Niki Warden: 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: Fox LakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lake County Board District 5 Age: 46Family: Two teenage children.Daughter, Julia 16Son, Mark 14Occupation: Administrative Assistant / Office managerEducation: * Two circ;frac12; years of courses taken at the University of Tennessee. * Freedom of Information Act (F.O.I.A) Officer* Deputy Registrar for Lake County, ILCivic involvement: I am an active volunteer with Boy Scouts of America and my church community. I am also involved with numerous organizations within my children's school such as Music Boosters, PTO, Educational Foundation and the Arts. I am also a member of the Municipal Clerks of Lake County.Elected offices held: Presently the elected Village Clerk of Fox Lake.Past member of the Fox Lake Planning Commission.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office? If you are running for re-election, is there an important project you want to implement? If you are a challenger, is there a particular issue that motivates you? Please explain.For the past decade, I have helped young people and their families achieve their goals, and I plan to do the same representing District 5. I am not a career politician. I am committed to servicing the citizens of Lake County. I am committed to having an open door policy for citizens to have access to me and the County Board. I will ensure that the Board is responsive to protecting the interests, resources and tax money of the tax payers. I will also collaborate with our townships and villages to ensure that our district receives the attention it needs.What are your ideas to ensure the Lake County Discovery Museum remains relevant with county residents during the year it is closed while it moves from Wauconda to Libertyville and its new space is prepared?Having this transition time for the Lake County Discovery Museum can in fact become a great opportunity for the museum. By expanding its outreach programs, the museum can create opportunities to engage with audiences beyond its traditional reach to schools and scout groups. I would encourage extending outreach programming to seniors, libraries and other new audiences. This will only add value to our communities and is a challenge worth taking.Do you believe all of the county board's and forest board's committee meetings should be televised live and webcast? Why or why not?Yes, it should be televised and webcast, I believe in open and transparent government. Again, I want government to be more accessible and make it easier for citizens to become involved. Weekday meetings on the east side of the county are difficult if not impossible for most citizens to attend. Video coverage can be catalogued for working people to view in the evenings. In order for county government to become relevant to the people, we need to talk to them. Get them involved. And the first way to do that is to invite citizens to our meetings. All of them.Some municipalities are turning to Lake County government for contracted services in areas such as building inspections. For example, Lake Zurich signed a two-year contract with the county in late 2015 and expects to save $100,000 by paying $67 an hour for the inspections. Do you see this as a good thing for the county because of the revenue or are there concerns that should be addressed if these arrangements continue to grow? Please explain.Consolidation of services is a good aspect of government. If municipalities can realize a cost benefit by sharing services with the county or other government, it is a win win for all involved. On the flipside, the county must consider if they are financially able to support staffing, benefits and other overhead to provide these services. Our main goal in government is to deliver services efficiently, effectively and economically.Please list any elected office you've ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?I am presently the elected Village Clerk of Fox Lake. This was my first election. I was appointed to the Fox Lake Planning Commission and served with them over two years.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Holding the line on property taxes while delivering quality transportation, forest preserves, public safety, and other services is top priority. Through my discussions with residents, I find that many are uncertain about what the Lake County Board does and how they can influence decision-making. Through coffees, town halls, and newsletters, I will involve District 5 residents so that I can keep them informed and represent their opinions and needs. I will also focus on mental health and substance abuse because according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, these disorders will surpass all diseases worldwide by 2020.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis is the leader who makes us want to be better people. He reminds us that we have a moral obligation to one another.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Hearing is not the same as listening. People who truly listen to what is said to them and respond appropriately contribute to the common goal.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I am where I am today by the choices I have made. We learn from our mistakes and move forward.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Communication classes - Every day we use different levels of communication. It is a vital tool to building relationships and as well as understanding yourself.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Stay true to who you are and not what others think you should be. You're value is in your goodness to yourself and to others.