Talk of the Towns: Local leaders participate in State of the Villages

Before looking ahead to 2025, it was time to look back on 2024 on Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Winnetka Congregational Church.

Municipal leaders from Winnetka, Kenilworth and Northfield provided summaries of their work over the year at the annual State of the Villages Holiday Tea from the League of Women Voters of Winnetka-Northfield-Kenilworth.

WINNETKA

Village President Chris Rintz and Village Manager Rob Bahan did the honors of representing the Village of Winnetka.

Rintz reflected on improvement projects during his administration — such as stormwater retention, streetscape work and the progress of the farmers market — that he feels helped the community grow.

“I’ve always believed you can effect really powerful social change with physical change,” he said.

Rintz is in his final of four two-year terms as president and also offered some parting words.

“I’ve been so, so, so fortunate to be given the opportunity to just be me and go out in the world and bring home the bacon for Winnetka,” he said.

Bahan provided updates on several ongoing projects in Winnetka. He touched on the status of the post office project while also saying that One Winnetka, the Walden and Chase Bank projects would all likely see developments in the first half of 2025.

Bahan also touted Winnetka’s commercial vacancy rate of 2.45%, a significant improvement from 14 percent in 2019. He said 10 new businesses opened in Winnetka in 2024, and the town has seen 18 new restaurants since 2020.

Within the next year, Winnetka property owners will see the installation of new automated water and electricity readers, he said. And Bahan also highlighted the Winnetka Music Festival, which brought a record 12,500 people to downtown Winnetka over the summer.

KENILWORTH

Village President Cecily Kaz and first-year Village Manager Kathy Thake provided updates on the Village of Kenilworth.

Thake spent a significant amount of her time talking about the progress at Kenilworth Beach, the community’s largest ongoing improvement project. She also touted the village’s new business grant program and relayed that Kenilworth is undertaking a major update to its village code.

As far as development news, Thake shared a major scoop that the owners of Kenilworth’s lone restaurant, Great Coast Commons, are planning a second eatery — a pub and pizzeria — just a few doors down on Green Bay Road.

Kaz talked about her decision to run for another term in office and the importance of Kenilworth’s community engagement to provide vision for the Green Bay Road and beach improvements.

NORTHFIELD

Village Manager Patrick Brennan, who came over to Northfield after several years as Kenilworth’s village manager, led the discussion on the Village of Northfield. Village President Greg Lungmus was not in attendance.

Brennan discussed a recent and important decision made just a night earlier in regard to the future of the Happ Road Improvement Project. The project is in the process of being reworked, and a roundabout will not be included.

The Village also has been busy improving staffing within its police department, which at one point, Brennan said, was down six officers — or 30 percent of the force. He said new programs have so far been “largely successful” in solving the issue.

Brennan also said the village is looking to Winnetka for inspiration to improve its economic development and is considering zoning changes in a corridor on Central Avenue.

Northfield is also continuing work to try to connect its portion of the Skokie Valley Trail.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

Subscribe to The Record to fund responsible news coverage for your community.

Already a subscriber? You can make a tax-deductible donation at any time.