Jan Pink: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Jan Pink

City: Mettawa

Office sought: Village trustee

Age: 77

Family: Two children and four grandchildren

Occupation: Retired

Education: I graduated with honors from Indiana University with a B.S. in Business.

Civic involvement: I was Commissioner of the first Safety and Security Commission in Mettawa beginning in 2009. As an incumbent Mettawa Trustee, I am heading up the current Safety and Security Commission. I am a Senior Advocate for the Lake County Sheriff's Department and have taken their Citizen Police Academy course. I am also an election Ballot Box Judge.

Previous elected offices held: Mettawa Trustee

Incumbent: Appointed trustee in January, 2015, to fill a board vacancy, elected trustee in the 2015 election.

Website: None listed

Facebook: None listed

Twitter: None listed

Issue questions

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

One major project we are working on is providing Lake Michigan water to all residents who would like to override their wells. The Public Works Committee has held open meetings for the residents and had many communications with engineering firms and Lake County. If the committee sees a workable proposition all information is sent to the Board for further discussion and action. We are also improving and clarifying our village codes and studying the uses of our open lands. Currently I am involved with street sign replacements. Many of our signs have not been replaced in thirty years and are at improper heights, placements and reflectivity.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I have served the Village of Mettwa for approximately six years as the head of Safety and Security. I have established a good rapport with the Libertyville Fire Protection District, Lincolnshire-Riverwoods Fire Protection District, The Lake County Sheriff's Department, and Howe Security, our private security force. We all work well together. I know the current Board respects my opinion because of my integrity, good work ethic and longevity in the village. I always put the village's needs above any individual agendas.

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.

I am a very good listener. I am well prepared for all Board Meetings because I attend all village meetings - Finance, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, Around the Town and Zoning. We all work together with an amazing respect for each other. Also, a good dose of common sense goes a long way.

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?

We are quite sound financially, and stay within our budgets. Our infrastructure is in good shape and we have no major outlays in this next fiscal year. In the last four plus years we have operated with a surplus. We are very prudent in our spending and have not raised our residents taxes in 22 years. We maximize every opportunity that comes our way.

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

I would like to promote the values of living in Mettawa.