Denike Warden: 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: Fox LakeWebsite: http://commonsense4foxlake.comOffice sought: Fox Lake Village Clerk (4-year Term)Age: 42Family: I have two children ages 12 and 10.Occupation: I am fortunate to be a stay at home mother.Education: I studied Communications/ Public Relations at University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.Civic involvement: I helped spearhead bringingIllinois Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge? to Fox Lake. I served on the main committee for the Fox Lake Centennial. I am the former President for the Fox Lake Jaycees. I currently am the Secretary and Outings Chair for Cub Scout Pack 455 and chair several major PTO events at my children's schools. I am a volunteer with the T.A.P (Teachers Assistance Program) at my son's school, enabling teachers to spend more time in the classroom. I am an active member of St. Bede Catholic Church and help in their Religious Education program, youth ministry and chair recreational and social outings for our parish. I also enjoy participating in The Village of Fox Lake'sMayor's 5K Challenge? In short, I have always been involved in our community and continue to have the determination to serve and improve our community.Elected 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 My main priority is to make the village government more accessible to the townspeople and encourage attendance of Village meetings and provide increased opportunities for volunteer participation.Key Issue 2 To help speed up the process for FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests, I would like to see the Village implement an online FOIA request form. This is just one of the opportunities that could save time and money for the village.Key Issue 3 I would take down barriers and educate residents about voter's registration and the importance of making their voices heard.Questions Answers Some communities have contracted out for certain services, such as snowplowing, to save money. What innovative methods would you propose to reduce your office's budget? Explain your answer.As a Village Clerk, my main responsibility is to be "keeper of the records? and to ensure accurate recording of meeting minutes. I do not vote on budget matters. However, as a member of the Common Sense party, and a taxpayer in the Village of Fox Lake, I will always be an advocate of spending tax dollars in a manner that produces the best return on our investment, even if that means looking outside the Village for new and innovative ways to save money.The state's revised Freedom of Information Act guidelines renewed focus on open government. Name one specific step you would take if elected to increase government transparency in your office.I support the new Illinois FOIA laws that hold government officials to a higher standard. I would encourage the dissemination of information more as electronic files and delivered via email. Older methods are bulky and deemed as not responsive.Do you believe the village clerk should be an elected or appointed position? Please explain your answer.I believe the Village Cerk should remain an elected position to avoid potential conflicts of interest with the appointing authority. The clerk should only answer to one body and that should be the voting population of Fox Lake.What steps would you take as village clerk to improve and increase the flow of information to residents?I would post as much information as possible on the Village webpage. If the public has open access to a website showing what we are doing, how we are spending their tax dollars and what our vision for the Village is, then we are all better off.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for village clerk? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.Fox Lake is a community where the majority of our residents value a small-town atmosphere. Our success as a Village depends on our elected officials having the best interest of the community at the heart of their decisions. As well as having employees and volunteers from the community working together so that Fox Lake operates efficiently. This is especially important in these economically challenging times. The position of a Village Clerk is a vital position as he or she has to be responsible, accurate, a good communicator and must adhere to strict deadlines. I believe my employment during the past decade as an office manager has given me the experience that would allow me to excel as a public servant.