Jeffrey Halen: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Jeffrey Halen

City: Lake Zurich

Office sought: Trustee

Age: 50

Family: Married to Stephanie Halen

Occupation: Marketing, Product Development & Product Management

Education: Bachelor of Science, Business Management

Civic involvement: Former village trustee and liaison to various village departments including Finance, Public Works, Public Safety (Police and Fire), Parks and Recreation; participated in Lake Zurich's Civilian Police Academy; was a member on Lake Zurich Special Census Outreach Committee, past member of Chamber of Commerce, Willow Ponds Homeowners Representative, volunteered at village and charity events and president of homeowners association prior to moving to Lake Zurich

Previous elected offices held: Village Trustee (2009-2017)

Incumbent? No. If yes, when were you first elected?

Website: N/A

Facebook: LZ Values

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

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

Downtown development has been the most important issue facing Lake Zurich for many years and still lacks significant progress. Part of the reason is current board members expressed the village doesn't have a "vision" or a "plan" and resulted in developers dictating the direction of the village. For example, I was the only trustee who voted against the apartments currently under construction on Main Street and recommended it go back to the Planning and Zoning Commission for further discussion. While the rest of the village board was focused solely on rooftops over retail, I felt a vibrant downtown was needed. The current apartments didn't contain retail and lacked ample parking. Without retail, the village is deprived sales tax which is needed to help pay the TIF debt. The community has spoken on what characteristics they are looking for in downtown, a local feel and I would have the village identify developers which can accomplish this goal. I wouldn't start on the biggest or most prominent space, any redevelopment is a new opportunity to foster additional development, but I would make sure the design is cohesive with the existing business to give it a nice blend of new and old.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

As a former village trustee, I understand what it is needed to be successful in this position and exhibited those traits during my prior tenure 2009-2017. I took my position seriously, reviewed agenda items thoroughly and through different perspectives, understood the impacts, benefit or detriment to the community. I listened to the residents in a respectful and professional manner, ensured their voices were heard and that they understood the direction the village was taking. I would provide balance to the board, and not be of the current "rubber stamp". I'm not afraid to be in the minority while using my voice to advocate what is best for the village.

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 lead with integrity and by example to ensure everyone has an understanding of the item being discussed, hear potential concerns, vet out possible solutions and offer improvements to the process and then take action. By ensuring everyone has equal opportunity to understand and speak on an item, everyone feels equal and committed to the solution.

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?

Since I was first elected in 2009, the village's finances have dramatically improved from an overall dollar sense, reserve funding and bond rating. At that time, I was one of the primary board members who were instrumental to move the village in the financial direction it is today. But that doesn't mean the village doesn't have opportunities to improve it further. The village board currently approves many expenditures without asking any questions, including understanding the priority or trade-off a project may have over another. The village board also doesn't explain where any cost savings or unused funds go when a project comes under budgeted expense. I would look to have better explanation/accounting of where the money is being used to ensure it is prioritized correctly and that extra money from under budget items are tracked and accounted for. I would also make sure we are properly funding our infrastructure improvements which many have fallen behind including road maintenance, sidewalk maintenance, and tree replacement. These projects should be given a higher priority than other expenditures.

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

Increase the appearance and quality of the community, which can be implemented in many different ways. It can start with the beautification of open spaces like planting perennial flowers and trees, to developing a specific theme or architecture in mind when new construction is proposed so areas look cohesive. It could also include offering incentives to some of the existing businesses to update their buildings to align with the village's aesthetic vision.