Nancy Gonsiorek: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: Crystal LakeWebsite: NancyforCountyBoard.comOffice sought: McHenry County board District 3 Age: 55Family: Husband, John; two sonsOccupation: Certified Public Accountant (CPA)Education: BA in Business AdministrationCPACivic involvement: Current: Board Member, District 47 Board of Education;Board Member and past Chairman, the Wildflower Preservation and Propagation Committee (the WPPC); Member, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County; Member, Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, past member of the Defenders Land Use Planning Committee; Past Nunda Township Planning Commissioner; University of Illinois Master Gardener.Elected offices held: Elected twice to the Crystal Lake CCSD47 Board of Education.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that?As the old saying goes, "Most politics are local." I have always followed closely the activities of the County Board as they have a direct impact on our quality of life, from transportation, to planning and development, and public health and safety. I want to be part of that team and help to make this county an even better place to live. I care about our community, I enjoy serving the public and I believe I serve well! We need elected officials who can provide thoughtful leadership. My experience on the District 47 Board of Education demonstrates my ability to work with the team and get the job done. We aren't in the news much because we work together with mutual trust and respect for the benefit of our students and our taxpayers. With respect to our County Board, leadership has to be tempered with the understanding that you are one of 24 board members who may have different concerns and ideas. It is appropriate to have healthy deliberation, advocate for your positions and to disagree with your colleagues. However, this must be done respectfully with consideration for compromise and while honoring the proper processes that are in place. And at the end of the day, when decisions are made, everyone must get together as a team to support those decisions for the betterment of the County and all the businesses and individuals who live and work here. I want to promote that team environment for the betterment of our County.What differentiates you most from your opponents in the race?I am a Certified Public Accountant with over 25 years of financial experience as a trusted business advisor. Managing our precious tax dollars will be one of my most important duties as a County Board Member and, surprisingly, I do not believe there are any CPAs on the County Board at this time. I have experience in government finance, I understand the complex governmental Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports and I know how to calculate a tax levy. These skills will help me provide strong oversight of our tax dollars.Additionally, I have experience as a board member in local government. I am serving my second term on the Crystal Lake CCSD 47 Board of Education. Our board oversees an 85 million dollar budget and we serve a very diverse community. Our district operates 13 schools, and we educate over 8,000 children annually. I have served on many of our board committees and served as Chairman of the Finance Committee. I have earned the trust and respect of the District staff and the parents, taxpayers in our community, and my colleagues on the board who twice elected me as School Board Vice Chairman.If you are an incumbent describe your main contributions. Tell us about important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.I would hope to serve on the County Board Finance Committee so that I can put my unique skillset to work for our taxpayers. I will advocate for the principles that I believe in: limited but effective government; a strong public service ethic by all county employees; a comprehensive approach to land-use planning that respects rights of property owners while preserving our natural heritage including farmland preservation; and always looking for opportunities to strengthen economic development. In fact, two important components to property tax relief for my constituents are attracting new businesses and the preservation of open space.What should McHenry County be doing to address stormwater and flooding issues throughout the county?1. We must think of stormwater as a precious resource rather than a nuisance if we are to sustain even our current population in years to come. In McHenry County, we rely on groundwater. We do not and never will have access to Lake Michigan. This creates a barrier to growth: How many people and businesses can be served from our limited groundwater supply? Stormwater is critical in this equation, to enter the ground right here in McHenry County, recharge aquifers and therefore the wells that provide potable water needed to live. Highway and building engineers try to move water away from roads and development as quickly as possible. Water is routed to storm sewers, where it is treated as waste and discharged into creeks and streams, travelling the river system to the Gulf of Mexico...gone from McHenry County forever. 2. One important tool for stormwater management is a comprehensive land use plan that sensibly addresses the issues and then adhere to that plan. Because of our diverse landscapes and variety of soils, topography, and water features this is no easy task. McHenry County has a unique natural heritage, including fen wetlands, several high quality creeks and streams, and rolling hills left by the glaciers thousands of years ago. These natural areas are perfectly suited as open space to recharge our aquifers but this creates challenges in the development process. I applaud the "Land First" initiative that was implemented by McHenry County Planning and Development several years ago as a common-sense way to plan for future development. 3. Stormwater management should never have unintended consequences. Actions taken to control stormwater at any site should not create problems at another. The County Stormwater Ordinance addresses this although I see a need to review the ordinance procedures to ensure it is not creating undue efforts.Finally, is there anything we haven't asked about that you feel we should know?McHenry County is a wonderful place to live and work and I want this to continue: Many people move here for suburban lifestyle, good schools, and generally positive way of life. Farming is still an important part of our county and we have beautiful rural landscapes. Agribusiness promises to be a new source of commerce in the County and I look forward to seeing this come to fruition. That being said, we are still a county full of "bedroom communities:" Suburbia and farmland do not provide a robust tax base and our property owners are over-taxed. Many residents have to commute to find good-paying jobs. Affordable housing is limited. Seniors consider leaving McHenry County because they can't afford to stay in their homes due to high property taxes. We need to attract new businesses -- not just retail shops and fast food restaurants but businesses that can provide a solid tax base to help support our community, and businesses that can offer good-paying jobs so that more of our residents can live and work locally. I look forward to this opportunity to make McHenry County an even better place to live!