Bernard (Bernie) Mayle: 2023 candidate for Schaumburg park board

Bio

Town: Schaumburg

Age on Election Day: 68

Occupation: SVP Finance

Employer: Mutual Of Omaha Mortgage, Inc.

Previous offices held: Schaumburg Park District Commissioner

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?

A: I am seeking to be elected as a Schaumburg Park District Commissioner after being appointed to this position in 2020, filling the vacancy left by the retirement of Mike Daniels. Being elected will provide me the opportunity to continue my pursuit of: expanding activity programs for all ages of the community; ensuring that all residents receive program guides through improved communication methods including but not limited to: mail, emails, signage messaging and social media. I am also motivated to use my financial skills to oversee the financial operations of the Park District to ensure for the residents that public funds, program fees and expenses are managed in the best interest of our community.

Q: How well is your district rebounding from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic? What new measures should be taken to strengthen programming or better meet the needs of the community?

A: Schaumburg Park District has rebounded nicely since 2020 when the pandemic curtailed programs and attendance declined significantly. The most recent activity numbers of the Park District show that attendance and participation in programs is near or at pre-pandemic levels. I attribute these positive results to; (1) pent up demand for activity based programs across the spectrum of ages in our community; (2) better and far reaching program communications from the Park District; (3) slowly bringing back programs once offered by the Park District as staffing levels improve; (4) because of a recent resident survey, the Park District has; introduced new activities such as pickleball and cricket; continues to place parks, trails and the Spring Valley nature preserve high in it's capital plan for continued maintenance and improvements and finally; (5) additional senior programs are on the horizon with the recent hiring of a Senior Events Coordinator.

Q: How would you describe the state of the district's finances? What challenges do you see on the horizon, and how do you propose to meet them?

A: The Park District's financial position has improved since the fiscal year ended March 2021. Key metrics that support this statement are found in the monthly financials showing revenues exceeding expenses in the main two operating funds; the General Fund and the Recreation Fund. The positive results of these funds are allowing the Park District to slowly replenish reserves which were depleted significantly during the pandemic and State mandated shutdowns. The underlying driver of the positive results has been the return of active users of Park District programs, memberships and golfers. I believe the biggest challenge facing the Park District in future years is its aging infrastructure. There are going to be necessary improvements to buildings and parks, all subject to significantly increasing costs and undetermined delays in material production and installation. Accurate and reasonable capital plans are imperative to manage through these challenges.

Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions of your park board.

A: In any group setting including being a member of a 5 person Park District Board, it is critical that I always listen, then communicate in a professional and courteous manner no matter if I agree or not with the consensus of other Board members. My style is always predicated by putting the tax paying residents, Park District members and Park District staff ahead of any personal preferences. Over the past 2 years of being a Park District Commissioner, the Park District has made significant and positive strides pivoting out of the pandemic and meeting ongoing demographic changes within our community, all with a Board of diverse backgrounds and interests. In my opinion, current Board members follow the same management style I outlined above and this effort contributed to the Schaumburg Park District earning the highest Accreditation score given by the State of Illinois which rates the; business practices, park programs, public accountability and quality facilities of the Park District.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: I feel I am uniquely qualified to remain a Schaumburg Park District Commissioner because of my 40+ years of finance and accounting experience. I passed the CPA exam in 1980 and have spent my entire working career in finance beginning with Ernst and Ernst, a Big 8 Accounting Firm and since then, holding several Executive Finance Officer positions. I am the only Board member and candidate that has an extensive business financial background. I use this expertise to review and challenge the financial results, strategies, compliance and regulatory matters of the Park District when appropriate. I also understand and gladly accept the responsibility of being active in the community and an outward promoter of Park District programs, facilities, trails, parks and the tremendous staff running the day to day operations of the best Park District in the State of Illinois.