Donald J. Rosedale: 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: Des PlainesWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Des Plaines parksAge: 57Family: Married with 2 children Wife Judy Daughter Katie and husband Mike Skibbe Son PeteOccupation: Operations Manager / Controller for 35 years Contour Saws Inc. Located in Des PlainesEducation: Graduated Maine West , Class 1971Attended Elmhurst CollegeBusiness MajorCivic involvement: Past President Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce 1994Des Plaines Chamber of Commerce Board member 1991-1999Past president Des Plaines Historical Society 1993-1996,Des Plaines Historical Society Board Member 1991-1999,Member of the Des Plaines Board of Fire and Police Commissioners 2000-2009,Past president Des Plaines Kiwanis Club 2003-2004,Board Member Des Plaines Senior Center 1999,Distinguished Service Award High School District 214 (1998),Elected offices held: Des Plaines Park District (1999- Present)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Providing the finest recreation opportunity for all of our residents while maintaining fiscal responsibilityKey Issue 2 Continue to actively search for State, Federal and private Grants to improve existing facilities or possible acquiring new properties.Key Issue 3 We have just started a Friends of the Parks group. I hope to see this group grow giving the Board additional insight as to the needs of the community. Also possibly expand with a Adopt a Park group offering individuals or groups the possibility to help maintain the park and help with security and seasonal planting.Questions Answers What programs aren#146;t paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?Due to the short season for outdoor aquatics our pools do not pay for there own upkeep. However this is such an important element in our recreation programs it is something we have to keep and subsidize with other funds.We keep a close eye on all other programs to insure they are covering their costs.Is there any additional open space the park district needs to acquire? Please describe.The Des Plaines Park District is land locked and the availability of additional usable land is seldom seen. We need to watch for opportunities to add open space and then make sure the cost does not exceed our financial ability to pay or that the cost does not exceed the benefits the community would get from the property.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them? Or, should they wait until the economy improves?I feel one of our biggest needs beside additional open space is additional soccer field. We need to look at providing these at very little cost by transforming some under used park areas or overlaying soccer on ball diamonds during fall season.The overlay approach would not require a lot of cash. Changing additional parks could be done during our regular Capital improvement for the parks in question.Would you support sharing/pooling resources (i.e. printing, vehicles) with other local governments (school districts, village, etc.)? If so, what areas would you consider combining or merging to save money or improve efficiency?I support pooling resources when ever possible. The DPPD has many agreements in place at this time and continue to look at additional agreements that can be beneficial to all involved.Currently we have Intergovernmental Agreements with the following Park Districts to provide our residents services at in town rates for the Rosemont indoor pool. Glenview golf course and just signed Park Ridge's ice arena.We have a very important agreement with School Dist 62 allowing us to use the indoor gyms and the athletic fields at the schools in exchange of our lawn maintenance.We also have agreements with the City of Des Plaines for the Teen Center and have been buying salt from them at lower cost than we could get on open market.We also have a agreement with the Senior Center providing funding to offer programs to Seniors, and with the Des Plaines History Center.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the park board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.Candidate did not respond.