Ryan Lambert: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: North AuroraWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: North Aurora Village boardAge: 35Family: Wife: Susan, Daughter: Ashley - 8 years old, Son: Anthony - 5 years old.Occupation: Fire Marshal/Firefighter, North Aurora Fire Protection District.Education: Masters Degree, Business Administration; Keller Graduate School of Management. Bachelor of Science, Illinois State University.Civic involvement: -Village of North Aurora Plan Commission member-Village of North Aurora Zoning Committee member-Village of North Aurora Days Committee member.-Board Member, Budda Brotherhood Foundation; aids northern Illinois firefighters with cancer.-West Aurora SElected offices held: NONEHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NOCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Very simply, my #1 campaign issue is to make sure that the businesses currently in the Village of North Aurora, not only stay in North Aurora, but thrive in North Aurora. The Board needs to investigate viable and agreeable options to provide assistance to these businesses on a case-by-case basis. I am in favor of Business Incentive Agreements, Municipal Business Agreements or utilizing Tax Increment Financing for businesses that are currently using Village services and are experiencing difficulty. I don#146;t want empty store fronts or empty buildings.Key Issue 2 My #2 priority would be to encourage small business entrepreneurship and to attract large retail and commercial business into the Village of North Aurora.Key Issue 3 I would like to look at ways to sustain the current Village workforce so that the residents and businesses can be assured the same excellent services they are accustomed to. The Village has great people working for it, and making sure these people remain in place is vitally important. Thus, constant monitoring and modifying the budget is required to assure we are fiscally sound in order to keep our Village personnel employed as we weather this economic storm.Questions Answers Is it time for the village to hire a village administrator again, or is the setup with President Dale Berman working fine? Explain. What are the advantages and disadvantages?No. This is not the proper economic climate to expand government. Down the road? Maybe. We need to make sure that we are fiscally sound and that the potential exists (economic climate) for a great deal of growth. I would say that when we return to a healthy economic climate, that would be the time to consider a full time Village Administrator. With that being said, I would like to applaud the current staff including the Assistant Administrator, the Village President, and the rest of our Village personnel for keeping up with the work that remained after the loss of the Village Administrator position. This further demonstrates that the Village has great people working for it who care about the jobs they do.Should the village proceed with remodeling the old police station into expanded space for village administration? Explain.The Village hall was built in 1972 and its only addition came in 1990, when the Police Department was added on. This building has served many purposes in the last 38 years and is now in need of necessary updates to accommodate the Village of today and the future. I feel that remodeling this building will allow for the Village employees to work more effectively and efficiently. This addition is also projected to sustain the Village for 20 plus years, which is a much more cost effective plan than building a new facility. Therefore, I am in favor of the remodel.It#146;s been said spiffing up downtown is nearly impossible because many property owners don#146;t seem to care about participating because their rentals make money as they are. What would you do, if anything?We need to look at our neighbors to the north - Batavia. They have realized a $1.5 million grant for streetscape improvements from the State of Illinois. The city is not only using professionals but involving a cooperative committee made up of officials, businesses, and homeowners. Everyone will have input but, most importantly, the taxpayers will be involved. I guarantee there will be people who care and people who want to get involved.I am very interested in working to get the power lines on Rt. 31 buried. When visitors to our great Village come off I-88 at Rt. 31, the first thing they see is the Rt. 31 corridor lined with unsightly power lines. I would be interested in working with the state, Rt. 31 property owners, and the power companies to develop a cost effective way to bury these power lines, which would include seeking state and federal grants to alleviate the financial burden on the taxpayers. A more beautiful North Aurora is a win-win for everyone.Why should or shouldn't people be allowed to keep a limited amount of hen chickens in their backyards?Our current municipal code prohibits the keeping of anything but domestic animals. I believe that IF the issue is ever brought before us, we would need to consider many things for reasons of public safety and wellness: lot sizes, confinement issues, inoculation rules, number allowed, and inspection. With new rules will come the need to maintain and enforce those rules. Currently, the village does not have a full time code enforcement officer. Our current part-time code enforcement officer is over burdened and this should not be the job of our professional police force to oversee.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one else is talking about?As a full time Fire Marshal in the Village, I have seen the building plans of former, existing, and proposed businesses. I know what businesses were going to come here, what businesses began construction and stopped, and what businesses are no longer with us. That insight allows me to have an intimate understanding of what huge potential the village has in a positive economic climate or a climate of recovery. I know who wanted to be here in North Aurora. I know who wanted to stay. What I am saying is that I know what has been lost to the economy and what I want to come back. I want the taxpayers to benefit from controlled growth, in designated areas, so that we all benefit for many years to come. A list of possible #147;incentives#148; for business that want to come to the village should be developed on a case-by-case basis. I#146;m not suggesting #147;giving the farm away#148; in tax incentives, but at least a committee should be formed to consider good incentive choices for the procurement of businesses that ultimately make it better for the community by creating jobs, shopping choices and tax revenue.