Paula Yensen: 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: Lake in the HillsWebsite: paulayensen.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry County Board District 5 Age: 67Family: Daughter: JamieSon: JasonHusband: MichaelOccupation: United Way executive director (retired), adjuct faculty member at Harper College (current)Education: Ph.D. in Education from Michigan State UnversityCivic involvement: National consultant, Girl Scouts USABoard member, Fox Valley Philanthropy NetworkMember, Lake in the Hills RotaryFormer member, McHenry County Mental Health BoardFormer board member, Environmental Defenders of McHenry CountyFormer board member, YMCA of Crystal LakeFounding board member, Fair Housing Center of Lansing, MichiganFormer member, Ingham County Women's CommissionFounding member, Kane County Council on Child Abuse and NeglectFormer president, YWCA of Hamilton, OhioElected offices held: Village Trustee, Lake in the Hills (current)McHenry County Board (former)Chairperson, McHenry County Stormwater Commission (former)Questions Answers There were significant voting problems in the March primary. Are you confident sufficient steps have been taken to avoid a repeat in November? What role, if any, should the county board have in such matters?I was a poll watcher during the primary, and I documented many of the problems and passed them along to the Clerk. The primary was a "perfect storm" of new rules, untested technology, heavy turnout and inadequate training. I am not confident that all the problems have been fully addressed. Recruiting and retaining qualified election judges is the number one issue. The political parties are supposed to appoint judges, but that leaves a lot of slots unfilled. I'd be willing to help the Clerk improve processes and figure out how we can recruit and retain more qualified election judges.Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?I am concerned by the amount of time and money wasted by the County Board due to political squabbling and indecisiveness. We need board members with a sense of professionalism and collaborative decision-making. Too often, decisions are dragged out for years, costing taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in staff time, legal fees and other costs. I also support improving our transportation infrastructure in all parts of the county. We won't improve our economic security if we don't fix our roads and bridges. The commuters in Crystal Lake need good roads just as much as the farmers in Marengo.Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them.Property taxes are too high, especially for those on fixed incomes. I support the initiative to cut 10% from our county taxes, but that is just a small step in the right direction. Over half of our property tax bill is for schools, while only about 10% is for county government. We can make big cuts to county government but not see much of a cut in our property taxes. The best way to relieve the burden on homeowners is to improve the health of the business community, attract new businesses, and make the state legislature fix the budget.How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If you consider it adequate, please explain why. If you think improvements are needed, please describe them and why they are important.Our County Board has violated the Open Meetings Act numerous times. They've been caught red-handed and suffered the consequences. Unfortunately, it's the taxpayers who foot the bill for their foolish behavior. There's no reason the County can't stream video of board and committee meetings. Anyone with a smartphone can do it for free. Yes, it will cost some money to do it professionally, but it's worth it to make the process more accessible. I'd also like to see more meetings in the evenings. People who work regular business hours cannot attend meetings held during the day.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 have run for Village Trustee in Lake in the Hills three times, all successfully. I've run for County Board three times, winning twice.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?We also need board members who understand they serve the public, not the other way around. Why do board members think it's OK for them to get full-time fringe benefits -- health care and pension -- for part-time work? The nursing staff at Valley High nursing home work a lot harder than county board members, and get nothing. That's not right.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Leaders don't inspire me. It's everyday people struggling to make ends meet, yet still love, laugh and care for each other. That inspires me.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I learned to read at a very young age. That skill taught me that anything is possible if you work hard for it.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I wish I had spent more time with my children when they were growing up. I had to work multiple jobs to support them.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I'm a huge history buff. Knowing the truth about our past is the best way I know to make informed decisions about our future.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't wait for tomorrow. Start living your dreams today. It's up to you to make it happen.