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Diana Gunsteen: Candidate Profile

Bartlett Park Board

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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: BartlettWebsite: DianaforBartlettParks.orgTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: facebook.com/dianagunsteenBPDOffice sought: Bartlett Park Board Age: 38Family: Husband, Dan3 sons: Daniel (9), Michael (6), Benjamin (3)Occupation: Business OwnerEducation: Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Active in my church,6 year member of Preschool Boardactive volunteer in my children's schoolsElected offices held: n/aQuestions 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?My family and I are very active users of the Park District, from swimming at the aquatic center to playing soccer and basketball. We love the amenities, but I see room for improvement from an almost daily user's perspective. I am also a business owner and taxpayer, so I am sensitive to the costs of running the District. Park District money doesn't grow on trees, it comes from hard working residents. I think there are many ways we can make the District more user friendly, but if I had to pick one issue, I would focus on safety. The District needs to improve its safety culture especially when programs or activities involve children.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.As a business owner with a finance background, I view finances as ever changing. District finances are great right now, but we always need to be looking forward to community needs, projected revenues, and the economy as whole for years to come. The Park District should continuously evaluate its finances by reviewing each program for cost effectiveness and utilization. The Park District should focus on broad-based programs designed to satisfy the needs of the community and serve as many residents as possible. Programs should be offered at a minimal fee to the taxpayer. More specialized or under-utilized programs or facilities need to be evaluated and modified to generate revenue or least break even. For example, the District can expand food and beverage offerings to increase sales and improve guest experience. When classes get cancelled for low enrollment, we need to look at why there is low enrollment. If it's due to inconvenient class times, or lack of awareness, these are improvements that can be easily done.What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?Since the Park District acquired Villa Olivia in 2010, the Park District has invested heavily in the facility by renovating almost the entire facility. It's time for return on that investment; Villa Olivia should generate income and offset other facilities and properties. Unfortunately, Villa Olivia simply has not performed financially and the aggregate poor financial performance of Villa Olivia over past six years has resulted in the facility requiring routine operating cash loans from the District's general operating funds. This is like borrowing money from your parents to pay for groceries for your family. The General Fund collects much of the tax dollars paid to the District and its purpose is to help offset administrative overhead of maintaining parks and open spaces. It also serves as the District's "rainy day" fund in the event of a catastrophic occurrence. The Park District needs to take a hard look at Villa Olivia to enhance existing revenues streams and possibly add other revenue generating opportunities. It's time to get serious and make Village Olivia viable in the long term.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them?The Bartlett Park District has a great partnership with the Northwest Special Recreation Association (NWSRA) to serve people with special needs. However, the Park District needs to expand its offerings of classes for Special Needs children. A Program like "Buddy Soccer" would not cost the Park District any more money, but it would be a great way for Special Needs children and their peers to play together. Bartlett Little League has a Challenger Division and a Challenger Day, where in-house teams can come out and play with a Special Needs Buddy. These programs allow for the Special Needs Children to be included and create understanding and learning among their peers. This would be a win-win for all involved without costing the Park District any additional funds.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 am running because my family and I use the District extensively and I see where user experience can be improved. I am very involved in the community through my church and my children's schools, so running for office is just another way I can help our community.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Collaboration. We need close collaboration between the Park District, community organizations, and units of local government like the Village and Library District to work together, share resources and costs, and to provide the best experience for our residents. For example, the Village of Bartlett recently created a bike and run committee; what a tremendous opportunity for the Park District to collaborate! Communication. In every communication to residents, we need to encourage everyone use our facilities. Walk, bike, or just stroll over to the park! We also need to listen to residents. Resident input to building our community should always be a top priority!Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Erin Merryn: The namesake of Erin's Law. There is something so inspiring about a woman with a mission, especially when it comes to protecting children.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Hard work pays off. Nothing in life is given and you need to work hard.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have gotten more involved with extracurricular activities when I was in younger.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math didn't come easy to me, but I liked that there is always a definite answer. It's why I went on to major in Finance.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be kind. No one will remember if you were the smartest, fastest, or strongest player, but they will always remember that you were kind.