Contenders give their vision for Campton Hills
There are 13 candidates for six village board trustee seats in the village of Campton Hills. Three will serve 2-year terms and three will serve 4-year terms, to be decided in a lottery.
Seven candidates answered questions posed by the Daily Herald: Laura B. Andersen, Susan P. George, Al Lenkaitis Jr., James W. Kopec, Michael D. Millette, Gary L. Moore and John S. Strauss .
Six did not reply: William Brown, William Lundborg, Frederick Robinson, Susan Secondi, Richard Seehafer and Marty White.
Q. 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? What will be your main priority?
Laura B. Andersen. I am running to keep our home values and community intact. We, as a village, should have the right to form and protect the area in which we live.
William Brown. Did not respond.
Susan P. George. Over the past nine years, I have worked alongside leaders in Campton. I have also led, as a volunteer, several citizen groups. I am very committed to this community. I want to see it thrive. And, with my past work and volunteer experiences, I will bring to office an enthusiasm for fiscal responsibility and stewardship as well as substantial experience in communications that will benefit the village and complement my fellow trustees.
We need to preserve the richness of our area and its way of life for the betterment of the community and those who reside in it.
I will have three main priorities that will govern my tenure as trustee -- fiscal responsibility, stewardship and communication. As a young village, many financial decisions will be made for the first time in our history. It is very important that we not impact the tax base but use the new state revenues coming to us as a benefit of incorporation wisely. I will also work to protect, educate and steward the Village of Campton Hills for the enrichment of its residents.
James W. Kopec. I am running for re-election in order to provide the responsible leadership needed to complete the task of establishing our village. I accepted the challenge when appointed by Judge Colwell to serve as a village trustee and now seek to have the community return me to that position to continue that task I have dedicated my last three years to preserving the lifestyle and community that my family and I discovered when we moved here 19 years ago. Now, the daunting task of starting and building a village is a challenge I have taken on because I want Campton Hills to continue to exist as the semi-rural community we have come to love. My sole motivation is to preserve our community, to maintain the lifestyle and quality of life that brought us all here to Campton Hills. Only through a locally elected and responsive government are we empowered to make the decisions affecting our community in order to be the village that we envision
Al Lenkaitis Jr. I'm running for office to keep decisions local and represent the people in the village. As a 30-year resident of the area, I believe that all decisions for the area should be local. My priority in office is unity and keeping the village of Campton Hills fiscally responsible, by looking at every action and voting in the best interest of the people.
William Lundborg. Did not respond.
Michael D. Millette. My primary motivation is to control development in and around our village so as to minimize, as much as possible, its negative effects to our schools, water supply and traffic safety. My main priority has been, and will continue to be, the village's comprehensive land use plan -- a plan developed by us and enforced by us. A plan which not only controls development within our borders but also influences development with 1.5 miles of that border through the imposition of our land-cash ordinance, a.k.a. impact fee.
Gary L. Moore. After incorporation, I decided to run for village trustee in order to ensure that the promises regarding taxes and services are kept. Also to oversee the proper spending and appropriations for the village funds so that all revenues are utilized to the maximum dollar amount in a conservative and responsible manner.
Frederick Robinson. Did not respond.
Susan Secondi. Did not respond.
Richard Seehafer. Did not respond.
John S. Strauss. I grew up in a large family on a dairy farm in an area of Wisconsin similar to Campton Hills. I am recently retired and it's time for me to help. I believe my undergraduate engineering and graduate business degrees from Big Ten universities coupled with a successful business career have prepared me well for public office. The main issue facing the village is to demonstrate to citizens that a village can be run with integrity and without additional taxes. This will be my main focus.
Marty White. Did not respond.
Q. How do you think the village should respond to neighborhoods seeking to disconnect from the village? Explain.
Andersen. I think the village should encourage everyone wanting to disconnect to look at their tax bills. Seventy-eight percent of my tax bill goes to School District 303 and Elgin Community College. That comes to $10,695 out of a $13,686 tax bill. District 303 already has capacity issues and a deficit budget. Adding more students as a result of over development, will impact the quality of our school district and everyone's property values in our area. Everyone should ask themselves what they think their home would be valued in an "over capacity" school district. Approximately 1,200 acres of undeveloped land falls in Campton village and is part of District 303 boundaries. If we had 1 home/acre and 1 student/home, we would have 1,200 more students added to a school district that now uses the extreme measure of busing -- 35 students to East High School from the west side to relieve overcrowding at North High School. My neighborhood averages 2.2 children per home.
Brown. Did not respond.
