Angie Underwood: 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: Long GroveWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Long Grove Village President (4-year Term)Age: 50Family: Married with three childrenOccupation: Community VolunteerEducation: Bachelor of Science in Foods, Nutrition Dietetics, Illinois State University, 1984.Civic involvement: Long Grove Historical Society, Past President Country Meadows PTO, Past President Long Grove Neighbors Newcomers Club, Past President Arlington Heights Alumnae Club of Pi Beta Phi, Past President Winfield, IL Junior Women's Club, Past President Long Grove Kildeer Garden Club Girl Scouts of DuPage County Council, Service Unit Team LeaderElected offices held: Long Grove Village Board Trustee, 2011-Present.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Finding a solution to the current funding gap in needed road repairs. This could involve a reduction in publicly maintained roads, a referendum to ask residents to approve a tax to fund repairs, a reallocation of limited Village resources, or a combination of these alternatives.Key Issue 2 Economic development in the Village. The Village should increase continued efforts to attract high-quality developments with tenants that not only provide sales tax revenue but also provide services that are desired by our residents.Key Issue 3 Revitalization of the historic downtown. All possible efforts should be made to seek investors with a vision for the many current opportunities in our downtown shopping district.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have been an active volunteer and community leader for the past 15 years and in doing so, I have met and interacted with a wide variety of residents. Serving as President of various organizations as diverse as the Historical Society and the Newcomer's Club has taught me how to be diplomatic, calm, precise, creative, and flexible. The experience gained in the past two years serving on the Board of Trustees has given me a broad knowledge of current Village issues. I feel that I have a good understanding of the decisions and policies that have led us to where we are now in the Village, and a realistic perspective on the challenges and leadership needed to take us forward in the years to come. Most importantly, I have raised three children in Long Grove and care deeply about the community. I am committed to volunteering my time and talents over the next four years to preserve and enhance the quality of life that makes Long Grove unique.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Due to the fact that the Village of Long Grove charges no local property tax, our sources of revenue are very limited. The recent economic downturn, coupled with a drastic slowdown in building permits for new construction have underscored the importance of sales tax for use in funding needed Village operations. I believe that our current sales tax rates are appropriate, and necessary for the continuing support of services for our residents.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.Fortunately, we live in a community with a very low crime rate. We have had isolated instances in recent years of break-ins and ruse burglaries, which are concerning to residents. By working with our local officers from the Lake County Sheriff's Department, public awareness has increased and with continued education and vigilance on the part of all residents we should continue to experience a relatively safe and secure lifestyle.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?In my past two years serving on the Village Board, I have seen firsthand how hard the staff and Trustees have worked to trim expenses from an already lean budget in a effort to keep the budget balanced, while still providing basic services to our residents. It has been extremely challenging. To keep the Village fiscally strong and maintain a balanced budget, one area that we have underfunded is proper road maintenance. This is a serious concern as our publicly maintained roads age and deteriorate, and one that has been addressed in a series of three Town Hall meetings in 2012. With input from our residents, this issue will continue to be addressed by the board in an effort to find a solution to the funding gap within the coming year.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I am a very big fan of the many walking trails and pathways here in Long Grove. One of the great things about living in our community is the ability to enjoy natural beauty on a daily basis. Many of our residents have expressed a desire to see our pathway system better maintained and expanded with further connections. Serving as a volunteer on the Pathways Committee for the last ten years, I understand how costly this undertaking is, and under the current budgetary constraints it is an extremely slow process. I would like the Village to do some creative thinking to identify possible alternative ways of financing needed pathway improvements, and make this enhancement more of a priority than it has been in recent years.