Mark B. Lund: 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: WadsworthWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Warren Twp. H.S. D121Age: 33Family: I am married with two sons,7 yrs and 4 months.Occupation: SalesEducation: Bachelor Degree from University of Illinois at Chicago in Political ScienceCivic involvement: IL National Guard, son is in Boy Scouts of AmericaElected offices held: Precinct CommitteemanHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Fiscal Conservative with responsible spending.Key Issue 2 Honesty and transparency in local government.Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Would you be willing to pursue salary cuts or freezes when the next teachers union contract is negotiated? Explain your answer.Yes. As with all levels of government, the school district is facing tough budget issues and all aspects of the budget need to be addressed. I will not say that a pay freeze is the only option but all options need to be discussed. The members of the local communities are making sacrifices and losing jobs just like the rest of the country. I feel that public employees are not above their peers in the community when it comes to wage increases. I believe that teachers and staff need to be paid a fair wage and I will support a fair and reasonable contract.Should rebates on interest paid from Build America Bonds be used to pay down a $24 million loan for construction projects as intended? Explain your answer.Yes. This subsidy was intended to pay down the interest on these bonds. That is what should be done and I, along with Rich Conley and Tony Bennett, intend to do just that.What are your ideas for the district#146;s future in the way of campuses? For example, should there be one large complex for all students on land the district purchased off Stearns School Road northwest of Gurnee Mills?I support the current campus arrangement. Currently, I do not see a need for additional land or buildings. Warren HS can currently serve 4800 students and the enrollment is near 4300 with a current k-8 outlook that will likely drop to 4100. Based on that information it is premature to expand the current campuses to other land. Rich Conley, Tony Bennett and I are in favor of investigating if it is more fiscally sound to keep the additional land or attempt to sell the property. This decision would be based on the cost versus benefit for the coming years in regards to paying taxes on the land, insurance, liability, etc.Should the district move forward with a plan to use part or all of its Stearns School Road land for athletic fields, possibly for the public at large, even though an estimated $1 million would be needed in roadwork for access to the property? Explain.No. Rich Conley, Tony Bennett and I feel the purchase of this land was a mistake. This land should have been purchased in cooperation with Warren Township government as a joint venture. The lack of cooperation between local governments is a trend that needs to be reversed. We all need to do what is best for the community at large. What is to be done with this land is a topic that must be discussed with the community and other entities of government involved.Districts 121 and 56 combined bus service to save money. What other similar mergers or partnerships should be pursued?The biggest contribution local governments and school districts can do is combine to create more buying power. Whether it be capital improvements, utilities or supplies, the more cooperation involved, the better deal we can get as a whole. Not everything can be combined, but the attempt needs to be made to see what works. There are hundreds of school districts out there that have all kinds of ideas to save money. One such example could be school districts consolidating school supply lists and possibly making a bulk purchase. Perhaps more aggressive bargaining with construction and/or maintenance contractors can be made if the districts join together when seeking services. The main focus must be what is best for all involved.