Paula Yensen: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: Lake in the HillsWebsite: www.paulayensen.comOffice sought: Lake In The Hills Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Michael Bissett Spouse Jamie Boyce Daughter Jason Boyce SonOccupation: Executive Director, United Way of Central Kane CountyEducation: B.S. Michigan State University M.A. Michigan State University Ph.D. Michigan State UniversityCivic involvement: Kiwanis Girl Scouts U.S.A. National Operation Volunteer Grafton Food Pantry Board (Past) YMCA Board (Past) Environmental Defenders of McHenry CountyElected offices held: Lake in the Hills Trustee 2001-2008 McHenry County Board 2008-2014Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I put the people first. In my two terms as a Village Trustee in Lake in the Hills, and two terms on the County Board, I never voted for a tax increase, and I voted against a pay increase for County Board members. Good government is hard work. It takes diligence, honesty and a respect for the taxpayers who fund government programs. Most of all it takes common sense and a strong work ethic.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Sales tax revenue has declined in Lake in the Hills for the past several years, and strained the village budget. The Board chose to ignore this problem and approved deficit spending this year. That's one of the reasons I am running for trustee. There needs to be better planning of resources within the village. I believe one of the reasons so many voters are fed up with government is that they don't see a good return for the taxes they pay. People aren't expecting miracles, but they want their roads plowed and the potholes fixed, and they are tired of seeing their property taxes go up every year even when the value of their home is declining.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?The village of Lake in the Hills has a well-trained and equipped police department. As a graduate of the Citizen's Police Academy I got to know many of the fine law enforcement professionals in our village, and I am confident of their ability to provide excellent service to our community. I do believe the police department should do all it can to strengthen community relations and be more visible in the neighborhoods. While on the County Board, I helped the Huntley Fire Protection District acquire direct access to West Algonquin Road for their new fire station just south of Boulder Ridge, which has been an important addition to the community. I believe the village is well served by the Huntley and Algonquin-LITH fire protection districts, and the new Centegra Hospital in Huntley will help these departments' emergency responders get patients to critical care more quickly. We need to make sure we get the proper transportation improvements for the hospital to make it accessible to ambulance traffic.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The Public Works Department should watch its overtime expenses and streamline the scheduling of employees. The 2015 budget does not provide any funds for training and skill development of the professional staff, even though Lake in the Hills lost over 50% of their administrative staff in 2014. Staff morale has been low, and turnover is high. The village needs to fix this now.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?We need better governmental relations with our neighboring communities, so that we can plan for the changes we'll need to make over the decades ahead. Whether it's transportation improvements, commercial development or annexation agreements, we need to work with our neighbors to make the entire region more attractive and economically secure.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Economic development within the village has stagnated over the past 8 years. We need to attract and retain viable businesses who can help support our tax base and relieve some of the tax burden on our homeowners. I am proud of the work I did to help increase the amount of park space in Lake in the Hills, and I want to continue to work with developers to keep this a family-friendly community with lots of open green space. I continue to be a strong supporter of environmental protection. In 2000, I led efforts to protect the Lake in the Hills Fen near Barbara Key Park. For the past four years I led the County's stormwater commission in developing a stronger ordinance to protect our drinking water. I want to make sure Lake in the Hills remains a leader in efforts to preserve our quality of life and natural beauty.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bill and Melinda GatesWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Self-reliance and courage.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I have no regrets.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Public policy. I use that training every day to help me make decisions.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Take risks and always do your best.