Kane County Board Dist. 26 board candidates talk land use

Two candidates are vying for the Kane County Board District 26 seat in Tuesday's primary -- incumbent Jan Carlson, 71, of Elburn and business owner Andrew "Drew" Frasz, 51, of Elburn.

Candidates were asked to complete a Q&A; some excerpts from their answers are given below.

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?

Jan Carlson. District 26 occupies nearly one-quarter of the land mass of the county. While most board members have a part of one, possibly two municipalities to serve, there are five municipalities and a small part of the sixth in the District 26 (Sugar Grove, Elburn, Maple Park, Big Rock, Kaneville and a very small part of Campton Hills).

Land use planning is a critical issue in District 26. Knowing the territory and the "players" (constituencies) is important. Some municipalities are conservative in their land use planning, while others choose to expand more aggressively.

There are currently many issues as western Kane County grows. Managing a sustainable water supply is critical. Completing the Anderson Road by-pass around Elburn is important to that community's economic development and to their traffic management plan. In my opinion, the Forest City development in Sugar Grove will do more for the orderly development of that community than any project currently being considered by the village. Maple Park is a small and not very wealthy community that has a continuing need for Community Development Block Grant and riverboat funds to be leveraged with developer impact fee dollars to improve their quality of life.

Hopefully, my motivation shows through in terms of working with local township and municipal governments to move their growth along in an orderly fashion and in accordance with the counties land use plan. In addition to my local priorities, I hope to see the completion of the Anderson Road, the Stearns Road and the Longmeadow Parkway bridges, and the Route 47 Corridor Study.

Drew Frasz. I am running for this office because in the almost seven years that our unincorporated community of LaFox has been successfully promoting smart growth and negotiating with developers, we have not received the expected level of representation and assistance from our District 26 county board representative. In talking with citizens and officials in Sugar Grove, Elburn and other communities, I find the sentiment to be the same. Therefore the two issues that motivate me are representation and smart growth.

My priorities in office will be to continue to meet with and foster close relationships with the villages and communities in District 26 and represent them at the county level.

Q. For incumbents and non-incumbents. If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led. If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.

Carlson. The purchase of land by the county for a Metra station in LaFox was on the agenda of one of my first board meetings 11 years ago. The plan was to build a station in LaFox and a coach yard in Elburn that featured nothing more than a platform. The Elburn village board wanted a by-pass that required a bridge over the coach yard but couldn't afford to build it. They also wanted a station, not a platform.

I worked with Congressman Hastert's office, Metra, the county and the village. I set the stage for the village to negotiate with Metra for a station, and together we found a way to make the bridge a county project and get it built. (It is currently moving from Phase I to Phase II engineering). It is my hope that traffic will move on the bridge by 2010.

Subsequent to a period of heavy rain a few years back, I worked to obtain over $1 million in Community Development Block Grant and Riverboat grants for Big Rock to correct a severe flooding problem, and currently I am working on leveraging a federal grant obtained by Speaker Hastert with CDBG and riverboat dollars to clear Big Rock Creek of pollutants.

Some years ago, we obtained more than $100,000 to build playgrounds in Sugar Grove and recently arranged for riverboat money to be used to beatify their community at the time of their 50th anniversary as a village.

CDBG dollars were obtained for storm sewers in Maple Park and more recently we obtained a grant to support their sidewalk program.

District 26 has more acres of forest preserve and farmland preservation than any district in the county. We have the most preserves with water features (lakes) west of the Fox River. I'm very proud to have played a role in this accomplishment.

On a countywide basis I am proud to have played a role in the development of the county's new purchasing ordinance. Its provisions assure that office holders and department heads alike approach the purchase of goods and services in a business-like manner that is free from politics. The ordinance put a great deal more sunshine into the purchasing process. I have asked that we make every public contract available to the public on the Internet. All of this is or will be a part of the county's newly installed finance system.

I also directed the implementation of a quality selection process at the county's Division of Transportation that provides that the selection of consulting engineers is made by qualification for the job. The selection is made by a committee of engineers and not by elected officials. The system also makes the process much more transparent than ever before. I was instrumental in moving the amendment to the county's Transportation Impact Fee through committee and the county board to final passage. The new version makes the fee collection more equitable, although the ordinance was objected to by quite a few municipalities.

