Assessor Sorrentino recalls a life dedicated to community service

By Bob Balgemann

Reporter

He described his youth as one spent on the road, living in Japan, Germany, California, Boston, and “most everywhere in between.” In fact, he attended 13 different schools before graduating from Harlem High School.

And so the life of Mark Sorrentino, as a military brat, was about to take root.

“The Harlem School District and Harlem Community Center (HCC) embraced me in the absence of my father, who was overseas” serving in the U.S. Army, he recalled. “I learned about diversity. I came to know this was home, this was community. I’ve been a Huskie ever since.”

He graduated from Harlem High School in 1971 and attended Augustana College, then embarked on a lifetime of community service that included coaching for 30 seasons, serving on the Machesney Park Village Board for 11 years and now, the last 10 years, as Harlem Township Assessor.

As 2020 begins, he embarks on a new chapter in his life following his retirement Dec. 31 as assessor.

His coaching tenure included HCC, the Rockford Park District, Park Boys Baseball and Harlem School District 122. Football, baseball, and basketball. “It was all good, very rewarding,” he said. “Got to see kids grow.”

Back in 1992, he was part of the District 122 program, coaching the junior high Huskies with his father, the late Mario Sorrentino. A young man named Jim Morrow had received his bachelor’s degree from nearby Northern Illinois University in DeKalb and was looking for a football job.

Coach Mark liked what he saw and brought Morrow on as a volunteer, assistant coach.

Fast forward to 2014. Morrow was in his 11th season as head coach of the high school Huskies and invited Sorrentino to return to District 122, as a volunteer, assistant coach of running backs. Quite an opportunity for the man who once ran the ball when he was a student at Harlem.

“He brings an enthusiasm and competitiveness to everything he does,” Morrow said of his new assistant. “There are not many people as passionate as he is about Harlem football.”

Looking back, Coach Sorrentino said, “It was rewarding to see Jim grow as a coach and as a person. That’s what it’s all about. It’s nice to win but it’s all about the growth of character not only of the players, but of the coaches, too. While you’re giving to the kids, they’re giving back to you, too.”

Village board

There were lots of positives during the 11 years Trustee Sorrentino spent as a member of the Machesney Park Village Board.

One of them, possibly the most important, was creation of the tax increment financing districts (TIFs) and development of the Illinois 173 corridor, which has evolved into a shopping destination locally, in the region and in southern Wisconsin.

“We did all that without a property tax,” he said. “A big part was the vision of Mayor Frank Bauer. Getting the armory here was a sign that we would get an interchange at the tollway. Mayor Linda Vaughn shared that vision and continued the growth. Those efforts have been maintained by the mayors who followed, and 173 continues to be a shopping destination for many.”

Another big step was passing two sales tax referendums for road improvements, the first in 2008, which “transformed the appearance of Machesney Park,” he said. “We made sure the money was spent on residential roads, as the referendum required. No other line items. You need checks and balances and discipline to hold that promise.”

He added, “The second (referendum) passed by a greater margin than the first.”

Also during his tenure on the board the village continued to financially support efforts by HCC to provide a vast variety of activities for children.

The Marquette Summer Program at Marquette Elementary School is in its 25th year and Sorrentino noted, “When you have a government, a non-profit, and school district coming together for the betterment of youth, it’s a chemistry for success.”

He was a member of the HCC board for five years, one of them as president. He often spoke during the center’s annual Opening Day in May, which celebrated the beginning of another summer season of baseball and softball. Hundreds of boys and girls paraded past the packed bleachers at the high school football field, to commemorate that time of year.

Twp. assessor

After leaving the village board, he was elected Harlem Township supervisor and served 2 1/2 terms, or 10 years, in that capacity.

“Getting the office computerized and having a balanced budget most years” are among accomplishments of his time in office, he said.

Serving people was paramount, in his view, and that meant having a transparent operation while “treating everyone fairly and equitably,” he said. Going hand in hand with that is “making sure commercial and industrial property owners pay their fair share of the tax burden, so that residential taxpayers don’t carry that burden alone.”

The township board of supervisors recently voted to appoint deputy assessor Jon Vaiden to replace Sorrentino. “He worked with me for the past 10 years and has 18 years’ experience,” the now retired assessor said. “The township is in good hands and be consistent with what we have done in the past – fair and equitable treatment for everyone.”

With his last day in office having come and gone, Sorrentino said, “I want to thank my wife of 45 years, Diana, my life’s partner, for being at my side for all those years during this journey of community service. And I thank God, who gives direction in my life, for all that is good comes from God. It is a real blessing that my three children, Lisa, Jason, and Julie, and five grandsons and one great-grandson, are nearby and share in my life.”