Robin Meier: 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: MundeleinWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Mundelein Mayor (4-year Term)Age: 59Family: Four generations of family live in Mundelein Including myself, mother, married son/(wife), grandson.Occupation: 41 years in telecommunications at ATT in various capacities and departments (Network Operations, Network Planning and Engineering, Regulatory) Current title: Senior Technical Project Management Current duties: ATT liaison to ATIS NGIIF and Co-Chair.Education: CLC: AA in Philosophy, Certificate General Management, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. On-going technical, ethical, Six-Sigma, business, leadership, and government related training courses. Training and continual improvement is a lifelong endeavor.Civic involvement: Working with you all the time, not just election years.Mundelein Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) memberMundelein Alumni Citizens Police Academy memberCentral Lake County Joint Action Water Agency (CLCJAWA)Mundelein Alternate DirectorLake County Municipal League (LCML) Legislative Committee memberNation League of Cities (NLC)- Women in Municipal Government (WIMG) memberWild Ones Conservation and Sustainability group memberElected offices held: 2007-2008 Plan Commission (appointed) 2008-present Mundelein Trustee (long enough to know the problem areas, not long enough to be satisfied with the status quo) Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) holding elected leadership positions for over 17 years in various ATIS Committees, projects, Technology Operations Council (TOPS) CO-Convener on several projects, winning the 2010 ATIS award for Outstanding Contributions to an ATIS Forum or Committee.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Our Mundelein is behind other neighboring communities, a fact which is of great concern to you and me. I intentionally do not have an election year platform with the three standard bullet items and election promises seldom kept. As Mayor I will look at the big picture, not just the bullet items on a campaign flyer to get elected and re-elected. Too much focus on a campaign platform means less focus on the entire needs of our village. The success of our home town requires more than the development of a new downtown. I will be aware of and serve the requirements of all of our businesses and residents in the entire town, not just thenew? downtown. The new downtown is important for our future; however, you and the rest of the town are just as important. Our success is driven by a hard working, common sense approach to all aspects of municipal government focusing on the fundamentals - not campaign bullet issues. When the fundamentals are cared for then budgets, taxes, revenues, infrastructure projects are also responsibly cared for. I have the proven leadership experience and skills to take our home town to a higher level of success.Key Issue 2 Every candidate says they arebusiness or resident friendly?, but what does business friendly mean? It means that any business or resident who comes to the village to open a business or get a permit for a project, gets that done successfully in a timely manner. The more time it takes to set up your business, project, permit, or license costs you unnecessary money. Everyone should be treated equally, fairly, quickly, and with dignity. You are our customer and our customers are first. Your village image and profitability is dependent on your achievement and goes beyond the village front office with all departments taking an innovative approach. Innovation means we will help you by taking ownership to look at things differently, find new solutions for old problems, look at new ideas, determine how to do something better/faster, and will cut out unnecessary steps to ensure your success in your project or new business. We have excellent employees capable of delivering a positive experience consistently to you. I am committed to that accomplishment. I have the proven competitive business and leadership experience to work with our neighboring towns and compete with them to fill our vacancies and bring new businesses and residents to Mundelein.Key Issue 3 I will bring my leadership, business, and technical skills to better your life in Mundelein. I will make a commitment to improve transparency and communications with all residents, businesses, employees, village board, commission members, community, and area groups. One of the ways I will do that is by adopting time and cost effective communication methods utilizing both old fashion and state of the art technology. Transparency is important because it means village accountability to you. The result of true transparency is shown when elected and appointed officials are more accountable to the concerns and needs of our community members. I am the only mayoral candidate with a strong competitive business background to decrease vacancies and bring successful businesses into our home town. I can transition my career experience to the benefit of you and Mundelein in the areas of infrastructure, customer service, competition, innovation, working in-depth with all levels of government, competing and cooperating with competitors, building teams, and using teamwork to get things done. I work for you.Questions Answers The village is moving ahead with plans for a municipal hub near the train station that would include a village hall, retail space and office space. What is your vision for that area and how would you fund the project?This area will be a community destination point offering services, retail, restaurants, office space, and community gathering opportunities for you and your family. The village hall (a catalyst to further development) is currently underway and has been publically/privately funded without adding residential or business tax dollars to your bill. Future development opportunities will be evaluated individually as developers are found for each lot. Funding options (developer, TIF, public/private, etc.) may vary as determined by economic climate, timing, and nature of the project. I will look for all available funding options to keep this development opportunity off of your tax bill.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, an discuss how you think it should be addressed?The most frequent concern expressed by you as parents, friends, and neighbors is the lack of places where your kids and teens can safely go to be kids and convene without censure. Not all kids are able to participate or are interested in organized sports/school activities which may have limited days, hours or seasons. Mundelein needs to add public venues of interest for your kids and teens and be more receptive to businesses which provide activities/entertainment for them.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed? Conversely, is there something that should be reinstated or have resources directed toward?The village departments and board have taken a series of difficult and deep budget cuts the last several years. Responsible municipal budgeting is a daily decision process with board oversight. Budgeting is an on-going and difficult process to ensure that services are available, equipment is maintained, personnel fairly compensated, infrastructure (roads, water, sewer etc.) is built and maintained efficiently and responsibly for your enjoyment and safe use. I will commit to responsibly monitor village expenses and budgets on your behalf as you would monitor your own budget and money.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Improve transparency and communication by making all public village board (Finance, Community Development etc.) and committee meetings (Plan Commission etc.) available to residents in video and internet format in real time and replay for viewing later via the IQM2 Intelligent Meeting Management using Minute Traq?, MediaTraq?, e-Boardroom?. (This system can streamline many of the current processes in place. Using the IQM2 system Mundelein with a population of 32,000 will have a total estimated savings of $119,000 per year with no contract, no up-front costs, simple monthly fee, pay as you go, free setup and training, plus more.) With the cost effective ability: To easily search for specific topics in a recorded meeting or paper records. To be automatically notified when agendas are posted. To be notified in advance when sensitive or controversial topics are on village board or other agendas. To easily view voting records for elected officials and appointed members by subject, person, or other search criteria. To have the ability to discuss (on-line) topics on meeting agendas with the public or board members. In addition, there are other transparency features which I will adopt to give you our residents and businesses a better chance to voice your opinions and monitor what your elected, appointed, and hired village officials are doing for you.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Mundelein's sales tax is higher than surrounding towns which is a competitive disadvantage to our own businesses. Consumers purchasing large ticket items do compare sales tax rates in nearby towns and those savings count in your budgets. Mundelein has to strive for achieving a sales tax rate equivalent to or lower than the surrounding towns.