Steve Purduski: 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: NapervilleWebsite: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Steve-Purduski/135061139989812?ref=hlOffice sought: Naperville Township Supervisor (4-year Term)Age: 56Family: Married, one son.Occupation: Computer Engineer/ExecutiveEducation: Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Kansas 1978 Master of Science in Engineering, in Computer, Information, and Control Engineering, University of Michigan, 1979 Master of Business Administration, IIT, 1991Civic involvement: Naperville Area Homeowner's Coalition Founder and President of Neighborhood Association Boy Scouts: Assistant Scoutmaster, Troop 100, Unit Commissioner, Thunderbird District Middle School Catechist, St. Thomas the Apostle ParishElected offices held: Elected Naperville Township Precinct 5 Democratic CommitteemanHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The openness and accountability of Naperville Township government. I intend to address the issue of making Naperville Township government business transparent and easily accessible to Township residents.Key Issue 2 The efficiency of Naperville Township government. Naperville Township has changed dramatically in the last 25 years. The population is aging, the number of road miles that the Township Highway Supervisor is responsible for, and numerous other aspects of the township are dramatically different today. We will examine all aspects of Township business and adapt them to the current needs of the population.Key Issue 3 Citizen visibility and participation into Township government. By creating Advisory Committees on important topics, and actively seeking resident participation on these committees, we will ensure that Naperville Township is meeting the needs of its citizens.Questions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them. The three most important goals for the Naperville Township board in the next term, in priority order are: 1. Create an open and transparent communications path for residents to see how their tax dollars are being spent, and allow them to provide their own input to the business of the Township. Currently, information regarding Township budgets, funds, and use of those funds is lacking, and citizen participation is low. The new board needs to revitalize the Township government by starting with awareness among Township residents. 2. Review Township budgets and business across the board and create a highly efficient AND effective Township operation that meets its residents' needs. Through the application of Intergovernmental Agreements, thorough review of contracts, and rationalization of staff activities, the new board can build a Township government that more effectively meets the needs of its residents, at reasonable costs. 3. Examine the current demographics of the Naperville Township residents and adapt Township programs to reflect those changes. For example, it is well established that our population is aging and that Naperville has experienced a net decrease in school-age children. General Assistance programs and social services must be re-focused to accommodate the changed needs, and ways and means of doing so efficiently must be incorporated.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what? Taking the City of Naperville as an example, we have a municipality with residents in two counties, with very little unincorporated area remaining, and an increasingly urban environment, as opposed to 30 years ago where Naperville had a large rural component. While County and Municipal governments have an assistance and social welfare component, their primary roles are in providing needed infrastructure (roads, water and sewer, etc.) and standard services (police, fire department, etc.) to the residents. Township government, having social programs and general assistance as a major responsibility, provides the needed checks and balances to ensure that needed assistance and social programs are available to its citizens, and are managed and used efficiently and effectively. In the 21st Century, Townships should become much more active in leading these sorts of programs.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?What should be the primary responsibility of township government? Township government has several important roles to fill, and these include: Advocate for residents in need of General Assistance and Social Programs and Management of funds allocated - General Assistance and Social programs can be found at a number of levels of government, but for efficient management of programs in a Township area, the local Township government has a superior position to execute these efficiently. By functioning both as a program sponsor, and coordinator of programs available to residents at various levels, Township government can improve the overall efficiency of these programs. Property Assessment - Having the elected Assessor close to the constituency being assessed is a good thing. Operating in a limited area, a Township Assessor has the ability to know their Township property values better than someone at the County Level. Maintenance of Roads in unincorporated areas - As long as there are roads in a Township not serviced by either a Municipal or County government, the Township Highway Commissioner serves a vital purpose for residents of those areas. This is not to say that Townships necessarily should own real estate and capital equipment used to maintain roads. Rather, the Highway Commissioner should creatively ensure that those areas of road responsibility have the same level of service provided to them as their neighbors in incorporated areas. This should be done through the intelligent use of Intergovernmental Agreements, Contracts, and where required, direct staff and capital.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden? In reviewing the available information regarding the Naperville Township 2012 budget and expenses, two areas are prominent - 1. The General Assistance fund has A. a 12 month reserve relative to past year disbursements, B. the cost of administration General Assistance fund is one third of the entire GA budget, and 2. compared to the cost per road mile experienced by the local municipalities and DuPage county, the Township highways expenses are significantly larger, pointing to an overcapacity. We have significant opportunity, through cooperative work with other governmental units, to address these and bring expenses into line. We are confident that we can do this and still maintain the high level of service that residents of Naperville Township have come to expect.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township? First, I am actively committed to serving my community. I have organized my neighborhood and serve as the leader of a voluntary organization that has successfully addressed issues of pedestrian safety on Washington St., school redistricting, and represent our group with the Naperville Area Homeowners' Coalition. I am committed, in particular, to youth services, having served as a Cubmaster for four years, and currently serve as both a troop Assistant Scoutmaster, and also as a BSA District-level Unit Commissioner. I am an elected Democratic Precinct Committeeman in Naperville Township. Second, I have the experience required to lead the Naperville Township Board and preside over its meetings. I have served as the president and chairman of private clubs and have run parliamentary meetings. In business, I have had both a career in the corporate world, having been an officer level executive of R.R. Donnelley Sons, a local Fortune 500, as well as an entrepreneur, starting and running a small local business in Naperville, where I handled all aspects of business, from accounting, to HR, to sales and operations management. My education background, in both engineering and business, provide me with the tools and skills necessary to lead a township organization. Finally, having lived in Naperville for over 30 years, and in Naperville Township for over half of that time, I understand the history and culture of the area.