Linda Starkey: Candidate Profile

Back to Wauconda Village Board, 4-year terms

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: WaucondaWebsite: www.UnitedForProgress.netOffice sought: Wauconda Village Board, 4-year terms Age: 51Family: Spouse- Glenn Starkey, 51, President of Progressive Components in Wauconda and President of the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce Children- Christina Starkey, 26, graduate of Marquette University majored in International Business and Finance and currently works as an Associate in Foreign Exchange and Rate Sales for JPMorgan in NYC Jack Starkey, 23, graduate of DePaul University majored in Economics and Finance and works at Morgan Stanley Investments in Chicago David Starkey, 19, current student at Butler University majoring in Business, and D1 college football linebackerOccupation: Business OwnerEducation: Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry with a minor in Biochemistry from Northwestern UniversityCivic involvement: Business Involvement President Threads, Inc. Managing Director of GL Investment Group Member Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce Member of Main Street Business Group Charity Involvement Director of Star Charities Chairperson for Wauconda Turkey Trot Co-Chairperson for Wauconda Cruise Nights Chairperson for Freedom Ride Co-Coordinator for Wauconda Bunny Hop Co-Coordinator for Shamrock the Block Member of the Main Street Attraction Participant in the Adopt-A-Highway Program Member of United Partnership for a Better Community Member Wauconda Lions Club Mentor/Judge for area FBLA events Volunteer at WaucondaFest Volunteer at Street Dance Member of Wauconda Moose LodgeElected offices held: Village Trustee Wauconda (2011- present) President Threads, Inc (2013-present) Director of Star Charities (2011-present) Village President North Barrington (2003-2005) Village President North Barrington (1999-2003) Village Trustee North Barrington (1997-1999)Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have nearly 15 years experience as a public servant in leadership roles, and am able to harness experiences and relationships in order to get things done. I love this town, and as a stakeholder (resident, property owner and business owner) I have a proven record of commitment and hard work so as to drive decisions that shape the village's direction. My running is not some newfound notion of giving public service a tryâ#128;brvbar;And with me there will be no learning curve, and I can continue implementing new initiatives to further get positive results. Also, throughout my years in office I have enjoyed listening to and responding to all of our residents, which helps provide for fresh thinking going forward. I am a good listener and treat people and their opinions with respect. I'm a chemist by background, so it's my nature to gather facts and get the complete picture before making a decision.How would you describe the condition of your community's budget, and what are the most important specific actions the town should take to assure providing the level of services that people want?The Village of Wauconda's current year budget is strong, with the General Fund and Water/Sewer account revenues performing better than budget, and expenditures as budgeted. This year's budget contained several capital improvement projects that were positively impactful towards residents, yet kept us "living within our means". These include the gateway signage program that I initiated, a pavement management report for prioritizing how our road repair dollars are spent, computer equipment upgrades, replacement of aging vehicles in Public Works and the Police Department, repairs to the roof at the Police Department, installation of early tornado warning signal in Liberty Lakes, and the phase I work of the Lake Michigan Water Improvements. The board also established a stronger Financial Fund Reserve Policy so that we have three months operating expenses always in reserve. Looking to the future, the Police Pension Payments begin to dramatically rise in fiscal year 2017, and it is a concern that if the dormant Economic Development Committee continues to languish, then we will "reap what we have sown" and have insufficient reserves and an unfavorable financial position.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?I'm driving the Administration to halt decisions that are penny smart and dollar foolish. Loss of staff has resulted in personnel performing several job functions, robbing focus from optimum financial management and robbing time for proper economic development advancement. There has been a glaring lack of adequate staff in such departments as Police and Dispatch, leading to huge overtime expenses. Open positions that have long ago been approved and budgeted for need to be filled as quickly as possible so that overtime is trimmed and public safety personnel are not pushed past the brink. Implementation of Lake Michigan Water to be under the amount approved by residents is a huge priority, and I look to continue to be integrally involved in reviewing all expenses, until the water flows through taps in 2018. Most importantly, the current budget and staffing assignments lack proper emphasis on economic development. Economic growth, from an increased Equalized Assessed Value (EAV) and sales tax will be the driving force to brighten our financial future, and after nearly two years of talking about economic development, this Administration needs to start doing something about it.Do you support or oppose eliminating the 911 center and outsourcing the service? Why or why not?Almost a year ago the concept of outsourcing was lobbed out by the administration. For a resident with a home assessed at $200,000 the 911dispatch portion is under $40 per year, so a small decrease in cost doesn't impact homeowners greatly. The village needs to work with the fire district to ensure a high quality level of service as the primary goal, not just look at cost savings. Not only do I want to keep our state-of-the-art 911 dispatch services in Wauconda but I would like to see them further developed along with our sales efforts to increase its viability and profitability for the future. I have helped drive the decision to invest in training for our current staff, because gaps in training and staffing were uncovered. While it is fundamental to any business leader, we need to hire a Supervisor for our dispatchers, so that there a point-person accountable for training and development. This position is budgeted for, yet implementation has dragged. Additionally, we need an earnest attempt to sell our services to other towns, as the efforts toward getting positive results over the past two years has been on an infinite backburner. Proper staffing and supervision of our 911 dispatch center, along with results oriented work to market our advantages successfully to other towns, will position us to market Wauconda as a regional hub, when consolidation comes to Lake County.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I think we need to get more residents and local businesses involved in committees and advisory groups related to village government. There is a large untapped resource of knowledge and expertise of stakeholders who want to be more involved in the community. By adding resident "members" to our committees and organizing think tanks for the purpose of discussing Economic Development, Marketing, and local task forces (related to parking issues, etc.) the village would not only have stronger, more productive teams, but also a pipeline of residents learning and participating, so that they might move on to further leadership roles within the village. Residents serving on committees gain experience and credibility in order to then possibly run for a trustee position, rather than starting "at the top", and risking the long learning curve of someone unfamiliar with the role or the structure of the organization.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Communication and Marketing: I'm proud to have lead progress in this regard, but, there is more ahead to do. The website has been daunting for staff to maintain, so I've now put myself into the topic in order drive a course correction. I am working on locations for more gateway and community signs, as well as further marketing the town to attract more throughout the area to our vibrant businesses. I don't want to see this momentum stop. If elected, I'd work to move to the Economic Development Committee, and then work with the next Communications Committee Chair to be a resource, effectively passing the baton.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis is the most inspiring current leader to me because he has offered a fresh approach and has electrified people of many faiths.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?You are responsible for yourself: Your words, your actions and your deeds.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I have no regrets and no substantive do-overs that come to mind. Of course, there have been and will be adjustments along the way!What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Mathematics was my favorite subject in school, and I even was a â#128;~Mathlete' in high school! This taught me logic, order, problem solving, and discipline.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?My husband and I tell this to our children frequently: Hard Works Pays Off. Excel by putting in time and effort, there are no shortcuts.