North Cook News

One incumbent plus three challengers comprise a four-candidate slate for three vacancies on the village of Northbrook’s board of trustees in the April 4 election.

Of the three trustees, only Kathryn Ciesla is seeking re-election. She is joined by Muriel Collison, Jason Han and Scott Bush; of the four, only Bush is campaigning as an independent, while the remaining three are running as candidates endorsed by the Northbrook Caucus.

Incumbent candidate Ciesla is a lawyer with Ciesla/Bieler in Northfield. Her current focus is mainly financial, with technological advances at the ready; she acknowledged that if re-elected, she would like to serve on the village’s administration and finance committee. Infrastructure facilities and services top her priorities, she said, along with downtown development matters.

Collison is a fourth-generation Northbrook resident who cherishes its small-town feel. An attorney with Collison Law Offices in Chicago, she has served on the Northbrook Plan Commission since 2013. Collison expressed a desire to spur business growth, with careful attention to development and related matters such as parking. Seniors’ needs also rank high on her list, particularly provisions for aging in place.

Han owns a downtown Chicago law firm specializing in employee rights and previously worked as a photojournalist. Stating that one-fifth of Northbrook’s population is Asian, Han would like to bring diversity to the board and bridge generations as a younger candidate. He cited sustainability, outreach and housing as top priorities, with an eye towards improving government at the state level.

The sole independent candidate, Bush is a firefighter/paramedic who manages both a family-owned construction business and a home inspection service. He advocates continued financial stability and family friendliness for the community, and cited concern over development projects and infrastructure.