CREST HILL – Crest Hill residents packed a room Wednesday night at the Crest Hill Branch library to hear from candidates in a three-headed mayoral race and two others who are vying for a spot on the City Council in the April election.

Incumbent Mayor Ray Soliman is facing challengers in longtime Alderman John Vershay and former Mayor Nick Churnovic, while incumbent 4th Ward Alderman Charles Convery is being challenged by former Alderman Nate Albert.

After short introductions, the first question asked by a resident was about the lack of economic development in the city’s Weber Road corridor. The resident wanted to know the candidates’ plans to bring retail to the area, as the city has appeared to lose businesses such as Thomas Toyota and Blain’s Farm & Fleet to Romeoville.

Soliman said developers are waiting for road improvements to be completed in the area, but developers and corporations also know exactly how many rooftops they need in an area to be successful. He said he’s been told many times that Crest Hill simply doesn’t have the rooftops yet, but the building boom is heading south from Romeoville.

“There’s been a lot of activity since we announced those road improvements,” Soliman said.

Churnovic said he thinks there’s “too much red tape” in Crest Hill.

“When you drive down Weber Road, something is wrong,” Churnovic said. “You go to Joliet, they’re building. Across Weber Road, there’s excavators there every week. We’ve got to cut the red tape.”

Churnovic knocked the city for passing an ordinance in 2009 that required a fire suppression system to be included in every home built.

“If you want to be pro-business, that’s the last thing you’d want to do,” Churnovic said, suggesting that the rule prevented homes from being built because of cost.

Churnovic, who was mayor from 2005 to 2009, said the city needs to be more competitive. He referenced the deal Romeoville struck with Thomas Toyota, in which the dealership will get back $8 million over 30 years. Crest Hill offered $5.5 million.

“If you’re not competitive, you’re going to lose a business,” Churnovic said. “The question now is, by not going the extra mile, how much did we lose? Because that business is going to be there for decades to come.”

Churnovic and Albert said they support giving larger sales tax rebate offers to big retailers than the city has in recent years, while Soliman and Convery stood by the offers that were made, citing a deal that was given to Menards years ago that brought in the retailer. Soliman said one factor slowing development near Menards is that the company’s owner isn’t budging on his asking prices for surrounding land.

Soliman noted how the city started a part-time economic development department in 2009, later turning it into a full-time operation and welcoming 262 businesses to the city in the past eight years. Vershay, however, claimed that Economic Development and Zoning Manager Scott McMaster doesn’t have the necessary experience for the job.

Churnovic took it a step further, saying that perhaps the city needs to review all positions and see whether people are truly the best candidate for their jobs.

Soliman and Convery went to bat for McMaster. Soliman vouched for McMaster’s work ethic. Convery said McMaster gives “120 percent” and the city continues to market itself to developers, going to conventions in Las Vegas and Chicago to attract business.

Soliman said he’s proud of how he and the council have worked to get everything in place for the boom that is about to come in the next four years. He said whoever is elected mayor for the upcoming term will be overseeing a lot of development.

“The table has been set, now it’s time to serve the dinner,” Soliman said.