John Bell: 2021 candidate for Aurora city council, 4th Ward

Voters have a choice for Aurora alderman in Wards 4, 7 and 10 and for the at-large seat in the April 6 election. In the 4th Ward, incumbent William Donnell is facing John Bell. In the 7th Ward, incumbent Scheketa Hart-Burns is being challenged by Saul Fultz. In the 10th Ward, Shweta Baid and Arjun Nair are running to fill a seat being vacated. And Raymond Hull, Brooke Shanley and Ron Woerman are running for the open at-large seat. All are 4-year terms.

Bio

City: Aurora

Age: 51

Occupation: Pastor, Wesley United Methodist Church

Civic involvement: Interfaith Community Liaison Team, Kane County Health Department Faith/COVID Dialogues

Q&A

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state and federal authorities?

A: Our number one goal during the pandemic should be the health and well-being of our residents. This means wearing a face mask, keeping social distance and washing hands. The federal, state and local health departments have issued guidelines for best practices. As an alderman, it is my responsibility to support what the scientists are telling us. An alderman's job also is to listen to their constituents and business owners and create good policy in response to their needs. The pandemic has created several challenges especially for BIPOC. Many of them work front line jobs and are disproportionately experiencing illness and death related to COVID-19 (greater than their white counterparts). We also need to understand the financial implications of the pandemic to our local businesses and provide creative financial solutions to help them stay afloat during the pandemic while they abide by local, state and federal guidelines.

Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: The City of Aurora offered a number of pop-up food pantries as well as financial assistance to its food pantries and homeless shelter. In addition, the city waived a number of fees for businesses and put a moratorium on water shut offs for delinquent accounts. When the pandemic began, I worked with the Chief Innovation Officer for the city to establish monthly online meeting with community service providers and faith community leaders to address gaps in services due to the pandemic. More work needs to be done to address the lack of health care available to the BIPOC community who continue to experience higher rates of infection and death due to COVID-19.

Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?

A: Cities are on the front line of managing the pandemic. Local governments need advanced planning with hospitals, health care providers and the health department in order to guarantee that 1) there is an adequate supply of PPE, 2) we can quickly mobilize testing, 3) we can quickly mobilize contact tracing and 4) we can quickly identity and provide treatment to the underserved in our community. We also need to create clearer guidelines on what type of indoor space is safe and what steps local businesses can take to meet these guidelines.

Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?

A: Salary and benefits make up the majority of expenditures for the City of Aurora. A freeze on hiring is one way to reduce costs while still making sure essential services are provided. Capital and noncapital projects need to be prioritized as well. Any project that can wait needs to be delayed.

Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?

A: During the pandemic I would prioritize infrastructure projects that upgrade the city's technology and internet access which, in addition to contributing to economic development, would also help underserved neighborhoods. Remote learning has exposed the inequality that exists in our community as well as the lack of good paying jobs, something a technology infrastructure could provide. I would delay any project that does not address the needs of the underserved in our community. We need to put people first. Projects focused on the accessibility and affordability of transportation and utilities not only promote the well-being of people, they also create jobs.

Q: Do you plan to address businesses that don't adhere to the governor's order to close or restrict business?

A: The City of Aurora is currently offering financial assistance to local businesses through the CERF (COVID Emergency Relief Funds) program. One of the requirements on the application is that the business must show it followed state and local health department guidelines during the pandemic. Businesses that did not adhere to the guidelines should not be eligible. I agree that only businesses that followed the public health guidelines should have access to public funds. Many of the businesses that followed the public health guidelines experienced a significant reduction in revenue compared to those that did not.

Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance your board/council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?

A: I agree with the City of Aurora's decision to permit the sale of recreational cannabis. Given the impact of the war on drugs among BIPOC, more social equity licenses need to be made available through the city. While some people are worried about the increased availability of cannabis, cities and states stand to benefit from the sale of it. We need to make sure that these funds go to support the underserved in our community through new and innovative community services.

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

A: I would like to see Aurora create a walkable downtown. It would reduce the amount of traffic in the downtown area and encourage foot traffic to all of the local businesses. It would encourage more community participation in events like First Fridays and attendance at the Venue that has a new outdoor area. Through partnerships with local artists, crosswalks and walkways could be designed to create a safer experience for pedestrians. Inviting local artists to design brightly colored and instantly recognizable crosswalks would be an easy way to help people feel safer and encourage people to walk and visit the downtown businesses.