Sebastian Puccio: 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: BloomingdaleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Bloomingdale Park Board (6-year Terms)Age: 63Family: Married, 2 childrenOccupation: President ,Mfg. co.Education: Some collegeCivic involvement: Incumbent Bloomingdale Park Dist. Commissioner Former Bloomingdale Village trustee Former chairman Bloomingdale Plan Commission Former chairman Bloomingdale Septemberfest Commission Former member Westlake Townhome owners AssnElected offices held: Bloomingdale Pk Dist. Commissioner Bloomingdale Village TrusteeHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continuing to reduce the reliance of the Park District on Property taxesKey Issue 2 Maintaining a high level of customer service and satisfaction of our usersKey Issue 3 Being responsive to the changing needs of our communityQuestions Answers What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?As we are beginning the budget process for the next fiscal year, programs will be reviewed as to their popularity and their income potential. At that point our staff will have the opportunity to recommend either to continue or cease the program. Just because a program is not "paying for itself" is not necessarily a reason to eliminate it. If it fulfills a need to the community, then it is our responsiblity to provide it.Is there any additional open space the park district needs to acquire? Please describe.We always are open to acquiring open space, but, in an established community like Bloomingdale, the opportunity rarely presents itself. Maintaining open space was a priority of mine when I chaired the plan commission and later as a Village Trustee. Just touring the Village points out my success in that endeavor.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?We are in the process of creating a Comprehensive Plan that will direct our efforts for the next 3-5 years. Part of it is based on a Community Needs study that was conducted recently. While a large portion of our respondents mentioned continued high maintenance of our current facilities, many requested a fitness center and more opportunities to combat childhood obesity. While the economy is continuing its' slow improvement, we have raced ahead of it by obtaining grants and commercial/intergovernmental partnerships. While continuing to focus on services for the youth of our community, we also recognize that our community's adult population continues to grow and thus we offer valuable leisure services for the adult population.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?We have been involved in the Bloomingdale Intergovernmental Group (BIG) since its' inception, and our staff is always investigating ways to combine resources to cut overhead in every department. While there has been talk of combining governmental agencies to save funds, keep in mind that the Park District is governed by a five member VOLUNTEER board that receives no compensation or paid benefits. There is no added burden to the taxpayer for health insurance or pensions for elected officials as exist with other governmental units. Our Executive and administrative staff are continuously trained in the latest trends and techniques in recreation and can offer our residents the biggest bang for the buck.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 have just completed my 15th year as a Park Commissioner and each of them has been more rewarding than the past. Throughout my years of service, the improvements have been many: i.e. Oasis water park, the renovation of the Johnston Rec Center, completion of the scorers tower and concession, restroom, picnic pavilion at Circle Park, construction of the maintenance building and new soccer fields at Springfield Park (and the subsequent removal of the old maintenance facility at Circle Park), disc golf, bocce and horseshoe pits at Springfield Park, new signage and refreshed ornamental landscaping for all parks. During my terms in office I have encouraged our Executive Director to engage her staff in a renewed effort to make all of our guests feel welcome and important, because they are.