Kathleen ORourke: 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: WayneWebsite: N/ATwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Wayne Trustee Age: 35Family: My husband, Trevor and I are raising our children Madeleine (4) and Brooks (2) in Wayne.Occupation: Nonprofit Organization ManagementEducation: Master of Urban Planning, Virginia TechB.A. English Literature/Minor Political Science, University of Colorado, BoulderCivic involvement: Vice President, Community Association of WaynePeace Corps Volunteer, MongoliaElected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I hold a Master of Urban Planning and Community Development and have spent over a decade working in pubic service, which began when I served in the Peace Corps. As your Trustee I will commit to serving the interests of the residents of Wayne. My husband Trevor and I chose to move to Wayne to raise our children, Madeleine (4) and Brooks (2). We are enchanted by the beauty and charm of Wayne's neighborhoods and residents, and the strong ties to tradition here. We bought a historical home in order to contribute to the preservation of this charming village, and are committed to seeing the village thrive as we raise our family.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.In speaking with Wayne residents, it is often the value we receive for our property tax dollars that is frustrating, most visibly in public education. This is particularly relevant when taxes increase without visible improvements to our schools. In order to address this issue we need to work with our school district to ensure careful stewardship of tax dollars. The best way to achieve this dialogue is to directly engage with district U-46. I have invited the five U-46 school board candidates to a candidate forum in Wayne to discuss their visions and goals for U-46 and its students, including stewardship of tax dollars. The forum will be held March 17th, 2017 at Little Home Church at 7 p.m. As a Trustee, I will continue to find ways to keep our community engaged in relevant discussions.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?We are on a first name basis with police officers in Wayne, which speaks volumes to the level of excellence of our police force. We are also fortunate to have a low crime rate. However, funding shortfalls have compromised meeting the needs of our police force, such as updating equipment and fulfilling personnel needs. Over the next decade our community will need address the challenge of fully funding our police force. Our Village has excellent fire coverage by Fox River and Countryside Fire District. We currently pay a tax levy of .272, the lowest in our area. However, an upcoming referendum asks for an increase to .529 to continue to meet equipment and personnel requirements. I encourage residents interested in this referendum to join me in attending the Board of Trustees of the Fox River and Countryside Fire Rescue District's special meeting on Monday March 6, 2017 at 6:30 pm at Fire Station 1, 34W500 Carl Lee Road.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The village needs to be better prepared to address both positive and negative changes in its economic health. Therefore, we should be piloting new strategies to raise funds for our village beyond soliciting donations. The Village of Wayne runs on a tight budget, and as Trustee I would update the villages bidding and contract procedures in Chapter 1 Title 11 in the Wayne Village Code, to ensure they promote responsible purchasing. In the future, the budget will need to devote more money to road improvements and our police force.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I believe the residents of Wayne are the village's best assets. I piloted the first Wayne Farmers Market last fall, which utilized our residents' deep roots in gardening and volunteerism. The Farmers Market was met with enthusiasm and will continue this year. As a Village Trustee I will continue to bring residents together around shared interests and goals to promote community connections and foster community resilience.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I will work diligently to create opportunities for a more open dialogue between the board and residents. One change I would like to see implemented immediately as a Trustee, would be providing residents the opportunity to comment after major agenda items, in addition to the open comment session at the start of board meetings. As Trustee, I will continue to honor our village traditions and improve community connections that promote health, happiness, and wellbeing.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Sheryl Sandberg is an inspirational leader.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I learned the importance of eating dinner as a family.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would learn more languages from a young age.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English was my favorite subject in school. I have always loved to read.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Get involved!