A press release from Ed Varda, candidate for McHenry County Board in District 4:

Ed Varga and family

I announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for McHenry County Board representative from District 4.

Having just completed twelve years of service to the people of McHenry County as an appointee to the Board of Health, my desire to serve my community is not ending but rather just beginning.

I first got to know my community while spending time visiting my Grandmother’s farm on Howe Road in Wonder Lake. This included trips to the General Store in Greenwood for penny candy and ice cream at the Candy Cone in Richmond. Back then it was only on weekends and summers, but it still left time for horses rides through the Northern Pump Farm and movies at the Skyline Drive-In in McHenry.

Things have changed a great deal since those days, but the desire to make a home for one’s family in McHenry County is something that has not changed. It was my father’s ambition and it is mine as well.

Making a home for one’s family requires more than bricks and mortar. It requires the creation of a community which engenders a wholesome spirit with diverse opportunities for those that live within its boundaries. This is what I seek for my family, most especially my sons and nephews, who will one day decide if McHenry County is where they will make a home for their families.

Unfortunately of late, I have watched a County Board filled with representatives whose attitude is best described as ‘laissez-faire’.

They allow the course of the county’s economy to be dictated by that of the neighboring counties, remaining satisfied to react to needs of transportation, jobs, and housing only after they reach crisis state. This reliance on the success of our neighbors for our own prosperity must stop. Our County Board must establish clear goals which will allow us to thrive independently.

A prime example is the 2030 land use plan which puts great emphasis on providing highway and rail expansion to allow for commuters leaving McHenry County for employment opportunities. I see this as a mistake and would rather see enhancing the business climate of our County so our population and work force can find employment here, close to home. The added benefit to be realized with expansion of business within our borders is an increased revenue stream of corporate taxes, lightening the tax burden on homeowners.

McHenry County is my home. This is where my family lives. As a father I want to make the best home I can for my sons. This is why I want to be on the McHenry County Board.

Sincerely,
Edward Varga, PE