Kerry Pearson: 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: Arlington HtsWebsite: www.KerryPearson.comOffice sought: Arlington Heights Library Board Age: 62Family: Wife Lynne Son RyanOccupation: AttorneyEducation: -â#128;' Doctor of Jurisprudence Degree - 1977 from Drake University Law School --Bachelorâ#128;™s Degree (with Honors) in Economics - 1974 from Southern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: â#128;#147; Member of the Rotary Club of Arlington Heights (noon club) since 1990. â#128;#147; Honored with being named Rotarian of the Year for the 1992-1993 Rotary year and for the 2002-2003 Rotary Year --Rotary Club President 1997-98 Rotary year, and on its Board of Directors for 6 years. --Assistant Scoutmaster for my sonâ#128;™s Boy Scout Troop 132 from 2010 to present --Den Leader 2005 to 2010 for sonâ#128;™s Cub Scout Den, Pack 132 â#128;#147; On Board of Directors of Wildstang Robotics Support Association, an Illinois not-for-profit corporation created to support School District 214's Wildstang Robotics TeamElected offices held: --Arlington Heights Memorial Library (AHML) Board Trustee,first elected in 2003, re-elected 2009. -- Elected Board President 2011, re-elected 2013, --Elected Board Vice President Secretary in 2009, re-elected 2011. --Elected Board Treasurer in 2005, re-elected 2007. --Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS),which represents 3,700 public, private university and school libraries in a 27,000 square mile area in northern and central Illinois: - Elected to RAILS Board of Directors in 2011, re-elected 2014 -- Elected RAILS Board Ethics Officer in 2011, and re-elected 2014.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?In 2014 the our library again received Library Journalsâ#128;™ highest rating (5 Stars), a rating received by only 1% of libraries in the country. Our library has the added distinction of being only one of 21 libraries in the country to have gotten the honor seven years running. I am running for re-election because I want to see our library maintain its rating, and I believe my experience, knowledge and skill set will be helpful in achieving this goal. I have been, and continue to be, motivated by the question: How can the library use the limited tax revenues and resources entrusted to it by our taxpayers to best provide the materials, services, programs and resources our customers currently desire, in the most cost effective and fiscally responsible way possible? In the over the 11+ years I have served as a trustee I have come to know the issues facing our library and public libraries in general, and have been able to help identify, address and deal with said issues in a professional, competent, and fiscally responsible manner. The experience and institutional knowledge I have gained by serving as a trustee (and Board President -- 3+ years, Vice-President Secretary --2 years, and Treasurer -- 4 years), as well as 3+ years serving on the Board of Directors of the Reaching Across Illinois Library System (serving 1,300 member libraries in the north half of the state), will enable me to serve even more effectively the AHML Board and our library.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are a non-incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.As Board President and as a trustee I have provided fiscal oversight, challenging proposed initiatives that would not have provided justifiable value to our taxpayers, while supporting and advocating for initiatives that did provide substantial benefit. This was accomplished with tax levies for 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 having zero percent increase over the prior yearâ#128;™s extended levy amount. As President I led the Board as we successively accomplished three difficult challenges at one time: (a) hiring a new executive director (former one retired); (b) a major remodeling project that included creation of the teen area, added the hugely popular Market Place area, added 10 more meeting/conference rooms (used over 1,000 times/month); and (c) a major staff reorganization. All projects were successful and timely completed (within budget), despite temptation to delay/defer them as being too much to take on at one time. I have strongly advocated pursuing increased partnership opportunities with local governmental and other entities, seeking ways we can benefit and save taxpayers money by such cooperation. We have expanded our areas of cooperation with local School Districts, the Park District, and the Village. In 2014 we hosted the first â#128;œState of the Village - a Community Conversationâ#128;ť where leaders and elected officials from local governmental bodies gave updates to residents and the opportunity for residents to meet afterwards with them. A first â#128;œLegislative Dayâ#128;ť was also held in 2014, where visitors could meet and discuss issues of concern with state and federal legislators and/or their staff.Do you have a library card? How long have you had it? How often do you use it?Yes,I have had an AHML library card ever since I became an Arlington Heights resident in 1988 (and before that in the 1970's when my family lived here). I use the card or AHML online resources weekly.Space is an issue at many libraries. If that's the case at your library, would your solution be to expand the physical plant or make room by doing away with parts of the collection that technology has made less critical? Explain.There is no current need or need in the foreseeable future to expand the library's Dunton Avenue building. We are always striving to "do more with less," and increased focus has already been given by staff in retiring materials used very infrequently (but which most are still available via inter-library loan.) Doing so freed up space for our very successful and much used market place area, teen area, computer lab, studio area, and new meeting/conference rooms.What impact have economic and technological changes had on libraries? How does a library remain relevant? How should its role in the community change?The economic downturn provided added incentive for customers to use library materials and resources, enabling the funds they saved by such resource sharing to be used by the them elsewhere. The library still has and will continue to provide the printed books and materials our customers want and will continue to want. Yet, the role of the library has and must change to offer customers the additional materials and services they want in light the state of technology at the time. Customers want, and the library offers, printed books and ebooks, CDâ#128;™s and downloadable music, DVDâ#128;™s and streaming movies that can be downloaded from the comfort of customers' own homes (and not to mention access numerous online databases.) Even though offsite use and access of library offerings is constantly increasing, in-person visits to the library have increased, with an average of over 2,600 in-person visits per day. The library remains relevant because it still gives people reasons to use it and visit it, not just by providing materials, but also programs, facilities, on-site and online services.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?How can we continue our streak of holding the line on taxes while still maintaining and providing taxpayers with the materials and services they desire? How can the library use its limited resources to reach and/or better serve those in Arlington Heights who are not current library users, or who are not utilizing all the library has to offer? How can the library better work with our local governmental partners and other entities to better serve our taxpayers?Please name one current leader who most inspires you.I find these last five questions neither relevant nor helpful to voters in assessing my qualifications and candidacy; I have respectfully declined to answer them.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I find these last five questions neither relevant nor helpful to voters in assessing my qualifications and candidacy; I have respectfully declined to answer them.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I find these last five questions neither relevant nor helpful to voters in assessing my qualifications and candidacy; I have respectfully declined to answer them.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I find these last five questions neither relevant nor helpful to voters in assessing my qualifications and candidacy; I have respectfully declined to answer them.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I find these last five questions neither relevant nor helpful to voters in assessing my qualifications and candidacy; I have respectfully declined to answer them.