David Pietryla: Candidate Profile

Back to St. Charles City Council Ward 4

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: St. CharlesWebsite: www.Dave4STC.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: St. Charles City Council Ward 4 Age: 37Family: Single; no childrenOccupation: Manager of Community Relations Economic Development, Nicor GasEducation: B.A. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign M.A. George Washington UniversityCivic involvement: Member, St. Charles Corridor Improvement CommissionVolunteer, St. Charles History MuseumVolunteer, USO of IllinoisElected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers Reports indicate the city's police station needs major renovations or a new facility. What should the city do with the current police station?I appreciate the architectural assessment conducted on the existing station; it appears that demolishing the property and rebuilding is not a desirable option, given the projected cost. I do see value in maintaining a centralized location for our police department; however, I would be open to further discussion of potentially relocating the station to an alternate site, like the Valley Shopping Center. An alternate location would provide additional operational space for the department, as opposed to its current, restricted location. The current site also has the potential to serve other community purposes, attracting new visitors downtown and further enhancing the river corridor.What are the necessary elements for a redevelopment project at the old St. Charles Mall site to receive a favorable city council vote?A mixed use development would be sensible. A reduction in residential density as well as an increased amount of green space with walking availability and connectivity with adjacent neighborhoods is favorable. I believe the additional of senior residential options would also be welcomed. I am confident that the right balance of residential and commercial selections will eventually be established to enhance the adjacent corridors in a way that will makes St. Charles residents proud.What are your expectations for the Charlestowne Mall/The Quad during the next four years? What can the city do to help the property reach those goals?I support efforts to maintain communication between the city and the property owners. Robust dialogue is sensible in order to understand the property owner's thoughts and plans. Development is occurring along the south side of the property, so there is certainly momentum at the site, which I anticipate will continue. With this said, I also think other options, such as a TIF district, shouldn't be ruled out for consideration.What is your philosophy regarding local events involving alcohol and new businesses coming to town that involve the sale of alcohol? Would you support more taverns and alcohol-related events in the downtown?It is important that people are attracted to our city - to shop, to eat and to be entertained. I am not opposed to festivals where alcohol may be served, as long as efforts to minimize overconsumption are implemented. Should a business selling alcohol approach the city for approval of its operations, my philosophy is that said business should receive an equitable assessment of its case. Fair considerations must be made on a case-by-case basis in order to diversify the downtown business environment, which plays a crucial role in the economic health of our city.The city is just now seeing some income from video gambling activity. Should video gambling remain legal in the city? If not, how would you go about removing the machines from local businesses/organizations that receive the income from the machines?I care about maintaining the city's positive image, and I completely understand opposition views on video gambling. With appropriate rules in place governing the location of gaming signs and number of machines, a balance can be achieved so that the city may still reap the revenue benefits while also maintaining its ideal brand and image. Therefore, I am not opposed to continuing to allow video gambling in St. Charles so long as practical operational rules are in place.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Business attraction and retention are essential for the city. I would like to see additional residential options downtown in order to draw and permanently anchor residents and patrons for downtown businesses. As the city grows and develops, concepts such as walkability, livability and sustainability are also important considerations. St. Charles is a destination to live, work and play as long as we continue to develop and maintain the appropriate amenities.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope FrancisWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Be respectful and work hard. Everything will be as it should.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?If given a do-over I would obtain my eagle scout rank; I regret not having originally completed that journey.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?In college, my favorite subject was Constitutional Law. We learned how to think critically and fairly.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I would advise them to treat others the way they wish to be treated.