Frasz. I will contribute by working on two fronts.

• Dealing with current issues: re-invigorating District 26 representation; promoting smart growth; opposing the Prairie Parkway; and supporting responsible spending of tax dollars.

• Proposing initiatives: providing youth sports facilities in the Kaneland area; working with Maple Park on downtown revitalization; and seeking quiet zones near LaFox railroad crossings.

Q. Revenues are down and belt-tightening has been ordered for next year's budget. In what ways would you attempt to control expenditures? What services would you reduce first and which would you consider necessities?

Carlson. I have been a member of the board's finance committee for the past 11 years. Prior to that, I was an officeholder for several years. Cyclical downturns in the building industry are nothing new. Growth in the Equalized Assessed Valuation has slowed but it does continue. What we are now experiencing requires some belt-tightening but with cooperation from our department heads we can manage our way through it. New projects or the implementation of additional services will have to be postponed so that we can provide salary increases and benefits to our most important "point of execution" employees. If, for some reason, services have to be reduced, the priorities are well established.

Services from constitutional offices (elected officials) are mandated. Services required by statute are next in priority and services provided for but not mandated by law (optional services) are next. Our budgeting system needs to be improved, and it is my hope that the new finance system will help to facilitate the needed changes.

Frasz. I believe that before every vote involving the expenditure of taxpayer dollars, county officials must ask, "is this a need, want or desire?" In tight financial times like these, needs must be funded, but few wants and no desires can be funded without a compelling reason. With the surge in consultant and engineering fees since the last election, I think this would be the first place to start.

Eighty to 90 percent of the general fund is personnel costs. As attrition lowers our personnel ranks, a good hard look must be taken to determine if we can live without refilling some positions. Any business person knows that you must run lean in hard times.

Q. Transportation issues continue to be a major concern to residents. How would you judge the county's response to their demands so far? What would you consider to be of highest county priority in this area and how would you fund its delivery?

Carlson. As chairman of the county's transportation committee, I deal with these issues on a daily basis. Our county has experienced unprecedented growth. Other than for matching funds, the state of Illinois has substantially abandoned Kane County when it comes to transportation infrastructure. The only major road projects now and in past years have been financed locally with federal help (and our prayer that the state actually provides the required match). Adding to the problem, once annexed, land use along major thoroughfares is controlled by the municipalities.

The county has responded to the budget problem by, among other things, implementing a Transportation Impact Fee on new construction and future growth and by adding two cents to the local option gas tax. Proper management of the problem requires a strategic plan and the establishment of priorities. Construction is obviously contingent on the availability of funding. The plan has been set by the board and the top three priorities are: the Stearns Road Bridge Corridor near South Elgin, the Anderson Road Bridge in Elburn, and a full interchange at Route 47 and I-90 near Huntley.

Recently, the county was approached by 11 northern Kane County and southern McHenry County municipalities who asked that we consider building a toll bridge for the Longmeadow Parkway bridge corridor north of Carpentersville. I am currently chairing a task force made up of local mayors and county board members from both Kane and McHenry counties charged with determining the feasibility of the project. If approved by the board, this project will also be given a high priority in our plan.

Intersection improvements at several locations are also planned. Funding is the critical issue. Value engineering has reduced the cost of the Stearns Road project and decisions are currently being made in terms of right-of-way acquisition that also may reduce the total cost. A consortium of Kane and McHenry counties, the village of Huntley and the Toll Highway Commission are negotiating needed funding for the Route 47 and I-90 Interchange, and federal dollars are available for the Anderson Road bridge but not for the right-of-way leading to the bridge.

The bottom line is that we will not be able to pave our way out of this situation. The least expensive and best way to solve the problem is to reduce the number of vehicle miles traveled. It is critical that the county and all of our cities and villages use our collective land use planning authority (zoning) to create communities that have a sense of place. Suggested strategies are to encourage the use of mass transit, build bike paths and encourage walking by installing sidewalks where necessary.

Frasz. Bridges are a priority. Of course, the Anderson Road, Stearns Road and Longmeadow Parkway projects, but many small bridges and culverts in Kane County are literally crumbling to the point of actually being temporarily shored up until repairs are done. The current solution is to put weight restrictions on them, but this hampers commerce by disrupting truck traffic. They should never have been left to degrade to this point, it is just bad management.

