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Trish Beckjord: Candidate Profile

St. Charles Park Board

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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: St. CharlesWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: St. Charles Park Board Age: 67Family: Single, brother's family in PittsburghOccupation: Native Plant/Green Infrastructure Specialist, Midwest Groundcovers, LLCEducation: Masters, Landscape ArchitectureCivic involvement: Member, The Conservation Foundation Kane County Advisory Council Member, Steering Committee, Northeast Illinois Invasive Plant PartnershipElected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?Since deciding to run for office last fall I have been attending the bi-monthly Commission meetings in order to become acquainted with the workings of the Commission and the issues/needs of the Park District. Based on this attendance, I understand that the many programs offered by the District are self-sustaining with good, growing participation rates. Over 17,000 program participants were served last year! I am impressed by the work of the District staff and the breadth of programs that are offered for our families.Is there any additional open space the park district needs to acquire? Please describe.According to the City of St. Charles Comprehensive Plan our population has grown 18% over the 10 years evaluated by the plan. With this growth, comes increased demand for the recreational facilities and open space that significantly contribute to the quality of life available to us in the Fox Valley. In addition, growth across age and household income is projected to continue. With this in mind, the vision in the City Comprehensive Plan states: "â#128;brvbar;The Fox River is the spine of a system of parks and open spaces that penetrate every part of the City. Local parks provide easy access to places of recreation and tranquility. New developments integrate green space into their designs so that the comprehensive network of parks is held intact and expanded as the City grows..." Given these projections and the fact that 72% of the respondents of the Park District's 2013 Community Survey favored the District purchasing/preserving open space, I believe that our Park District should always be open to evaluating acquisition opportunities as they present themselves for their fit with the Park District Comprehensive Plan and the financial impact that would be required. In particular, as development continues to push out from Chicago, I believe continued preservation of open space will be critical and at a premium. I look forward to learning more about the District's needs and supporting this aspect of the City's vision.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?It is my understanding that the bond referendum on the ballot in April has been developed following a thorough public input and review process that has carefully evaluated the preferences and needs of community residents, recommendations from several appointed Advisory committees and the District's 2011 Comprehensive Master Plan. One of the goals of the referendum is to obtain funding to construct a Family Recreation Center in James O. Breen Community Park that will be designed for multi-generational use. If approved, the referendum would provide additional gymnasium space, children's programming space, and fitness facilities for families to enjoy as well as additional amenities not currently offered through the Park District. Balancing payment for these needed programs and facilities, and determining when to ask for a referendum to pay for them (which is the only way to do so) must always be done thoughtfully. If the Referendum passes, the average cost to homeowners whose market values for their homes range between $200,000 and $300,000 will be between $4.97 and $7.70/month respectively. I know that, in addition to the referendum, the Park District staff will continue to work hard to identify and apply for any applicable grant opportunities that are available. I support the Park District's mission to enrich the quality of life of Park District residents through excellence in programs, parks, facilities and services, and support the proposed referendum that would be used to fund needed improvements.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?The park district currently enjoys good inter-agency relationships which would help facilitate the sharing or pooling of resources which can be a smart, cost-effective and sustainable way to improve operations and reduce cost. I believe, however, that each opportunity should be evaluated on a case by case basis and judged on its own merits. Each instance where sharing/pooling resources may be applied should be assessed for the potential impacts - positive and/or negative - such application might engender before making a decision to proceed with determining how such sharing would be implemented.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.First, as a landscape architect who has worked with a variety of public agencies, I have learned the value of getting involved, participating in the life of the place I choose to call home, and giving of my time and my talents in a cause I believe in. Second, I care deeply about parks and open space, and the ways in which they enhance the local community. As a child, I spent family vacations in Minnesota's north woods. When not there, I always sought out the woods and creeks near my home to play in. I have always loved my time in nature. In a child it helps build independence and imagination. As an adult, it can provide a restorative refuge. We need to conserve and enhance these local places. We all lose something when we don't have them to experience easily and safely. Third, I value recreational space for adults as well as structured recreation programming for our children. In today's busy world, our parks departments support families by offering many ways in which to share positive family time and promote good family health. Our programs help kids learn teamwork and develop the social skills they need to learn to be effective in today's world. They also provide our adults with opportunities for continued learning and social interaction. The St. Charles Park District does a great job in so many ways, and offers so much value; I want to help them continue to do it.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I think the issues facing us in today's world are showing us at every turn how everything is connected to how we choose to live our lives. We have to make sure we recognize and respond to that connection appropriately and positively. This is often called a "sustainable" way of doing things. Simply, we can ask, "Are we doing things in a way that does not deplete resources or cause harm at the expense of future generations?" Or perhaps in the reverse "Are we doing things in a way that enhances, preserves and protects our health and the natural systems on which we all depend?" From honey bees to local farming to childhood obesity to where we get our drinking water to the Monarch butterfly, all around us are examples of opportunities to act more sustainably. I believe the Park District can serve as a leading example of sustainable best practices in a variety of ways and hope to work at a policy level through the staff and Comprehensive Plan to enhance our position as a positive role model within the community and across the countryPlease name one current leader who most inspires you.Elizabeth Warren. I appreciate her intelligence, breadth of knowledge, clear thinking, and ability to advocate for issues clearly and calmly under pressure.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To be honest and take responsibility for my own actions.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I don't know; I am where I am today because of each step in the process, and I like where I am!What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Biology and the natural sciences. My interest keeps me curious and always wanting to explore and learn more about this fascinating planet we call home.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't pre-judge yourself; take chances. You might just be successful, and if not, failure is one of the best ways to learn!