given me the experience to listen to the concerns of the residents. During this time, I have been the youngest member of the Village Board as well. I am also the only currently serving village board member to have grown up in Lake In The Hills. As this village grew, I have grown alongside with it. Learning from what was done in the past, and help move us into a more positive direction with various residents, board members, and our staff. As a Village Trustee, along with others in the community and the village board we have developed numerous items and programs. My main focus for the past several years has been for building safety in the community, protecting the consumer, and economic development.

What is your favorite thing about Lake in the Hills?

As a lifelong resident (minus a few years in the Army and Education), my favorite thing is has always been the sense of community we had when this village was a small suburb.  We watched out for each other, helped our neighbors, and took pride in our neighborhood.

What is your least favorite thing about Lake in the Hills?

The traffic congestion we have.

What does Lake in the Hills need to do to attract more businesses and retail in the future? 

I believe that we are moving in the right direction to attract more businesses by offering incentive programs.  

Do you support a Continuous Flow Intersection at Randall and Algonquin roads? Why or why not?

I have publicly spoken against the county’s plan, as it will cripple the businesses we have at Algonquin and Randall.  It will call for removing some of the businesses, while eliminating access to those that could remain.










What improvements, if any, would you like to see in the way village government is run in Lake in the Hills?
We have an excellent staff in place to run the daily operation of providing the services to our residents.  Our staff has continued to develop ways to better communicate with our residents.  I believe that with some of our developments lately, we are now improving our line of communication with the businesses in Lake In The Hills.

Anything else you would like to add? Additional comments:
I can only add that I represent practically every resident. I grew up in the original section of Lake In The Hills, I am the youngest member of the Village Board, and I have spent 12 years as a Trustee developing relationships with other elected officials at both the County and State levels to help Lake In The Hills. As a Village Trustee, I have helped develop numerous programs and ordinances to improve public safety, and consumer awareness. As well as those residents that have a small business at home, such contractors, or those that drive a business vehicle that needs to meet the requirements of their profession. I will continue to push forward in developing our commercial areas, while protecting the interests of the residents’ concerns. My profession as a contractor allows me to provide insight for building safety, as well as consumer rights. Most importantly, I have always been here for Lake In The Hills. As a child, a young man, and now as an adult with a family of my own. I have made Lake In The Hills my home for a lifetime, and I think it shows.