George. Each disconnection petition should be treated with respect and within the limits of the law. Landowners have the ability to petition to a judge to disconnect. Petitions are currently required to be completed by 51 percent of the registered voters and 51 percent of the landowners in a subdivision. That percentage will increase following the anniversary of incorporation. The petitioners also must show that the disconnection will not disconnect other parcels, harm the village economically or prevent future growth. And, once the decision has been made by a judge, the decision must be respected on both sides.
Kopec. When the disconnection statutes were enacted, the original intent of the legislature was to allow large parcel land owners the ability to disconnect in the event that the incorporation would cause them economic hardship if new zoning would no longer permit that parcel to develop as the landowner desired. This is clearly not the case with the subdivisions seeking to leave. There will be no economic harm to these already developed neighborhoods and the economic hardship to the village, in terms of both current fiscal effects and limitations to long-term growth, is significant. In addition, within these neighborhoods are many residents who do not want to be disconnected because the statute only requires 51 percent consent during the first year. The disconnection of these areas also will lead to gerrymandered borders, leading to confusion during calls for emergency services. Also, these isolated neighborhoods would no longer see regular presence of police patrols if they revert to the responsibility of an understaffed sheriff's department. In the long term, disconnection will probably only decrease their property values.
Lenkaitis. I think the neighborhoods opting to disconnect should be completely informed of all current and future actions that the disconnection will affect I would like ALL of the residents of the neighborhood to have all of the information. As a sworn trustee of the village of Campton Hills, I must represent all of the people in the village and neighborhoods. We as a village whole need to be uniformly informed and united as one. I don't think persons from Lenz Road are any different than those from Beith Road.
Lundborg. Did not respond.
Millette. We should analyze the fiscal impact to the remainder of our residents of all disconnection efforts. We also must be sensitive to the fact that disconnections may hinder the village's growth. And, since the majority of the disconnection petitions I have reviewed thus far do not demonstrate 100 percent approval by the residents of the areas, the desire or residents to remain in the village must be defended. Although not a reason to contest disconnection efforts, I am amazed by the misinformation which has been given to some people who had signed disconnection petitions. It has made me question the true intentions of the petition circulators.
Moore. The village position regarding disconnection from the village needs to be discussed at the village board level first and then with the residents seeking disconnection. This must be done so that the residents understand their exposure to annexation by higher taxing municipalities and the affect on their services which might be reduced or become more expensive to maintain. An informational town hall type meeting must be held to ensure that everyone knows the facts on how each scenario will affect them. This is particularly important with residents who are on a fixed income and for those with children of school-age.
Robinson. Did not respond.
Secondi. Did not respond.
Seehafer. Did not respond.
Strauss. The village has an obligation to defend the interests of citizens. Therefore, it has the obligation to defend itself in the courts. It's about the interests of the whole, not the few.
White. Did not respond.
Q. What is your vision for future development -- residential and commercial -- for the village? How would you assure that vision comes to fruition?
Andersen. The vision I see for our community is balanced residential and commercial development reflecting the needs of our residents. We have to actively protect our resources and capacities in every facet of the community. (land use, water, roads/traffic, schools)
Brown. Did not respond.
George. Balance is the key to maintaining life. It is also the key to a healthy community. Like several other areas of the country, we are living in a high growth corridor. People want to live here. We have good schools. It's a great place to raise family, earn a living and retire. However, what was once rural farm land and timber is quickly turning into housing developments. The pressure is on schools, roads, sewers and water systems. We are a progressive community and it's going to take progressive minded leaders to serve. Balancing future sustainable development with open space and acknowledging limited natural resources is the key. Planning is not and will not be easy. There has to be a clear set of priorities that will guide the trustees. I will exhaust every option to maintain and improve the quality of life that we have today.
Kopec. A visionary comprehensive land use plan must be crafted by the residents to reflect the desires of the landowners and residents. The plan must recognize our agricultural roots, semi-rural lifestyle and what we want our community to be like 10, 25 and 50 years from now. It must be a sound basis for development decisions but also a living document that adapts to the need of the community. Development plans must be based on sustainable water and soil resource management principles if we are to continue to grow. The comprehensive plan must recognize the need for balanced, transitional development that places commercial use along major thoroughfares and where sewer and water service could be provided. It should establish land use zoning that provides incremental changes between existing large-lot subdivisions and the commercial centers so we don't ever have to face the possibility of a 24-hour convenience store trying to locate next to existing countryside residences. I would continue to work with the plan commission and citizen advisory committees to craft the guiding plan for our future.
Lenkaitis. I think the comprehensive plan we just approved answers this. It gives the people of the village the opportunity to decide their own direction. We want to keep the rural charm and character of the village. To complete the comprehensive land use plan, we will continue to adjust the plan as the residents see the need I would like to allow each and every person the ability to e-mail.
Lundborg. Did not respond.
