TERRY WEPPLER: 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: LIBERTYVILLEWebsite: CitizensforLibertyville.com (being created)Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: @MayorTerryWepplerOffice sought: Libertyville Mayor Age: 65Family: Daughter - ShannonSon - SeanSon - JonathanOccupation: Retired - Prior Police Officer, Fireman, AttorneyEducation: BACHELOR'S DEGREE - WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITYJURIS DOCTORATE - JOHN MARSHALL LAW SCHOOLCivic involvement: Secretary - Lake County Municipal League (Current)Board of Directors - CLCJAWA (Current)Libertyville Civic Center Foundation Board - Member 1980's to 2015President 2003-2009Libertyville Days Committee - Member 1980's to currentChairman 2003 to 2009Parade Chairman 2003-2008, 2013-currentPast Member:Lake County Regional Plan Commission (10 years)Libertyville Human Relations CommissionMainStreet Libertyville Downtown Membership ChairLibertyville Sunrise Rotary ClubIndian Guides Numerous offices including State ChiefLibertyville Village Trustee - 1979-1985Elected offices held: Lake County Regional plan Commission - 10 YearsLibertyville Human Relations Commission - Many YearsLibertyville Police-Fire Commission - 5 yearsLibertyville Village Trustee - 6 yearsQuestions Answers Why do you want to serve again/continue to serve in the position? Please explain.8 years ago I set out to make Libertyville a Village that was easier to work with for residents and businesses, improve the downtown, and improve our Village's financial position. I believe we have come a long way since that time to make Libertyville a better community for all of our residents by working with all of our volunteer organizations and businesses. We saved our residents over $3.5 Million through our electric aggregation program. We recently completed the second parking deck in the Village. My next goal is to complete the redevelopment of the Libertyville Train Station. I enjoy working with our residents including our youth in the schools and cub scouts and girl scouts in educating them on how government works. My goal is to continue improving the Village while saving our residents money.Intense public sentiment has surfaced in recent months over various residential developments. Are changes needed in the guidelines and/or the review/approval process? If so, what would you suggest?I don't believe that changes in the zoning process are necessary. However, I have changed our notice provisions to insure that all residents are aware of zoning issues coming before the Village. The fact that residents are coming out to express their opinions is exactly why are zoning process works. The purpose of the Public Hearings before the Plan Commission is to allow residents to come and give their opinion on proposed development. We have encouraged participation by residents since I took office asking residents to come out to our meetings. The fact that they are now coming out is not a detriment, it is a benefit to the Village. What our residents have been saying is that they don't like the proposed plans presented by developers. By having a public hearing process our residents help us change the development plans to better meet the expectations of our residents. While some residents have indicated that they do not want any new development, most of the residents I have spoken with have said that they are ok with development as long as it is compatible to current Village development and reasonable.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?We have worked to keep our budget as trim as possible while continuing to provide our residents with good services. The number of municipal employees in the Village has been reduced since I took office. I do not believe that further cuts would be in the best interest of the Village. We cut costs by consolidating our dispatch services with Vernon Hills and have looked at other ways of sharing services with other governmental bodies to maintain costs. Our biggest threat is the State's fiscal problems and lack of a budget. The state continuously passes unfunded mandates adding costs to municipal bodies without providing a funding source. The current pension system needs revision. Our pension liabilities continue to rise while we continue increasing the funding on an annual basis. We also need additional funding for maintaining our infrastructure. We were able to resurface 40% of our roads over the last 5 years due to the road referendum funds but need to increase regular annual road funding to insure that our roads do not get in the condition they were in prior to the time I took office.Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board or city council.My leadership style is inclusive leadership. I have worked with all of our Board members to fully discuss all issues. We do not always agree on issues and that's a good thing. I have told our Board that if we agreed on all issues then we would not have fully discussed these issues and needed further discussion. Since becoming Mayor I have put both the Road Referendum and the Brainerd Referendum before the residents to get input into those issues. We have held Town Hall Meetings to discuss issues before the Village with residents and hosted several Leadership Meetings with local civic groups and other elected officials from other governmental boards to discuss how we could work together to better the community.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I don't believe there is one good idea that is waiting in the wings for me to bring forward. As ideas have come forth I have approached the Board about implementing them. One of those ideas that I have just begun working on is a Fine Arts Commission. I have always been interested in improving the Fine Arts programs in the Village and instituted Fine Arts Month to recognize students participating in the fine arts. Our athletes regularly received recognition in the community while our fine arts students often were overlooked. I directed that March be Fine Arts Month in Libertyville and we work with the schools to display student art work throughout the community. The purpose of the Fine Arts Commission would be to encourage fine arts programs throughout the year. I was recently approached by an artist about purchasing a sculpture to be displayed in the Village. We did not have any funds for purchasing the sculpture and I wasn't sure of the proper location if we did purchase the sculpture. The Fine Arts Commission would be charged with encouraging fine arts programs within the Village, attempting to insure that there are no conflicts in scheduling and assisting in reviewing and funding for art pieces in the Village.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The biggest issue facing every local government in Illinois is the current condition of our state government. I sit on the Lake County Municipal League Board working with our other local communities in insuring that the state does not negatively impact our current funding sources. I served on the Village Board from 1979 to 1985. At that time there was a law which prevented the State of Illinois from requiring local governments to provide programs without providing a funding source. During that time the law was revoked. Since then there have been over 278 unfunded mandates placed on local governments in Illinois. One of the most recent is a requirement related to Phosphorus treatment in sewage treatment plants. The new IEPA recommendations will result in a cost of $6 Million in improvements in the next several years to our residents to upgrade the plant to meet the new requirements. Additionally, our pension obligations have dramatically increased as actuarial tables have changed due to increased age expectations. As a non-home rule community we have limited income resources and we need to make the best use of these resources. I am proud to say that Libertyville has one of the lowest municipal rates in for like services in Lake County while providing excellent services to our residents. It's my goal to continue to provide these services while keeping the Village portion of the property tax bill as low as possible.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My favorite leaders were ones from prior years who were able to discuss issues without insulting people who disagreed. That is lacking in government today.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Never quitting what you've started. If we began something my parents made sure we completed our commitments. Never quit in the middle of a project.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I wouldn't have gone to law school while having two young children at home. I missed some important times while they were growing up.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I don't think I had a favorite subject. I like many different classes over the years.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Go for your dreams. Do what you like for a career, money won't make you happy, enjoying your work will make you happy.