Jeff A. Sode: 2025 candidate for Wauconda mayor

Bio

Office Sought: Wauconda mayor

City: Wauconda

Age: 68

Occupation: Semi-retired consultant; formerly vice president at Therm Flo

Previous offices held: Mayor since 2021; village trustee 2019-21; and chairman of police and fire commission 4.5 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 have been a proud resident of Wauconda for 27 years and have a deep commitment to our community. Being elected mayor in 2021 was one of the greatest honors of my life, and I am deeply grateful for the trust my neighbors have placed in me.

We are currently working on several projects and initiatives that will significantly enhance our village, and I am eager to see them through, which is why I am running for a second term.

Over the years, I have been fortunate to serve in a variety of roles that have equipped me with the experience to effectively lead.

I spent 46 years at Therm Flo, a construction firm specializing in electrical and mechanical engineering. As the lead mechanical engineer, I also headed the special projects division, overseeing multimillion-dollar projects. My responsibilities included managing staff, overseeing financials, and handling various tasks that are essential to running a successful business.

This experience provides me with a unique perspective as I collaborate with our trustees and local officials to make decisions that benefit Wauconda residents.

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

One of the ongoing challenges our community faces is balancing economic development with funding for core services and capital improvements.

Economic development plays a vital role in generating revenue through retail taxes. However, our primary source of funding comes from the property tax levy, which accounts for just 13% of your tax bill.

In addition, we rely on other sources like the Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) and the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF).

To supplement these limited resources, we’re consistently applying for grants. In fact, over the last four years, we’ve successfully secured around $7 million in grants to support our projects.

We’re also actively working with developers, business entrepreneurs and consultants to identify available areas and attract investors. By fostering these partnerships and staying focused on strategic growth, we’re confident that we can continue to advance our economic development efforts and expand our community’s diverse economic base

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?

Our finances are in great shape. For over 10 consecutive years, the Government Finance Officers Association has awarded us a Certification of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. This alone says a great deal about our financial transparency. Additionally, we maintain a reserve fund that covers six months of operations, ensuring we’re prepared for any challenging times ahead.

Our top priority is ensuring that our core services are fully funded. Our experienced finance staff closely monitors every dollar and provides all departments with budget guidelines to ensure core services remain well-managed. We then turn our focus to capital projects, such as our ongoing roads program. We follow a continuous maintenance plan for roads, curbs and sidewalks. We manage 54 miles of road, and we focus on about 2-4 miles each year. Once we service a given area, the road will last 20-25 years before we need to address more repairs.

As part of our annual budget, we also plan for additional capital projects. If unforeseen challenges arise, we can adjust our priorities and delay less urgent projects as needed

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?

Our largest infrastructure project is the expansion and improvement of our wastewater treatment plant at the public works department.

The EPA has imposed an unfunded mandate to reduce phosphorus levels in wastewater effluent. While an upgrade to the plant was always in our plans, this mandate accelerated the need to address it — making it something we can’t delay.

Fortunately, we took a proactive approach and began the engineering work about a year ago, which allowed us to be one of the first to secure a very low-interest, 30-year loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) to fund the project.

Another key infrastructure priority is our roads program, which, while important, can be adjusted if necessary. Still, maintaining our roads is critical. Our goal is to remain proactive so that we can avoid the need for bonding in the future.

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

My leadership style is informed by the 46 years I spent in management positions at the engineering firm that oversaw multimillion dollar projects, as well as by the various leadership roles I have been blessed to hold in our community over the last 10 years — including as mayor, trustee and chair of the fire and police commission.

First and foremost, I believe it is imperative to treat everyone with respect. I believe in fostering open communication and actively listening to those around me.

Additionally, I want our decisions to be guided by the responsibility we owe to our constituents. How will the choices we make now affect residents and business tomorrow, next year and five years from now? It is my duty as mayor to ensure this question is always at the heart of our decision-making process.

Likewise, it’s important to regularly evaluate our past decisions. Are they still effective? Strong leadership means committing to continuous improvement and growth?

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

As the current mayor, I make it a priority to volunteer and attend many community events. This allows me to have direct contact with our residents and local business leaders. Ongoing engagement helps me stay connected to the issues and ideas that matter most to our community.

By maintaining constant communication, we ensure that no idea is overlooked. If something is brought to my attention, we move it forward for discussion and exploration. What happens next may take time, but we never let ideas sit.

Additionally, I serve on the Central Lake County Joint Action Water Agency and Lake County Stormwater Management Commission boards, which provides me access to new perspectives and ideas that could benefit our community. I also meet regularly with neighboring mayors, local congressmen, senators and state representatives.

These interactions often lead to fresh ideas and potential collaborations. I am always seeking and advancing opportunities to improve our community, and we’re continuously having discussions about what can make our village better.