Andrew Johnson: 2025 candidate for Warrenville mayor

Bio

Office Sought: Warrenville mayor

City: Warrenville

Age: 61

Occupation: Retired partner/chief risk officer

Previous offices held: District 200 board member and president 16/10 years, respectively. Warrenville Park District board, 6 years

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? Also, what makes you the best candidate for the position?

I'm running for mayor because I love this town! I've been an active Warrenville resident all my life. My parents were involved in the incorporation movement in the 1960s to prevent Warrenville from being swallowed up by our neighboring cities, thus preserving our unique community character.

My father, Cliff, was Warrenville’s fire chief and a small-business owner. Johnson School in Summerlakes is named in his honor. Service is in my blood; 10 years as school board president, and six years on the park board.

Retired from business, I am ready to use my community and professional experience, skills, and love of Warrenville to serve as our next mayor!

By all objective metrics we are a safe community and I'll work to keep it that way. I will provide the respectful, diligent, passionate leadership Warrenville deserves and every day I'll wake up with the goal of making Warrenville a better place than it was the day before. The people of Warrenville have elected me five times over the years and I've never let them down. I will be a mayor they can be proud of.

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

Economic development and redevelopment! We have a number of prime open spaces in need of good quality commercial development and a great deal of prime office space in Cantera that may need some form of creative redevelopment in the coming years.

My idea is to convene affected business and property owners and developers to discuss where things stand today, their thoughts on tomorrow, and how the city can help facilitate them … providing it is to a high quality standard that support our unique character and culture. Similarly, we need to find ways to encourage the many new residents to become a part of the fabric of Warrenville.

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?

Solid! Warrenville has always run a tight fiscal ship and I'll carry that on. I don't like debt and will work with the council to abide by the commitment to stay at or under the tax cap in coming years. The council was forced to levy above the cap this year due to a pension requirement foisted on them by the state.

I’ll be vocal with out state legislators to help prevent that from happening again. Naturally, good management requires we look at all spending buckets every year and, assuming success on April 1, I will be deeply involved in the budget planning for the 2026-27 year but will inherit a budget from the current council and mayor as of May 1, this year.

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 project(s) can be put on the back burner?

If we're talking bricks and mortar infrastructure, it would be the pathway projects along Route 59 and Mack Road. As these projects involve Federal funds, we will have to be very cautious in proceeding. I would not advocate moving forward with either project unless and until we can guarantee the current administration will honor its commitments. Other forms of “infrastructure” such as TIF district developments will be high on my priority list.

Ensuring a good mix of commercial development with minimal residential is important. I will work closely with the community development staff to identify and attract developers for our TIF districts and other underutilized areas.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

Collaborative and convening would be good descriptors. No one person has all the answers to the questions of the day so I like to seek out and bring together interested stakeholders and ask questions and listen. I'm curious by nature and while I believe in asking lots of questions, I know you have to eventually make a decision. I led the efforts to move Hubble MS from downtown Wheaton to Warrenville when I was the only Warrenville voice on the board.

That was no easy feat but I enjoyed it and in the end we were successful. I led the board of the National Safety Council during COVID; a board consisting of executives from Boeing, Disney, U.S. Steel and other large corporations. I know how to manage meetings and inspire people to work together.

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

Just one? We need to regenerate or reimagine a chamber of commerce for our business community. Our business owners need a place to gather, share concerns and encourage residents to “Shop Warrenville First.”

I will work to routinely host business development and brainstorming meetings with existing businesses to help them thrive.

Similarly, with all the new apartment developments that have come on line, we need to find ways to fully welcome and engage the new residents in Warrenville.

And on a more lighthearted note, we need to amp up our encouragement of the arts in Warrenville. We have a lot of wall space that could host some creative murals and we have a lot of musicians in town so we should consider restarting a municipal band. Sorry, but I couldn't stay no to just one good idea.