Georgeann Duberstein: 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: HainesvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Hainesville Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 73Family: Married, 5 children,7 grandchildrenOccupation: Retired physician assistantEducation: Bachelor of Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 1961 Master of Medical Science, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 1994Civic involvement: Trustee, Village of Hainesville Chairman founder, Hainesville's Great Age Club, for Seniors Chairman, Hainesville's Wetlands, Open Space and Woodlands Committee Spearhead of the 5-year Restoration Project the of Cranberry Lake Conservancy Member, Hainesville's Finance Committee Organizer chairman, Hainesville's Annual Village-wide Garage Sale Public Relations Chairman, B.E.S.T, Round Lake Area Organizer, Read to Succeed, reading tutors for Round Lake High School Freshmen Election JudgeElected offices held: Trustee, Village of Hainesville 2009-PresentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 With the diminishing revenue from the State of Illinois and the reduction of value of area homes, as a member of Hainesville's Finance Committee, I will continue to strive to upgrade existing services and provide additional services to our residents without raising our property taxes. Among the approaches include continued support of our zero-based budgeting and taking a conservative approach to spending.Key Issue 2 Continue efforts to enhance the village environment to attract additional commercial development, increase property values and improve the quality of life.Key Issue 3 Continue participation in area-wide volunteer organizations to represent Hainesville for the betterment of life in Avon Township.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?For the past four years, I have worked diligently to improve the quality of life for our residents while not increasing Hainesville's portion of the property tax. My goal as candidate in 2009 to improve communication between the village board and its residents has been accomplished with an updated village website, monthly newsletters and village board meeting available on U-tube. I've been a leader in restoration of village wetlands, woodlands and open spaces as well as beautification of the village as a whole.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.The level is fine. In fact, we have had new business come to town, which has generated additional revenue. We expect that, as the economy improves, we will be able to attract more commercial development to our community. The fact that we have a low crime rate, are centrally located and continue restoration and beautification efforts make Hainesville an attractive place to live and work.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 general consensus of our residents is that they are very pleased with the service provided by Grayslake Police Department. We are fortunate that there are few crime related issues, although vandalism seems to be one of the few concerns. We have been working to make our public areas more open and visible to deter vandals from attempting to cause damage.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?As a member of the finance committee, I am proud of the budget work we have done. We have been working on a "zero-based budgeting" basis for the past three years. We have purchased some equipment for our public works department so that, when practicable, work can be done in-house. We have re-negotiated some of our service contracts enabling us to provide better service for a reduced rate.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?We have a rather transparent village administration. Because of the improved communication between the village and its residents, the villagers should be aware of what we are doing. The mayor, trustees and staff are readily accessible; we have a new informative website; village board meetings are recorded and available on U-Tube; there is a monthly newsletter highlighting village activities, and there is resident participation on village standing committees. The residents also can address issues with the village by phone, in person, or by email to the mayor and trustees directly.