The Glen Ellyn Village Board of Trustees has hit an impasse over which economic firm would best guide downtown development.

After hearing from four economic development teams in recent weeks, trustees laid their cards on the table during a workshop meeting Monday, Dec. 10. But when they could not agree on one team, board members postponed their decision for at least a week.

Trustees Sara Lee, Tim Armstrong and Pete Ladesic supported the team led by Houseal Lavigne Associates, while Trustees Jim Comerford and Peter Norton and President Vicky Hase backed the team led by Town Builder Studios. Trustee Michelle Thorsell, with the tie-breaking vote, supported the Vandewalle and Associates team, but she said her second choice was Houseal Lavigne. The fourth team, which received no votes, was led by Teska Associates Inc.

Monday’s discussion ended soon after the board cast their unofficial votes. Trustees will resume the debate during the next workshop meeting Monday, Dec. 17, at which time village leaders hope to break the deadlock.

Trustees who backed Houseal Lavigne said they were impressed with the team’s incisive presentation as well as its pedigree of awards.

“They had 10 minutes to tell us about our community, and I learned a few things,” Lee said. “This community deserves an award-winning corporation to guide us.”

They also mentioned the team’s marketing expert, Daniel Gardner, is a prominent Glen Ellyn resident and a former village trustee.

“Dan has to live in this town,” Armstrong said. “(If things go poorly), he’ll have to hear about it.”

Ladesic said that before the village began accepting applications for economic development teams earlier this fall, he looked at a number of firms including Houseal Lavigne, which had not yet hired Gardner.

He was impressed by the firm even then, Ladesic said, and its case became stronger when Gardner joined.

“I thought, boy, you know what, the planets are really aligned,” he said. “I think they stood out head and shoulders above the rest.”

The supporters of Town Builder Studios cited above all the leadership from firm President Jim Louthen.

“I was looking for expertise,” Comerford said before casting his vote.

They also noted the strength of the team members, including the architecture firm and marketing firm.

Hase said she was impressed that Gruen Gruen and Associates, the team’s marketing firm, seems eager to tailor a business plan specifically to Glen Ellyn’s needs.

“They don’t use boilerplate plans,” she said. “We need to have real honest answers.”
Thorsell said she supported Vandewalle and Associates largely for their environmentally friendly agenda with their emphasis, for example, on bicycle transportation.

The delay in a decision means the village will not hire a firm until at least a month from now.

If the trustees come to an agreement next week, the village would have to negotiate a contract before trustees officially hire the firm. With the holidays approaching, the next village meeting after Monday is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 14.