Katherine ‘Casey’ Rooney: 2025 candidate for Libertyville village board

Bio

Office sought: Libertyville village board (Vote for 3)

City: Libertyville

Age: 58

Occupation: Financial client services

Previous offices held: Libertyville Village Trustee (2023 to present); District 128 School Board member (2018-23)

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?

Libertyville must continue to monitor issues that can arise which may impact our budget. All municipalities in Illinois continue to face uncertainty when it comes to any funds received from the state. Planning ahead for unfunded state mandates is critical as well.

Strategically planning our spending and maintaining flexibility in planned infrastructure projects becomes increasingly important to ensure that the village can adapt to an ever-changing economic environment.

Our community will also need to balance future growth possibilities with the preservation of elements that make our town special. I am committed to focusing on growth that is thoughtful, involving the perspectives of both residents and businesses, while ensuring that we continue to enhance the unique character of our town.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Libertyville has made sound fiscal decisions over the past years ensuring that we can provide quality services, programs and facilities in the most cost-effective manner.

The village strictly maintains policies such as requiring a balanced budget that delivers fiscal discipline, resulting in a lower total tax rate for our residents than surrounding communities. To plan for necessary infrastructure improvements, the village adopted a Capital Improvement Plan. This plan allows the board to identify and prioritize the investments needed to maintain or improve water, sewer, streets, parks and facilities within our community.

As a finance committee member, I collaborate with trustees and village leaders to manage Libertyville’s finances responsibly. My role involves reviewing and analyzing the village's budget, ensuring that funds are allocated wisely to support essential services and initiatives.

My goal is to make sure that every decision aligns with the best interests of our residents, balancing financial stability with necessary investments in our community’s future.

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

I am currently serving on the police & fire committee, which plays a critical role in supporting our police and fire departments. I am committed to ensuring that they have the resources required to serve and protect our community.

The board and village staff determined that our police station required major updates to meet the needs of modern policing, allowing the village to attract and maintain the high quality first responders that our residents have come to expect.

Through diligent efforts by both the board and staff, funding sources were identified and secured several years in advance. This proactive approach enabled us to responsibly allocate funds for this essential infrastructure project.

With a focus on both fiscal responsibility and providing for the safety of our residents, I will strive to deliver our residents the best possible product for their tax dollars while ensuring the welfare of our dedicated law enforcement personnel.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board.

As a current village trustee, I work closely with residents, business owners, and local leaders to ensure that my decisions reflect the needs and aspirations of the community. I believe in actively listening to all stakeholders to make an informed decision.

Open communication is the key to successful working relationships with fellow trustees, village staff and most importantly, residents of our village. Effective decisions can only be made when we are transparent with our taxpayers.

Serving on the Libertyville Comprehensive Plan committee was an excellent collaborative experience with Libertyville residents, businesses and local institutions. Our process of listening and understanding the perspectives of each group produced a plan that serves as the vision and blueprint for our community’s future physical, economic and social development.

If reelected, I will continue to pursue a policy of open and transparent communication with our residents and stakeholders to produce the best possible outcomes for our community.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am running for reelection as village trustee because I am committed to ensuring that Libertyville remains a vibrant and thriving community for future generations.

As a 30-year resident of the village, I believe that my depth of experience in serving the Libertyville community makes me the best candidate for the job of trustee. These roles reflect my dedication to shaping both the present and future of Libertyville through experienced leadership in fiscal management, preservation of public spaces, community mental health and civic engagement.

• Libertyville Village Trustee (2023 to present) serving on both finance committee and police & fire committee

• Libertyville 2030 Comprehensive Plan Committee member

• Appearance Review Commissioner, Village of Libertyville (2021-23)

• Historic Preservation Commissioner, Village of Libertyville (2021-23)

• Elected Community High School District 128 board member (2018-23)

• Libertyville Parks Master Plan Committee (2018)

• Youth & Family Counseling of Lake County, Auxiliary Board Member (2014-22)

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

The role of a village trustee is to ensure that Libertyville’s government is transparent and effective. The board is part of a collective decision-making process that serves to assess and evaluate proposals from stakeholders such as village staff, community members and business owners.

I have always felt that a fact-based approach to decision making is the most effective, using data to inform my conclusions. While our job is one of monitoring rather than creating ideas and proposals, we can identify areas requiring attention through open communication with the community. All proposals should be thoroughly reviewed by the board of trustees to validate that they are in the best interests of our community