Donald Schmit: 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: Fox LakeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Fox Lake Mayor (4-year Term)Age: 59Family: Married, three children, seven grandchildrenOccupation: Owner - Construction CompanyEducation: Grant High School - Diploma College of Lake County - Associate Degree in Fine Arts with honors Federal EMergency Magement Agency 100, 700 Supervisor Training Open Meeting Compliance Freedom of Information ActCivic involvement: Member Fox Lake Volunteer Fire Department (Social Club) and Illinois Firefighters Association: 100 year celebration committee, Fireman's memorial committee, disciplinary review board. Member Sons of the American Legion Member St. Bede's Church: received 2008 Christi Fidelis award from Cardinal George as the volunteer of the year, Pastoral Council (Education Commission Co-Chair), Religious Education Advisory Board, Religious Education teacher, Youth Ministry team, St. Vincent De Paul food pantry, Octoberfest co-chairman, and rosary making for the troops and first communicants. (All are current except for Pastoral Council, my four year term ended in November) Village of Fox Lake: volunteer activities - Polar Plunge, Breakfast with Santa, Cheerleader fundraiser, Village auction, Village Christmas Party, Sandbagging, Octoberfest, coached for Lakeland Cardinals wrestling and football teams for seven years, Fireman's Festival and St. Patrick's Day dance. Grant Township: Food Pantry and Fish Fry. Work performed for the Village (free of charge): Installed the watermain and sprinkler system at the village hall. Installed electric conduit for the shelter at Lakefront Park. Placed the Christmas tree in the Plaza for many years. Police department: Placed the communication tower, emergency generator and installed sprinkler system. Misc. Placed the heater on the Bingo Hall roof for the fire department. Was an instructor in a blind bowling league for the Lions Club. Was involved in St. Bede's Festival for over 25 years as a worker and chairman.Elected offices held: Trustee, Village of Fox LakeHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Candidate did not respond.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The number one issue for me is to place businesses in the vacant properties that are ready for development. My major focus would be to find developers for the Grade School property on Forest, the 18 acre lakefront parcel on Route 12, the Big Hollow School property and to assist the Mineola property owner to find developers or to assist in rebuilding. This will be accomplished by giving the Planning Commission a specific four month agenda for development with tasks to be completed every two weeks. A Community Development Director will be hired three months after the Planning Commission begins their agenda. The website will be expanded to compliment the Planning Commission and Development Director in bringing new businesses and developers to Fox Lake. By bringing new business to Fox Lake on these vacant properties, we will increase the land value and real estate tax base of these properties, increase our sales base and allow the Village to function without raising taxes.Key Issue 2 The number two issue would be to restore the senior/handicap bus service to the neediest of our citizens. With three senior centers in Fox Lake, this is a vital service. While Grant Township has tried to provide maintain the service, many business owners have told me that they have lost business due to the change in service. Residents have told me how inconvenient it is for them to go to doctors, shop at the grocery store or go to the salons and restaurants. A handicapped friend of mine that uses the bus for work tells me that a trip that used to take him less than ten minutes to go to work, now takes a minimum of forty five minutes and at times one and a half hours. I will work with Grant Township and our Parks and Recreation Department to keep the cost down, but also make this service more attainable and convenient to our residents.Key Issue 3 The number three issue is to have a more open form of government. Too often, I hear about Village issues by reading the newspaper or hearing rumors in coffee shops. When I received my agenda one week on a Friday and saw that a hotel proposal was going to be discussed, I thought that it would be on Route 12. On the day of a Village board meeting the following Tuesday, I read about the proposed hotel on the Village lakefront property. The headline readFox Lake officials review new lakefront hotel proposal on Nippersink Drive.? The first line of the article readFox Lake officials will decide Tuesday? whether to lease or sell the land. Had I not read the paper that morning, I would not have known about the location or the scope of the project until the Board meeting. How can an elected official make an educated decision regarding the future of our town like this? I do not believe that this is open government. Another example is the Thorton's gas station. The Ace hardware store had already begun selling off their merchandise before the village board was notified that the Second Federal Savings and Loan and Ace Hardware Store had been sold to build the gas station. Recently, four businesses have had to make additional modifications or have their openings delayed because of the lack of communication between our departments. This can be remedied by regular department meetings when permits are issued. Each department will know what is being done and can coordinate inspections to reduce delays and costs to our businesses. Changing this culture will make it easier to do business in Fox Lake and help attract businesses to our town.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have deep roots and a great love for this town. As you can see by the volunteer activities that I have done and continue to do for the Village, I do not only talk about helping the town, I do it. Whether I am the best candidate or not will be decided by the voters. I have worked hard for the Village and if I am elected, I will continue to work hard and represent the people who elected me. I have a proactive rather than reactive plan for the Village that I will implement to help Fox Lake realize its unlimited potential. Together, we make Fox Lake all it can be.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.What is needed is to increase our sales tax base and real estate tax base by filling vacant properties. Once this is accomplished, the utility tax, which was instituted as a temporary tax at the beginning of the current administration, can be rescinded. This would be not only a savings for our businesses, but a savings for all our residents. Until this is done, the sales tax at its current level is necessary.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.The number of vacant/foreclosed homes in our community is a big concern for our residents. Our police do a good job of trying insure that these homes are watched, but the number, over 200, makes it a daunting task. Homes are broken into and stripped of copper, appliances and any items left behind. Gang and drug activity take place in these abandoned homes. This makes these homes harder to sell. To remedy this, I would give our community service officers, code enforcement officer, street department workers and Fire Department a list of foreclosed homes, so they could report to the Police Department any illegal activity.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?The current budget is being worked on now. An area that I feel needs to be increased is funding for a Community Development Director. In the long run, this will pay dividends in increased revenue. Competitive bidding on purchases and projects must always take place to insure the Village funds are spent wisely. Increasing Village revenue by selling Village services, such as the 911 Center and Village Garage Services should be pursued.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I would like to utilize some of the unused Village property on Ernest Avenue. This is the old Lion's Club and Fire Department Station One. Unlike the Lakefront Park, this is unused property. With the train a short walk away, this should be a prime development area. Possibly a satellite for the College of Lake County or another use that combines the train and this property. This is another area where a Community Development Director and the Planning Commission will be utilized.