Rich Janor: 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: NapervilleWebsite: www.RichJanor.comOffice sought: Naperville Park Board Age: 37Family: Grandma Grace (age 102) Parents Edward and Lynne Siblings Angela and Anthony Girlfriend Rhonda and her son Caiden (age 4).Occupation: President/CEO (full time), High School Head Varsity Baseball Coach (part time)Education: Bachelor of Business Administration (University of Notre Dame) Master of Arts in Teaching (DePaul University) - course work only, no student teachingCivic involvement: * Naperville Park District Commissioner (2011-Present) * President, Naperville Park District Board (2013) * Vice President, Naperville Park District Board (2012) * Chairman, Naperville Park District Legislative Committee (2014) * Rotary Club of Naperville Downtown (2009-Present) * Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Member (2006-Present) * Wheatland Athletic Association Board of Directors (2001-Present) * Sponsor of Numerous Youth Sports Teams and Programs * RIBFEST Judge and NACC Young Entrepreneur's Academy Judge * Past Board Member, Downtown Naperville Alliance * International Service Project, Finca del Nino Orphanage, HondurasElected offices held: Naperville Park District Commissioner (2011-Present)Questions Answers What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?There are numerous Park District programs that are free to residents and do not pay for themselves. For example, we offer Concerts in the Park, Halloween Happening, Frontier Kite Fly Festival, the Santa House and free safety and tax assistance programs for seniors. All of these programs add to the quality of life in Naperville, enrich the community, and are worthy of keeping. I do, however, think we should always pursue alternative revenue sources when possible. For example, we recruited Continental Motors of Naperville to sponsor our Concerts in Park, and their sponsorship has helped to offset the cost of that program. As a Naperville business owner, I certainly understand the importance of fiscal responsibility, working to do more with less, and return on investment (ROI). The business of Parks and Recreation is similar to private sector business in some respects, but different in others. For example, playgrounds enrich the community and neighborhoods, but will never generate positive ROI. They will always been expenses (they don't generate any program fees), and should be budgeted as such. In addition to improving quality of life for Naperville residents, well maintained playgrounds and parks have a direct positive impact on real estate property values.Is there any additional open space the park district needs to acquire? Please describe.There are no immediate plans to acquire open space and there are no parcels of land that I think the Naperville Park District should be targeting at this time. That said, maintaining a healthy balance of active (programming) and passive (open space) recreation is the hallmark of an outstanding Park District. As commissioners, we should always keep our ear to the ground for opportunities, and evaluate each option on a case by case basis. We should look at each option compared to our framework for decision making - mission, vision and core values. I have maintained a good working relationship with Brook McDonald, the President and Chief Executive Officer for The Conservation Foundation, a private not-for-profit land and watershed conservation group based in Naperville. The Conservation Foundation focuses on land preservation and watershed protection in the counties of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will. I have personally visited with Brook at his headquarters and attended various Conservation Foundation events. Should Brook ever have any target properties for the Naperville Park District to consider, he has a direct line of communication to me and our Board.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them? Or, should they wait until the economy improves?The major un-met recreational need in Naperville is indoor activity space. Currently, we have yoga and adult fitness classes being held in pre-school rooms. Many Naperville seniors must go to Fox Valley Mall in Aurora to walk for exercise, including our own Mayor Pradel, who pointed this out to me during a one-on-one interview I conducted to gather his input and opinions. The Barn Recreation Center, built in the 1950's, has numerous deficiencies, including compliance with applicable building codes and ADA accessibility guidelines. The Barn is very near the end of its useful lifecycle, so we must take action now. Our board has been methodically planning for the new indoor Activity Center, which will be at the intersection of Quincy and Fort Hill Drive. The Activity Center will be a gathering place for residents of all ages, and will include a walking track, gymnasium space, and programming rooms for the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association. Funding has been accounted for in our 2015 budget, and we have methodically planned and saved for the Activity Center. Funding will come from property tax revenue, including the Special Recreation Levy, which will remain constant at 4-cents of the District's Equalized Assessed Valuation (EAV) (4-cents per $100 of EAV). This is appropriate, since the Western DuPage Special Recreation Association will be a key user of the facility. Revenue from program and usage fees will contribute to ongoing operational expenses, and we will aggressively pursue alternative revenue sources, including private sector sponsorships and partnerships.Would you support sharing/pooling resources (i.e. printing, vehicles) with other local governments (school districts, village, etc.)? If so, what areas would you consider combining or merging to save money or improve efficiency?I am a major supporter of sharing resources with other government agencies when feasible and appropriate. For example, during my first term in office, we approved and renewed intergovernmental agreements with School Districts 203 and 204 that allow us to administer Naperville Park District programs in their buildings and gymnasiums. These relationships are absolutely critical, and each year, I participate in an intergovernmental dinner, during which we collaborate with all the other government agencies in Naperville. In 2014, I represented the Naperville Park District as its primary speaker/presenter at this intergovernmental event. Secondly, I have personally met with City of Naperville staff at the City of Naperville Public Works facility to explore the possibility of shared maintenance and warehouse space, and shared parking between the Naperville Public Works facility and our new Naperville Park District Activity Center, given the proximity of the one facility to the other. The Park District will be moving forward with the shared parking arrangement, since the peak times for Public Works (business hours) coincide nicely with the peak times for the Activity Center (evenings and weekends). This is a great example of cooperation and working together for the benefit of our residents and taxpayers.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the park board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.I am an incumbent. During my second year in office, I was elected Vice President, and during my third year, I was elected President of the Park Board by a unanimous vote of the other commissioners. This served as positive reinforcement from my peers. I was honored and humbled that my fellow commissioners respected my leadership ability and style, and chose me as the primary spokesperson for the Naperville Park District board. During my first term, we demonstrated financial stewardship, and our Aaa financial rating (best possible) was renewed every year by Moody's Investors Services, an independent rating agency. During my presidency, we also received the Illinois Policy Institute's award for government transparency. We installed synthetic turf fields at Nike Sports Complex and Commissioner's Park, and completed and opened the Knoch Knolls Nature Center. We worked through a complex Sportsman's Park remediation project, approved the new indoor Activity Center, and completed numerous playground developments and renovations. Leadership from board and staff has been strong and stable, I am proud of our accomplishments, and I would be honored to serve another term.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?In addition to the issues already mentioned, I think our board and staff must continue to build the future of the game of golf. The Naperville Park District operates two golf courses, Naperbrook and Springbrook, and both are important assets of the District. We recently launched a new golf website - golfnaperville.org - to help promote our golf programs and events. The ongoing goal is to maintain the relevance of both golf facilities and to continue to innovate in an effort to increase rounds and revenue. We should continue to study national and local trends, and perhaps study whether or not two courses are necessary on an ongoing basis. Finally, when I meet with residents one-on-one or in groups, one of their top priorities and directives is taking good care of what we have. As Park Commissioners, we are entrusted with some of the region's most prized assets, including the Naperville Riverwalk, Centennial Beach, and the Knoch Knolls Nature Center. We take that responsibility, which includes maintenance and stewardship, very seriously. Likewise, as a property tax payer myself, I take tax dollars very seriously, and must constantly make sure our mission is being upheld and our residents are getting a great value for their tax dollars.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Coach Mike Krzyzewski (Duke University): "Making shots counts, but not as much as the people who make them."What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?GOLDEN RULE: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Can't say that I have any regrets. Even the bad decisions were learning experiences and power for the course.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Business Law. Saved thousands of dollars in legal fees over the years by handing basic contracts and legal matters myself.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I've never met ONE SINGLE PERSON that said The reason I'm successful in life is because of drugs or alcohol.