Linda J. Painter: 2024 candidate for DuPage County Forest Preserve Board District 3

Bio

Party: Republican

Office Sought: Commissioner of DuPage County Forest Preserve, District 3

City: Willowbrook

Age: Not given

Occupation: Retired pediatric nurse

Previous offices held: Current DuPage Forest Preserve Commissioner

Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

I would like to continue serving my constituents. I bring my knowledge and experience to the board. What motivates me is seeing the dogs and their owners loving the dog park at Oldfield Oaks that I initiated. I continue to listen to the dog park patrons with their wishes, i.e. more picnic tables, benches along the dog park trail, and more trees for shade.

I get great satisfaction when people are using the directional signs and the new Waterfall Glen parking lot, both that I initiated. I'm delighted to see so many families having easy access to the forest preserve and navigating their way through Waterfall Glen knowing that I was instrumental in getting this to happen. It gives me great satisfaction knowing that we are preserving our trees to help our environment and provide habitat for our wildlife.

I advocate for planting milkweed to help the endangered monarch butterflies. I have recommended and would like to follow through with a tranquility garden at Waterfall Glen.

If you are an incumbent, describe your two biggest contributions to the board. If you are a non-incumbent, describe two ways you would contribute to the board.

• Land Acquisition — I led a community driven initiative to acquire additional acreage to preserve open space. I encouraged the nearby community to financially donate the needed $50,000 to supplement the purchase of the land. We came up with the funds and now the land is part of the Forest Preserve for future generations to enjoy. I also led an intergovernmental agreement to secure an easement to connect several parcels of land owned by the district. I support carefully acquiring more quality land to remain as open space.

• Oldfield Oaks Dog Park — Seeing a need for a dog park in southeast DuPage County, I was instrumental in securing a location in Oldfield Oaks Forest Preserve where we created a new dog park with separate areas for large and small dogs with a drinking fountain for both humans and their four-legged friends.

What role should the forest preserve play in preserving historic buildings on its land?

The Forest Preserve District owns a number of historic buildings that are enjoyed by many. That being said, historic buildings cost a lot of money to maintain. The Forest Preserve District needs to continue to work with community leaders, governmental agencies, historical organizations, private donors, grants, and any other avenues to assist in raising funds to provide economic solutions to preserve these historic treasures that the Forest Preserve District currently owns.

How would you rate the job the commission is doing to develop existing forest preserves and make them accessible to residents? How would you approach things differently?

We are doing a good job as a board, but there is always room for improvement. One way I initiated better access for residents was the addition of the large parking lot at Waterfall Glen.

We are also reconfiguring the entrance at Greene Valley to better accommodate visitors to the Greene Barn and the new improvements at the north end of Greene Valley. I would like to see more done in the way of spur trails and trail connectors in my district.

Greene Valley Forest Preserve has many neighboring residents that cannot access the preserve without driving to the parking lot even though they basically live across the street. One of my major accomplishments for Greene Valley was initiating the 79th Street trail entrance that many residents are enjoying every day.

Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve has a great opportunity to provide “mini” trails off the main trail for people with children or dogs, or walkers who would simply like a more tranquil experience.

What is the most important issue facing the forest preserves in your district and how should it be addressed?

In today's world, the Forest Preserve District needs to work on ways to continue to keep our preserves safe. Our forest preserve law enforcement department does a great job and needs to continue to use technology to find ways to enhance safety within our forest preserves.

We have installed security cameras in a some of the parking lots especially at the dog parks. The car break-ins have dropped by 50% after installing the cameras. We are continuing to add more security cameras.

Another project I would like to see implemented, is installing QR codes on the mile markers on the trails. The QR code would direct a 911 call to the exact location of the emergency. I would like to see the Forest Preserve District's Law Enforcement Department work together with the DuPage Sheriff's Department on this initiative.

Earlier this year, some suggested that the 1996 state law that established a separate forest preserve board in DuPage County should be undone and that the forest preserve should be returned to the control of the county board. Do you support that idea? Why or why not?

I support leaving the county board and the forest preserve as separate entities. The primary reason for the separation was due to conflict of interest between the county board members and the forest preserve commissioners who at the time were the same people. It was very confusing to have the same elected officials wearing two different hats when it came to building and zoning vs. conserving our environment. Over the years the two entities have worked well separately and I feel it should be left that way.