Ken Arnold: 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: GurneeWebsite: NoneTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: North Shore Sanitary District Ward 2 Age: 59Family: Married for over 30 years to Susan Arnold. Have one child...now a recent college graduate and age 21 (she did college in just three years...).Occupation: Entrepreneur and HR / Employee Benefits ProfessionalEducation: B.S. Business Adm. from Indiana University's Kelley School of Business Graduated Magna Cum LaudeMBA Business Adm. from Indiana University's Kelley Graduate School of Business Graduated 3rd in class.Post Graduate WorkInt'l Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans and Wharton School of Business: Obtained the certificate of Certifed Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS)Society of Human Resource Management: Obtained the certification of Senior Professional in Human Resource Management (SPHR)Civic involvement: Close to 40 yrs of conservative Republican activism in various Republican Party roles (incl. Pct. Committeeman, Twp. Chairman, and Lake County 3rd Vice Chairman) along with multiple of campaign management roles from the most local to Federal offices. (Was Peter Fitzgerald's Lake County Chief of Operations in his election campaign...). Also ran twice in the Republican Primaries of 2006 and 2008 for the U.S. Congress in the then 8th District of Illinois.Have been active in many civic initiatives including the Gurnee War Memorial, having a local "missing link" sidewalk constructed, modifying plans for Key Lime Cove Resort, and others.Elected offices held: Republican Party Pct. Committeeman in Lake County and Indiana State Convention Delegate (an elected position).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.1) The present incumbent has been in FAR TOO LONG - approaching 16 consecutive years! HIS FATHER held that office for many years before him!Public offices are THE PUBLIC'S! They are not "family property" from generation to generation. Term limits are a good thing! 2) There has been less than stellar business management on this Board. Specifically, a multi-million dollar error in building a new building a few years ago for unproven technology to handle solid waste. Over $40 million dollars was spent on it - only $1+ million was refunded after the technology proved a failure!Describe your position on transparency and public service in the water reclamation district and the ease of access to records by the public. If you believe improvements are needed, what are they and how would you go about achieving them?Over the last 5 years, I FOID'd the District three different times. The first two were ignored in the early years...only the last one (when maybe they knew of my potentially running) did I receive a sufficient response.Citizens being able to both ATTEND ALL MEETINGS (or obtain video/audio of them) as well as HAVE ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED are the bedrock of our Democracy. This is even more so at the most local of level!If additional funds became available, where would you invest those funds?I would first look to see: 1) Where current funds are going; and, 2) Whether adequate efficiencies have been run out of those processes. ONLY THEN would I even consider the additional funds!Spending only comes after the above relative to the mission of the District! Perhaps after the above is done, there is NO NEED for additional spending. (The current Democrat stranglehold on this Board would say OF COURSE they should spend the money! Republican say otherwise...).Should there be sufficient budget due to increased efficiencies, additional funds should be used to REDUCE RATES to the citizens!Why should the general public have an interest in the water reclamation district -- are there misconceptions or information that should be shared to further understanding of the agency and its role?The good and efficient processing of our waste affects the health, and lives, of every Lake County resident! Improper handling of such affluent can not only degrade the health and life spans of our population; but, decrease property values and the desirability of moving into our County.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?Pct. Committeeman in Warren Twp. - consistently elected by my neighbors for at least 20 or more years.Two Term, Warren Twp. Republican Party Chairman (technically elected by the elected Pct. Committemen of that Twp.Indiana Republican State Convention Delegate - Elected while going to Indiana University in the 1980s.United States Congress - 8th District - Unsuccessful, two time candidate in the Republican Primaries of 2006 and 2008.Never sought appointment to any office's unexpired term.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?From my long time, local activities as a founder/activist of "Citizens for Responsible Government" (CRG) and consequent deep reputation as a "friend of the taxpayer" when it comes to government efficiency and spending, I would wish to focus on that while in office. Perhaps there may even be fertile ground in looking to combine/expand with other reclamation districts. This should at least be evaluated for - when it comes to minimizing taxes and maximizing efficiency within government operations, EVERYTHING is on the table. There are no "sacred cows" with Ken Arnold!Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Donald TrumpWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?One must strive for things that are bigger than oneself...leaving the world a better place.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Perhaps spending a few less hours on my first major professional job of 13 years...and more with my wife. Basically: Have a better balance then.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?U.S. History was my favorite. It helped me in later life within all of my political work to "put things in perspective".If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?HONOR and INTEGRITY shall always be remembered by future family members (unlike any car or jewlery you wear). ONLY YOU can give it away!