Charles M. Fritz: 2025 candidate for Inverness village board
Bio
Office sought: Inverness village board (Vote for 3)
City: Inverness
Age:
Occupation: No answer given
Previous offices held: Inverness Village Trustee for seven years; District 211 board member for eight years
What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?
The safety and security of our residents should always be the top priority. The village of Inverness Board should continue to enhance all areas that will focus on, and improve our residents safety and security. This includes not only the recent addition of the Flock camera system throughout the village or the ongoing village’s watch program, but also continuing to fully support our police and fire departments.
That includes ongoing training for both departments as well as new and replacement vehicles, updated field equipment and taking advantage of new technologies making Inverness a safer and more secure village for our 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 state of the village's finances are excellent. Our annual budget is balanced; Inverness is only 1 of 19 (out of 426) Illinois villages with the highest “AAA” financial rating. By paying off the outstanding bond, Inverness is debt-free; our net worth increased by $1.2 million at the end of 2024; and the village’s share of taxes to our residents decreased by 12%. By paying off the recent bond allows us to triple the miles of road we will surface as compared to the last number of years. Continued fiscal responsibility should be the top priority.
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 of Inverness should continue to focus on our road program and also address and assist residents with any property drainage issues. Our police and fire department vehicle replacement program is ongoing and we added new fire and police vehicles over the last years. The buildings have been updated recently, all while maintaining a balanced budget and achieving “debt free” status for our town.
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.
Having served on District High School 211 board, and now as a current trustee for the village of Inverness, a collaborative approach with fellow trustees and “listen to the residents” approach has worked well. Balancing the residents wants and needs along with the required annual costs to our infrastructure impacting our financial position creates a foundation for productive discussions in order to develop policy with other board members and the Village’s administration.
What makes you the best candidate for the job?
Experience and a longtime resident, having a pulse on what our residents want. I spent many years in the technology industry, gaining experience from both small and very large organizations before building and growing multiple small companies. This included both national and international experience at the executive level. Adding to this, are my years as a District 211 board member and current trustee, understanding the residents needs while balancing the village’s annual requirements.
What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
Continued technology advancements and implementations to improve our residents safety and security.