Endorsements: For Forest Preserve District of DuPage County president and board seats
Board President: Hebreard
Experience and previous governance are key to leading an organization. They are issues at the center of the race for president of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County. Former forest preserve commissioner (2002-2012) Carl Schultz, a Republican from Aurora, is challenging incumbent Daniel Hebreard, a Democrat from Woodridge who has been serving as president of the board since 2018.
Both candidates have extensive experience in conservation and government. Hebreard, who has a bachelor’s degree in parks and recreation management and an MBA, worked at the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County for 13 years, including as a Senior Ranger, before being elected board president. He touts the board completing three-quarters of the 32 projects in the district’s 2019 master plan, which have included capital projects, infrastructure maintenance (for bridges, facilities and structures), solar implementation in various capacities and natural resource-related improvements such as river restorations.
His goals for the future include completing all projects in the master plan, connecting more trails for greater regional access, supporting sustainable governance, making strategic long-term investments and improving amenities throughout the preserves while balancing safety and accessibility needs.
Schultz, who has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture and experience as owner of Horticultural Consultants, feels that the district can be managed more efficiently through fiscal discipline and transparency. His goals include making purposeful decisions about future land acquisitions while protecting and restoring current preserves, enforcing strict budgeting to lower the debt, and adding educational and recreational opportunities through pop-up preserves and exploring adding a zip line and high ropes course at Big Woods Forest Preserve near Aurora.
Hebreard has the most-recent experience with the board and management of it. We would like to see him follow through on completing the master plan as he continues to be a steward of the district. He is endorsed.
District 1: Smentek
Two Elmhurst Park District Commissioners ― Democrat Susan M. Smentek and Republican Carolyn Ubriaco ― are vying for the District 1 seat on the DuPage Forest Preserve board. It is clear that both are invested in and care deeply about the environment and forest preserves.
Smentek, an Elmhurst Park District board member since 2023, brings more than 20 years of parks and recreation management experience as a Certified Park and Recreation Executive (CPRE), an Illinois Master Naturalist supporting science-based restoration and a manager for the Glen Ellyn Park District. Besides wanting to connect more residents with their preserves, she has practical experience, including overseeing capital projects and facility improvements.
On the Elmhurst Park Board, she helped open two new parks, replace three playgrounds and plan the new Wagner Community Center. She supports accessibility for visitors with different abilities, prioritizing clear communication about each preserve, addressing climate change challenges, long-term financial planning, timely maintenance, strategic land acquisition, competitive compensation for staff, thoughtful governance, pursuing grants and outside partnerships to benefit the preserves, and sustaining the quality of the preserves as maintenance costs continue to rise.
Ubriaco has served as an Elmhurst Park District commissioner for 23 years. During that time, she touts protecting taxpayer-owned land against the pressures of development, fiscal responsibility, transparency, advancing accessibility for all (a goal is to extend and update safe, accessible trails and crossings in the forest preserves), experience leading stormwater projects with government agencies, and environmentally restoring, developing and protecting public land. She wants to promote access to the preserves through targeted education, outreach and volunteer programs, and cost-effective management of flooding through naturalized stormwater partnerships.
Both candidates are well-qualified and would be good stewards for District 1. Smentek’s particular degree of experience gives her a slight edge in our minds; she is endorsed.
District 2: Tyson-Dunne
In the race for DuPage Forest Preserve board District 2, Republican challenger William “Bill” Wehrle will be going up against Democratic incumbent Tina Tyson-Dunne, who has served on the board since 2020.
As a certified master naturalist and longtime forest preserve volunteer, Lombard resident Tyson-Dunne’s passion for nature is clearly defined by her mission to protect, preserve and restore the natural lands of the forest preserves. Her top priorities include continuing to expand accessibility for residents of all abilities through trail improvements, protecting and restoring critical habitats, removing invasive species, exploring solar energy opportunities and supporting long-term land stewardship by acquiring open space so land is preserved for the future. As Board Treasurer, she cites the importance of fiscal responsibility and transparency through using tools such as Open Checkbook and Digital Budget Book, which allow residents to see how their tax dollars are being spent.
Wehrle, also a Lombard resident, cites wasteful spending as the key issue for the board. While he feels it’s important to protect the structures as well as the forest and grasslands of the forest preserves, he ultimately wants to make sure all taxpayers are represented fairly and that they are notified as to how and when tax money is spent.
Tyson-Dunne’s prior experience, commitment and priorities give her the advantage. She is endorsed.
District 5: O’Meara
In the race for DuPage Forest Preserve board District 5, it’s obvious that both candidates — Democratic incumbent Barbara O’Meara and Republican challenger Michael Farmer — feel strongly about protecting and promoting the preserves.
Naperville resident O’Meara, who was elected to the board in November 2020, feels strongly that her science background (in environmental health, public health and as an adjunct professor of biology) gives her the necessary credentials to advise the board on anticipating and mitigating the effects of climate change, which she says is the most important environmental issue facing the preserves system. She’s committed to seeing the board’s master plan through; encouraging the use of solar, electric and wind power within the preserves; working on accessibility issues; supporting and retaining forest preserve staff; building more land bridges and habitat corridors for native wildlife; acquiring open land near existing preserves; and maintaining the lands, buildings and resources within the preserves.
Farmer, a Naperville resident, views the forest preserves as vital community assets that protect natural habitats, provide recreational opportunities and improve the lives of residents. He wants to see the board preserve historic buildings on their property, actively promote the preserves on social media and through other communications and stand firm against repeated attempts to develop land surrounding the preserves with potentially harmful developments such as data centers and housing.
O’Meara’s science background and commitment to new and existing programs gives her the edge in this race. She is endorsed.