T.L. Arends: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: BartlettWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Bartlett Village boardAge: over 18Family: Married, 2 children, 4 grandchildrenOccupation: Vice President/Business Development, Harris BankEducation: City Planning and Theraputic Recreation at SIUCivic involvement: Bartlett Lions Club - named Melvin Jones FellowBartlett Historical Society - former TreasurerBartlett Rotary Club - Paul Harris Fellow Past PresidentBartlett 4th of July Coimmittee - Charter ChairmanBartlett Centennial Commission - Co - ChairmanSalvation Army - Bartlett Unit ChairmanBartlett Chamber of Comerce - Past PresidentArts in BartlettTri Village Garden ClubElected offices held: Bartlett Park District Commissioner - 1979 to 1991, Past PresidentBartlett Village Trustee - 1991 to presentWayne Township Republican CommitteemenHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The number one issue is to maintain our high level of resident services without raising taxes. Bartlett's tax rate decreased 1.9% over last year. Many of the neighboring municipalities have had to suffer layoffs and cutting services in addition to raising taxes. Additionally, our Moody's Bond rating has changed to ""AA1""; a rating shared by the top 2% in the nation. The challenge then is to continue the conservative budgeting with the mission of keeping Bartlett's resident's expectations at the forefront.Key Issue 2 The second most important issue is to continue to assist or local businesses in this economic downturn. Our retail sector has taken some alarming hits in the last 18 months. The Village has repeatedly gone above and beyond its normal role in many cases to help an ailing business. The Village should continue this support and explore new programs to keep our local business healthy. As an individual, we all should be patronizing our local businessesKey Issue 3 The third most important issue is to better understand and respect the other taxing bodies and their boards who serve our residents. We are in so many instances co-dependent upon each other in providing services. We must never overlook an opportunity to combine services for the betterment of the resident.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Thankfully, I have always received a little help from my friends. We decided to move to Bartlett because of Hambrecht's Confectionary. Now occupied by JC's Mexican Restaurant, Hambrecht's was a tiny general store when we happened upon it. We stopped there to fill a baby bottle for my daughter. Earl Humbracht, the owner, asked if we lived in town. Eager to get the milk I answered ""Not yet!"". Earl smiled, filled the bottle, and said he couldn't charge such a young perspective citizen. After that experience, how could we live anywhere else. And from the time we moved in, I made it my goal to give back and pay forward all the kindness our family received. I got involved. And from this involvement this past 37 years, I have had the privilege of knowing so many Bartlett people. Taking a leadership role has been my honor but working end has just as much appeal. I have enjoyed all that I have contributed to Bartlett whether big or small; especially as a Village Trustee. I love the job and would like to continue.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Bartlett does not have a local sales tax. Therefore, the tax is neither too high or too low. It would be advantageous if we could control the Commercial and industrial real estate taxes. Because we encompass 3 counties; Cook, DuPage, and Kane, having the same Real Estate tax rate would help immensely with developing our Cook County development.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.Most people are concerned with clean water, safe streets, and snow removal. Clean water is probably utmost in most people's minds. We publish a report about our water. The Federal Government has mandated measuring radium and barium levels. None of our testing has shown any injurious levels and the filtration units have been installed. Bartlett water is safe. Bartlett enjoys the lowest crime rate in our area. The Bartlett Police Department continually earns top honors in the CALLEA accreditation mean8ing it is one of the top police departments in the nation. Our streets are safe. Additionally, Bartlett has been hailed as one of the best snow removal towns in the area. The effect of the opening of Stearns Road to the west has had some effect on traffic. When the Red Gate bridge is built, immediate action should be taken.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Bartlett has a history of prioritized budgets. We were one of the first communities to have strategic planning and five year capital improvement planning. This has allo9wed us to plan for future needs. As a proponent of this type of planning, we have been able to budget wisely. Staffing, in which Bartlett is the lowest among 47 surrounding communities, cannot be touched. Sooner or later we may have to cut, realistically, those cuts may not have any significant change as far as our residents are concerned.What#146;s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Bartlett has a history of prioritized budgets. We were one of the first communities to have strategic planning and five year capital improvement planning. This has allowed us to plan for future needs. As a proponent of this type of planning, we have been able to budget wisely. Staffing, in which Bartlett is the lowest among 47 surrounding communities, cannot be touched. Sooner or later we may have to cut, realistically, those cuts may not have any significant change as far as our residents are concerned.Community input sessiions should be revived. The Village offers many input opportunities - the website, email, and the Bartlett Newsletter. In past years the Village has hosted input sessions. Invited and voluntary sessions were held at least 3 times per year. Often, they turned out to be more informational but many good ideas had their genisus from these sessions. These sessions could be most benefical for the Village and therefore the residents.