Secondly, maximizing the efficiency of our current transportation infrastructure to increase traffic flow such as timing of traffic signals would be a cost-effective way of improving our road system. We must be sure to see that Kane County gets its fair share of state and federal funds returned on our tax dollars collected, as well as asking municipalities to share in Randall Road maintenance costs as they receive the tax benefits of commercial development.

Q. With one longtime issue, the county jail, all but resolved, there remains the enduring issue of county office consolidation. Should it be a priority and how would you accomplish it financially? Explain. If not, what issue do you consider of more immediate concern and why.

Carlson. I believe in customer service. When I was clerk of the court, I established a staff position dedicated to quality assurance and customer service -- the first such position in a government office that I am aware of. We have an obligation to our citizens for provide "one-stop shopping" for county services. That said, the efficiencies of consolidation are already a part of the county's strategic plan and therefore an established priority.

Population growth has been considered and a capital plan has been developed. We should note that increases in our EAV (tax revenue), cost of construction, interest rates and new demands for services will cause the plan to change with some frequency, making its management more difficult. Strong leadership will be required to bring to the table the department heads, county board members, collective bargaining units and middle management who must maintain the fiscal discipline that will be needed to provide the necessary funding. Some relief may be provided through prudent use of the Internet to provide services.

Frasz. I feel that the current government center is adequate and is an asset to Geneva. I do not oppose long-term planning or land acquisitions for the future. I do favor de-centralization of some offices and investing in office spaces in our communities such as the health department has done. This can act as a catalyst for re-development and bring business into, not out of, our downtowns. This has been done in Scottsdale, Ariz.

I do agree that the coroner's office is due for replacement and it, along with the circuit clerk's office, would be appropriate additions to the judicial center.

Q. The county has taken a leadership role in studying the issue of long-term water supply maintenance and protection. What should the county's emphasis be in this area over the next few years? Explain.

Carlson. Kane County is a leader in Illinois on the issue of a sustainable water supply. The board recognized over five years ago that protecting our water supply is critically important. Lake Michigan water is not available to us (by international treaty) and the water in the aquifers that serve our area is diminishing.

Are we prepared for a serious drought? Five years ago, the county board entered into an agreement to perform a comprehensive study of our water supply. As a result, we have recently received a series of recommendations, and over the next four years, we will be asking our municipalities and other stakeholders to evaluate and establish priorities regarding alternative water resource plans. County staff is currently drafting suggested legislation patterned after our storm water ordinance (storm water management is needed when we have too much water; water supply management is needed when we don't have enough). The establishment of a local countywide water management policy, supported by the suggested enabling legislation is our goal for the next few years.

Recently, the state of Illinois created the Northeast Illinois Regional Water Supply Planning Group. Recognizing Kane County's leadership in this field, our board chairman was named to be its chairman. We are "light years ahead" of the other counties in our state on this issue.

Frasz. Conservation should be the first priority when it comes to water supply. Vancouver, Wash. grew by over 400,000 residents but was able to maintain its pre-growth level of water usage entirely by conservation means. It also costs pennies on the dollar as compared to expanding the water supply system. Lawn watering restrictions are a great first step. (A Mill Creek resident recently used 40,000 gallons of water in one month on his new lawn.) I also support land application water re-use sewage treatment systems.

Q. Not including those issues already identified above, is there another issue you believe will impact the county or your district over the next four years? If so, define it and explain how you would like to see it addressed.

Carlson. I have been a member of the development and finance committees for 11 years. I am now a member of the executive committee and chairman of the transportation committee. I serve on several ad hoc committees, including the labor/management and insurance review committees. I was also a member of the E-911 task force and currently serve and chair of the Longmeadow Toll Bridge Task Force. Frankly, I have so much on my plate now I have little room to take on new initiatives

Frasz. Prairie Parkway: The residents of Kaneville township and Big Rock township voted 81 percent and 88 percent, respectively, against the Prairie Parkway. Our current county board representative supports it. I feel that it is a huge park project that was driven by Kendall County business and political interests. It also violates the Kane County 2030 Land Use Plan and the Kane County Farmland Protection Plan.