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Marc Munaretto: Candidate Profile

Algonquin Township Supervisor (4-year Term) (Republican)

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: AlgonquinWebsite: http://www.VoteforMarc.comOffice sought: Algonquin Township Supervisor (4-year Term)Age: 64Family: Married for 43 years to my wife, Denise. I have three adult sons: David, Robert and Adam and four grandsons.Occupation: Commercial Real Estate Executive Retired Member - McHenry County BoardEducation: Kent State University Bachelor of Arts 1970Civic involvement: Marc's Civic and Political Resume 2010 to 2012 Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Rotary 1998 to 2012 Member, McHenry County Board Chairman Finance Audit Committee - retired 2006 to 2010 Director McHenry County Convention and Visitor Bureau Board of Directors 2001 to 2005 Director Turning Point Board of Directors and Finance Committee 1999 to 2010 Director McHenry County Economic Development Corporation Director and Executive Committee 1996 Mentor - Northern Illinois University Entrepreneurship Program 1994-1998 Chairman Algonquin Township Republican Central Committee 1994-1995 Congregational Church of Algonquin Endowment Fund Board of Directors 1992 Present Algonquin Township Clerk 1990-1992 D300 Site Based Management Team Eastview Elementary School 1991 to 1993 McHenry County Regional Planning Commission Commissioner 1989 to 1990 Congregational Church of Algonquin Finance Officer 1986 to 1990 Algonquin Economic Development Commission Chairman 1986 to 1989 Congregational Church of Algonquin Board of Diaconate Chairman 1986 to 2010 Republican Precinct Committeeman 1984 to 1986 Algonquin Economic Development Commission Chairman Retail Group 1980-1981 Cardunal Chamber of Commerce Founding Member and Board of DirectorsElected offices held: Member - McHenry County Board 1998 to 2012 Algonquin Township Clerk 1991 to Present Precinct Committeeman 1985 to 2010Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Township Finances The current Supervisor has made a practice of OVER TAXING township property owners each year of her term of office and has accumulated an excessive cash property tax reserve equal to almost a full year of township expenses. During the past 4 years, she has raised town fund taxes by $123,000. Moreover, she has increased actual Town Fund expenses by about $300,000 in the past 4 years. A 6 month cash reserve is appropriate and essential to avoid having to borrow money to meet expenses. Anything more than 6 months in the Town Fund is not necessary and is unfair to taxpayers. Townhip financial controls leave something to be desire. The Supervisor has failed to follow the township code relating to banking institutions; credit and investment policy updates; and has not submitted for approval by the Board, a list of banks authorized to receive township tax dollars. More than 40 banks have failed since 2009 and this system of banking checks and balances should not be ignored. I have evidenced my finanical ability as the retired Chairman of the McHenry County Finance and Audit Committee under whose leadership McHenry County's fiscal policies were reshaped resulting in a Aaa investment rating from Moody's Investor Services in April 2010. I will apply my extensive private sector and public finance skills to achieving a better balance between revenue, expenses and cash reserves resulting in lower property taxes.Key Issue 2 Management and Planning Every well run public or private corporation has a strategic plan that is updated annually. As McHenry County's Chief elected Finance Officer, I particpated in the implementation of an annual strategic plan process that helped the County identify and achieve consensus on its primary goals and objectives. I will implement a STATEGIC PLAN for Algonquin Township. "Unless you know where you are going, how will you know when you get there?"Key Issue 3 Meeting Present Needs of our Residents The incumbent Supervisor is not meeting critical needs of township residents in 3 specific areas: (i) the unemployed and under employed; (ii) Veterans in need; and (iii) Senior Citizens. Jobs..... I intend to create a "Jobs Networking Club" for Algonquin Township residents who need help writing a resume and who need job skill training. I will make available the existing township computers that sit idle most of the time and internet access to allow unemployed residents an opportunity to search for jobs and send their resumes to potential employers. I will also connect with the McHenry County Workforce Network to enhance our residents skills evaluation and training needs. Veterans...... At my request, the Veterans Assistance Commission has agreed in concept with the opening of an office at Algonquin Township to service our local Veterans in need rather than making them travel to Woodstock. I have also met with the local Veterans Network as a means to facilitate government assistance to our Vets. Senior Citizens..... I will collaborate with Centegra, Mercy Health and Advocate Health to develop Senior Citizen programs at Algonquin township that focus in wellness and physical fitness. These programs will leverage existing township assets and will not cost the taxpayers to implement.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.1. Strategic Planning. Creating a long term strategic plan that addresses the goals and objectives of the township; the allocation of precious township resources; and a vision for what township services should look like in 1, 3, and 5 years and what these services should cost the taxpayer. 2. Budgeting and Finance. Absent a strategic plan, the budget has been merely a repetitive annual event in which you add 3% for inflation. The current Township investment policy and depositories has not been updated in the past 4 years of the current Supervisor's term of office nor has any update been submitted for the Board to approve them as it is required to. 3. Property Tax management. Why does the Supervisor need to continually increase property tax levies ($48,000 in 2012) when she has accumulated a 10 month cash reserve of property tax dollars held in the bank? I believe a 6 month cash reserve is adequate to provide necessary funds for township expenses without having to borrow money between property tax distributions from the County. I will implement a forward looking financial model, much like the one I created for McHenry County, that will serve to better manage our financial decisions.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?The township provides statutory services which include property assessments, road maintenance and general assistance to the needy. Beyond that, it serves to fulfill unmet needs in the community that it is uniquely positioned to meet: jobs assistance; help for veterans in need; and senior citizen programming, health and wellness, all based on the vision of the Supervisor and his/her connection to the community and an understanding of what these changing needs are.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?Townships should provide all of the statutory functions of township government at the lowest possible cost to its taxpayers using the same best practices available to other units of government and the private sector. Township Supervisors should be engaged in, and understand the dynamics of the larger community by meeting periodically with other units of government to develop ways of collaborating and lowering the burden of government.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?1. It is the current practice to make township space available to organizations without cost. I would like to selectively re-visit this policy. In some instances, our taxpayers are paying for setup costs and cleaning afterwards to organizations that should be willing to defray these costs. 2. The current Supervisor has not evaluated the township Transportation program to see how it might be more cost effectively operated. 3. I will perform a thorough evaluation of staff, their task duties and responsibilities to make certain our staffing levels match the work required. I would also require all Supervisor employees to work a full 8 hour day for full pay. The office currently closes at 4PM. 4. I will perform a top down evaluation of all township progams to determine their effectiveness and to verify that they are consistent with the mission of 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?1. 20+ years of township experience 2. 14 years of public finance, government budgeting and accounting experience, 10 years as Chairman of the McHenry County Board Finance and Audit Committee. 3. 40+ years of private sector finance and business management experience in commercial, hospitality and industrial real estate development, leasing and finance. 4. Extensive active civic involvement as a Director of: Turning Point; the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation; the McHenry County Convention and Visitor Bureau; and, active Rotarian, fulfilling the mission of "service above self", among others.