Beth Waller: 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: MontgomeryWebsite: bwallerparks.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Fox Valley Park board District 2 Age: 59Family: Tom Waller, husbandMatt Wallet, sonChristina Pearson, daughterJohn Waller, sonRob Waller, sonOccupation: SupervisorEducation: BA concentration in Parks and Rec AdministrationCivic involvement: Girl Scout leader, 18 years.Foster parent for ten years for seven children.Past Chairman Montgomery Fest Craft Show and Entertainment committees.Past member Aurora Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy.Past chairman Aurora Deanery of Catholic Women.Food Pantry volunteer.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?I am running for this office because I want to share my time, talent and experience with my community assisting the Fox Valley Park District in its mission to, "Enrich our community with fun, diverse and safe park and recreation experiences through environmentally and fiscally responsible actions." I am passionate about the park district's role in our community and am committed to providing fiscally responsible leadership that will provide a rich set of parks, trails, facilities and services that meet the needs of our constituents both today and tomorrow.How do you assess the state of the district's finances? What, if any, changes do you propose to alter the district's financial picture, whether through cost reduction or revenue increases? Please be as specific as possible on where you would propose cutting or how you would propose increasing revenue.Our agency must be fiscally responsible and good stewards of our funds. Living well within our means and protecting our future. I'd like the district to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of our current spending that includes staffing and the capital improvement plan. I want to be sure we are spending as effectively as possible and the community is getting full value for its money. As a park district, one of our goals should be to provide diverse set of recreation opportunities throughout our system of parks, trails, activities, sports, services and other programs. These items must be driven by the community and operate cooperatively with services being provided by other public agencies and private businesses. At the National Revenue and Development School, of which I am a extern, we help senior park and recreation leadership from around the country learn to effectively manage revenue generating programs, facilities, public revenue streams like tax revenue and to balance them with their overall goals. I plan to bring that knowledge and experience to the board so that we can set the appropriate path for our district.What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?he park district must have an impact on the community that is far greater than a ledger of the income and expense from line by line programs. I feel a direct revenue/cost formula at an individual program or service level should never be the only criteria we use to determine what programs to offer. As discussed above, we must evaluate all of our income and expenses to ensure they are aligned with the needs of the community. Additionally, we will want to to review the fees we have established for our direct beneficiary programs. These programs, sometimes referred to in the industry as "pay as you go" may need to be modified to better reflect the value we provide. We also need to be sensitive to those in our community with financial need. I support a system that provides economic aid to allow active participation by this, often under-served group.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them?Today the park district offers an extensive collection of recreational opportunities and programs. I look forward to hearing from the community what they feel needs to be added.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.I have always been passionate about serving my community and I believe strongly in the value of having access to quality parks and recreation opportunities. My family and I have been enriched the past 30 years by the time we have spent walking and biking the trails, picnicking and playing in the parks along the Fox River, engaging in a variety of Fox Valley Park District sports programs and other activities. I am driven by a desire to assist the Fox Valley Park District to fulfill its duty of service to our community and all its residents. A strong park district lifts our community image and gives the residents a sense of purpose, supports economic development, promotes health and wellness, fosters human development, revitalizes our community, increases cultural unity and helps build safer neighborhoods. As a recreation professional with 26 years of experience who is involved both regionally and nationally, I feel I truly have something special to offer the community. My years of knowledge, along with the rest of the board, combined with the talented staff will deliver a transformative park and recreation experience across our district.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Parks and recreation are vital to our community. It is imperative to me that we keep our existing parks, trails and facilities safe and well-maintained. It is extremely important to me that the park district represents all of its residents. We need to ensure that we serve all the community no matter what special need they have or background, age, sex, ethnic group they are affiliated. The park district should offer transformative opportunities to all. We also need to remember that there is a rich tapestry of public and private parties that offer similar services segments of our park district community. The park district should be a leader in forming public and private partnerships that raise the level of service for all.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis inspires me. He is genuinely humble and caring. His message of peace and acceptance is much needed in our world.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?My father believed in finding ways to help others. He taught me the importance of sharing our gifts. I always admired his generosity.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?When I met Barack Obama a few years ago, I wish I had spent more time with him.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?One of my favorite subjects in school was English. I love to write short stories and plays.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Always respect others and yourself.