Sam Stein: 2025 candidate for Wauconda village board
Bio
Office sought: Wauconda village board (Vote for 3)
City: Wauconda
Age: 44
Occupation: General manager
Previous offices held: Wauconda Community Unit District 118 board of education (2017-21); Wauconda Zoning Board/Plan Commission member (2021-22); and Wauconda Village Trustee since 2022
What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?
The village of Wauconda will need to battle increasing costs of essential capital improvement projects to maintain and improve infrastructure while also trying to meet the needs of its residents and businesses.
Due to limited sources of revenue, the board will need to work with staff to seek out all available grants to supplement its existing tax sources. Working with and attracting businesses that are looking to help expand the village’s equalized assessed value will lessen the burden on residents.
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?
The village’s finances are currently in a good spot. There’s an adequate “rainy day” fund and residents should feel comfortable knowing that reports have been transparent with independent audits continually producing exceptional results.
Top priorities will be budgeting properly for safety, public works, infrastructure and road improvements. I don’t feel that spending areas need to be curtailed, however, when certain projects or plans need to be rescheduled due to budget issues, we should be flexible when needed.
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?
The village is due to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant at a great expense. While being an unfunded mandate from environmental protection agencies, the village has been working with our engineers to be proactive about seeking low-interest loans.
Water and sewer rates will need to be increased to help offset costs, but by getting ahead of due dates, those numbers will be lower than if we hadn’t.
While the wastewater treatment plant is a required update, the roads program can be modified as needed.
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.
Whether it’s a school board, village board or at my own company, my priority has always been the success of the entire organization, not just a select few. I believe in listening to all options, considering the potential results and staying committed to a set plan or goal.
Treating everyone involved with respect goes a long way.
What makes you the best candidate for the job?
I’ve been in Wauconda for over 30 years and live and work here. It’s a community that has grown considerably in that time but has still maintained a small-town feel. I feel that the village is currently on a great path and would like to do what I can to help continue that. I’ve acquired a great set of skills from my previous school board history as well as running a small business here in town and those can be applied in my role as a trustee as well.
What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
While I don’t participate in social media personally, I do tend to hear about online discussions via friends and family. There are lots of ideas, both big and small that could help make Wauconda better, but it’s hard to pick one specifically that no one has mentioned. Local surveys tend to be a great way to gather ideas and feedback and those should continue to be used when available.