Millette. We have a wonderful nascent commercial area in Wasco the development of which hinges primarily on the health of the sanitary district. There are also people who may wish to redevelop along Route 64 and we will work with them. An equally important commercial challenge is the aforementioned Route 47 corridor. I do not think another Randall Road is what we want there. In recent years there have been vast improvements in green building techniques and context sensitive solutions to commercial development which are proving to be more pleasing to the consumer than big-box strip mall after big-box strip mall. I'm referring to plans which include boulevards, rain gardens, filter strips, permeable paver parking, green roofs and the like. With regard to residential development, I believe that maintaining current bulk densities should be our primary consideration. Therefore 1¼ acre or larger lots must be our standard. For any lot sizes smaller, enough true open space -- not spray fields or street parkways -- real park and common areas must be provided to keep to the original density. An example would be a 125-acre site. I expect no more than 100 houses there. If they are concentrated on 50 of those acres, then the remaining 75 acres better be open and useable. Another thought on all development: I would like us to more fully embrace the equestrian tradition of our area. My wife and I have been at the Chili's Restaurant on Randall just north of Silver Glen on two occasions and saw four people ride up on their horses and stop for dinner. I think it would be truly unique to look at simple things such as hitching posts or even stalls in certain developments as a way of inviting more people to ride their horses for "routine" trips in addition to a better connected trail system.
Moore. Planning and development for the new village needs to be as responsible as possible. The lifestyle we have come to enjoy with the rural setting, large lots and preserves needs to be maintained. I would envision a low environmental impact residential development with careful thought to educational and recreational services. Commercially, we are limited to the types of businesses that we can promote or develop due to the areas that heavy industry can or cannot be supported both environmentally and logistically. Therefore our largest potential would be retail stores and chains and agri-business.
Robinson. Did not respond.
Secondi. Did not respond.
Seehafer. Did not respond.
Strauss. I welcome any development, residential or commercial, which includes impact fees to pay for required infrastructure changes and whose impact on the environment is considered "green." The village needs open spaces for animals to live in and people to enjoy.
White. Did not respond.
Q. Can the village rise above the divisions separating incorporation opponents and proponents? Why do you think so? What would you do personally to help the community move forward?
Andersen. Yes, I think that once everyone sees the village making fact-based decisions that are fair and logical, residents will gain confidence that we can govern ourselves and live in the community we want to live in. I plan to research issues and use the FACTS. Not hearsay, not scare tactics … just plain truth and communication, so that everyone can work for the good of the community.
Brown. Did not respond.
George. Yes. And, I think we are more united than it appears to those outside of the village. We may disagree on incorporation for very different reason -- some financial, some political, some in support of our sources of income. However, none of us want higher taxes. We all want a high quality of life and the best for our family. We all want to preserve our area. We all want appropriate police coverage, safe water supplies and great schools. I believe education and balance are critical keys to a healthy community. As stated earlier, as a trustee, I will immediately put my experience to work helping the village improve communications and play an important role in creating unity within Campton Hills.
Kopec. Having lived in Campton Township for almost 19 years with my wife and two daughters, we have seen the community grow and change as others like us moved here for the semi-rural atmosphere and congenial community spirit. The political awakening, caused by the Elgin annexation into Campton Township, only served to show that we must become proactive if we are to keep that atmosphere and spirit intact. I still believe that all that the residents of Campton Hills really want to do is preserve our existing way of life that we have come to cherish. Rather than relying on fear, uncertainty and speculation, the residents of Campton Hills need to give the village officers a chance to prove that the village can provide our minimalist services needed and thereby maintain the village without property taxes. Once the people realize that taxes won't go up because of the village and that the village is the only means to preserve our semi-rural lifestyle, the current artificial rift between proponents and opponents will quietly mend and the community will once again unify.
Lenkaitis. I am concerned with the barrage of negative and sometimes misleading information in the public. I am sure we can rise above the division because I think we have made strides already. At the open question meetings in November people both for and against were able to have an open forum. At this meeting I truly believe we were helping educate a lot of residents through communication. In the upcoming year we will have more of these meetings, until the residents do not need or want them anymore.
Lundborg. Did not respond.
Millette. Yes. I realize that many people moved here to get away from somewhere else: Chicago or some dense suburb and they wanted to be "left alone". I hear this often when speaking with longtime residents. I also hear them express what has happened since: more, denser developments; more traffic, speeding, and accidents; more children dumped on our school systems; etc., and I realize they haven't been "left alone" but desperately want to think they have been. Now there is a new village, another intrusion, therefore bad. Then some developer-in-resident's-clothing comes along and fuels that fear with fraudulent claims which stirs the resentment of not having been left alone. Our job is to continue to provide the truth, show the doubters that we are their neighbors, beholden to them and them alone and that we now, for the first time since they moved here, have the power to shape our collective destiny -- not the county, not the state and not the big developers.
