Gregory Ross Ludwig, 4 years: 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: LombardWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lombard Park District, 4 yearsAge: 47Family: Married with 2 children, 1 dog and 2 catsOccupation: Sales Consultant to Funjet Vacations, Adjunct Faculty at College of DuPageEducation: Bachelor of Science in Business, National Louis University, 1996Civic involvement: Lombard Baseball League 3rd Vice President, Served in the league for over 20 years, College of DuPage Travel and Tourism Advisory BoardElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Quality programs for our communityKey Issue 2 Excellent Parks and Facilities for our residents of LombardKey Issue 3 Both of the above, in a fiscally responsible manner.Questions Answers What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?In reviewing the programs, a deficit appears to be Western Acres Golf Course, which was devastated by the severe flooding because of the storms last year. Major repairs and improvements have been made during the closure with no revenue generated, which explains the loss. While I need to have more details of the operations to provide specific examples of how I would improve the revenue, I am confident that it is possible to do so. Having Western Acres is a needed asset for our community.Is there any additional open space the park district needs to acquire? Please describe.While there are a few small open spaces within the district, acquiring new properties at this time is not a priority. Our focus needs to be on maintenance and improvements to existing properties / programs.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?The district offers a wide variety of programs and access to quality facilities and parks for residents. While there will always be items for a wish list, my focus in our current economic situation will be maintenance and improvements to existing properties and programs. Within the last few years, Lombard has made substantial investments such as Paradise Bay,the Skate Park, and major renovation of Sunset Knolls.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?Yes - intergovernmental agreements for shared resources should always be considered in order to operate more efficiently. Current examples include shared facilities with District 44, and the Helen Plum Library. Other opportunities for economies of scale include enhancements to existing partnerships with local athletic organizations such as Lombard Baseball League, Lombard Falcons Football League, and the Lombard Firebirds Soccer Club. Improvements to current programs / facilities while reducing costs is my number one priority.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.I am a 4th generation Lombardian married to a 3rd generation Lombardian, Dr. Georgianne Ludwig. Both sides of my family have been civically active and have operated businesses in town, including Lombard Veterinary Hospital, founded in 1959 by my in-laws Dr. Paul and Mary Jo Arndt. I was raised to believe everyone should give of their time to make the community a better place. My wife will tell you I'm a political junkie, always watching the community access channel. I am at a point in my life that I have some time to give back in hopes of making a difference in our community. I have some involvement with park board issues due to my long term involvement with the Lombard Baseball League, but most importantly, as a resident with children who have grown up using the Park District Programs. Simply put, I am running because I have deep roots in our community and I bring a fresh perspective to the issues.