Glenn Close: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Glenn Close

City: Fox Lake

Office sought: Village Trustee

Age: 61

Family: my wife of 28 years passed of cancer in 2011; 3 daughters, 6 grandchildren

Occupation: Fleet Mechanic/CDL Driver

Education: High School & misc classes at CLC

Civic involvement: attend Trustee meetings and volunteer at many local events

Previous elected offices held: none

Incumbent? No.

Website: WWW.Foxlakeinfo.com

Facebook: None

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your community and how do you intend to address them?

There are many issues facing Fox Lake. The senior bus program needs reinforcing for the long term. The sidewalks along Rt. 12, people have to walk on the highway because of snow mounds where people would normally walk and I believe the residents need more say in how the village handles the outcome of these issues, not let decisions be made behind closed doors like they are are now. The sidewalk issue is something they should have resolved long ago.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I can look at the current issues and problems from a different angle, because I am not part of the current circle of power, I don't have to go along with whatever they decide, I can draw my own conclusions.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

Very laid back until I have gathered all the facts I can, then tenacious until the problem is solved. Many people have mistaken my laid back approach as not caring but I have learned the hard way that I must wait until I have gathered all the facts to make my decision.

How would you describe the condition of your community's budget, and what are the most important specific actions the town should take to assure providing the level of services people want?

I believe the village spends money faster than they can print it and they just raise taxes to cover it, like this past year they raised taxes 4.9% without a public hearing ordinance # 2018-52, they also gave a $500,000 tax incentive to Studio Hot Rod Roadhouse, yes one half million dollars to someone who doesn't even want Fox Lake residents in his business. They also are borrowing 9 million dollars for water mains, ordinance 2018-56 this is on top of the money spent on the two new watertowers. We can only grow our infrastructure so fast because it's so costly and we have far exceeded what the village can afford at this time.

What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

Video taping the village meetings and putting them on the internet so all can see what the village is up to. I had asked the village to do this and the reply was its too costly and we don't want to bother with it. So I am doing it myself. You can see the meetings at www.foxlakeinfo.com and I will continue to tape them and put them up for all to see.