Moore. I certainly believe that the divisions between opponents and proponents of the village incorporation will be relieved once everyone has an accurate and honest picture of why the incorporation took place and what the future scenario's hold between incorporation and un-incorporation. I believe a better job could have been done regarding the education of the residents of the issues, and I have found this to be true with everyone I have met with over the last few weeks. The flow of accurate information to the citizens is of the utmost importance not just at this time but throughout the future.
Robinson. Did not respond.
Secondi. Did not respond.
Seehafer. Did not respond.
Strauss. Nothing remains the same and this will pass as well. People who were friends become enemies and enemies become friends. We all want the same things. Besides, the desire to get along and work together always prevails in the end. This is not a sport where there are winners and losers. We all travel this road together. I will speak and act according to this vision.
White. Did not respond.
Q. Beyond the division in No. 7, what do you believe is the most important issue facing the village in the next year? The next four years? Explain why you think so and how you would address it.
Andersen. The village has to develop operational procedures for community services, communication, infra structures and get a census of the village. I see these issues as most important in the first year. Long term, land use and village growth are the issues.
Brown. Did not respond.
George. I believe the most important issue facing the village is how we will best utilize the new tax receipts coming to the village as a benefit from incorporation. Another is what services are necessary for residents. Directly related to these issues is our budget and how it's invested in our community. Campton Hills was intentionally established with a modest budget. Big government is not the goal of the village. Over the next four years, we will determine in partnership with the community how to spend this returning tax revenue. Communication, stewardship, fiscal responsibility and balance will be the themes of my tenure as trustee.
Kopec. The most important issue in the coming year is the creation and adoption of a new comprehensive plan that encompasses the desires of all the residents of Campton Hills. The plan must be a truly collaborative effort to define the future of the village from both growth and community aspects. Resource management, development and social institutions must all be addressed as we ask ourselves who we are and what we want to be when we grow up. We are a community that now has a unifying purpose for us all to fulfill. Community involvement in all phases of the new comprehensive plan is essential. Longer-term goals include the redevelopment of traditional Wasco as a village center and definition and development of the Route 47 corridor. Both of these concerns require input from residents as well as the cooperation of the landowners. A careful balance of heritage and needs must be considered to avoid the congestion that has been allowed to occur in other areas of Kane County.
Lenkaitis. The most important issue facing the village is controlled growth, as it has been and will always be the big elephant in the room. We in the village of Campton Hills have almost 25-percent space open for growth and change. The comprehensive plan of the village gives us the road map to the future a future of controlled growth with low impact on the schools. Because we all are in this together and no one body of government or person should ever be singled out or left behind. I am sure we will be able to assist all of the people and new growth for the foreseeable future.
Lundborg. Did not respond.
Millette. Next year we must finish our comprehensive plan and zoning ordinance. We have a bit of a luxury with the downturn in the housing market, so we shouldn't feel rushed, but also shouldn't dally. We also must begin the process of securing boundary agreements with our neighbors. Again, participation in the Route 47 corridor study group is vital. Each of these issues must be addressed through community engagement: focus groups, forums (in person or online) and just talking at the coffee shop. In the next four, I see traffic safety as a very important issue. We will do an excellent job controlling our own growth, but our neighbors will grow as well and they will be using our roads in addition to the state and county routes. I propose to utilize a public works committee to study problems and work with the highway commissioner and police chief to develop safe solutions.
Moore. The most important issue facing the village in the next year will be prioritizing expenditures and projects, confirming our census for state and federal funding and making sure that we put in for any and all subsidies and grants that we are qualified for at the county, state and federal levels. Making sure that we receive as much revenue as possible from every source so as to provide a financially solvent village without adding burden to the citizens. Over the next four years planning and development for community growth in the residential and commercial sectors will be priority so that when we reach our saturation point we will be a well balanced community and keep as much revenue in our own village as possible between property and sales taxes as well as patronizing local businesses keeping our local economy healthy.
Robinson. Did not respond.
Secondi. Did not respond.
Seehafer. Did not respond.
Strauss. A police department has been established and roads are being maintained through intergovernmental agreements. Therefore, the most likely controversial issues will have to do with land use and requests to change existing zoning. The Wasco area and the Route 47 corridor development are likely to become issues. Trustees are not expert in these areas and therefore, it will be my job to listen, listen and listen some more. There are likely to be compelling positions on both sides. When decision time comes, it will be my job to sort out the confusion. How does the request affect taxes? Has an appropriate amount of impact fees been assessed? How does it affect the human environment and the local ecosystem? These and others are likely to be the major issues, which affect village citizens.
White. Did not respond.