Kevin Nohelty: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: MountWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Mount Prospect Village Board Age: 45Family: Katherine 19 years old Jack 17 years oldOccupation: Education AdministrationEducation: Ed.D.- National Louis Univ. 2008 MA - Northern Illinois Univ. 1995 BA - Elmhurst College 1992Civic involvement: Rotarian, Paul Harris Fellow 2007-2012 Volunteer Coach - Des Plaines Park DistrictElected offices held: None as of yetQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I am deeply committed to the residents of Mount Prospect and will work tirelessly to create a better future in Mount Prospect for the next fifty years. I am a compassionate servant leader with more than 22 years of experience in public education and dedicated my career to educating our children. I hold a doctorate in education, am a professor, a writer, and a conservative financial manager with a successful proven track record. I have earned the trust of taxpayers to manage multi-million dollar budgets while raising the academic performance benchmarks. In addition, I have worked closely with federal, state and local legislators to obtain financial support for important initiatives that support all stakeholders. My seasoned skill set allows me to bring people together (of all mindsets) and collaboratively pursue a common goal that will positively impact the residents of Mount Prospect for generations.The settlement between Mount Prospect and Ye Olde Town Inn remains a hot-button topic. What is your opinion of the settlement, the years of disputes and what lessons, if any, have been learned.Nobody wins in litigation. There are so many factors to consider when determining the proposed outcome of a disagreement. A few considerations include but are not limited to time, money, effort, the legality of the complaint(s) and so on. Given the complexity of the case and with limited information available (other than what has been printed in the press) it is difficult to offer an opinion of the settlement itself without having factual knowledge of the particulars. I am certain the insurance carrier played a significant role in the settlement discussions and legal counsel laid out the various options for the trustees to consider. In the end, emotions aside, it must come down to a financial business decision that is truly in the best interest of the residents.Talk about the current performance of downtown Mount Prospect and Randhurst Village, and which retail district you consider the priority (and why). How can each one be improved, and how can the village help them along?Clearly of the two retail districts, downtown must be a priority moving forward. Businesses in the downtown area are barely surviving and the empty storefronts are becoming an eyesore in the community. We need a mixture of retail, restaurant and commercial businesses in order to thrive in these difficult economic times. I envision, bringing back the historic architecture and charm that was present many years ago. It was a place, a destination, that residents and all walks of life were drawn to spend time with family, friends and co-workers. First and foremost, the comprehensive downtown re-development plan needs an overhaul. I am confident as a Village Trustee, I will be able to assist with the re-development long-range plan that will be sustainable and financially sound for the residents of Mount Prospect. There will be community input and most importantly, transparency throughout the process.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The formula to sound financial practices are fairly simple. Revenues should align themselves with expenditures every fiscal year. It is my belief, that a 10% "across the board" reduction is necessary to be more in-line with projected revenues. Given that our largest sources of revenues are received from property taxes, the expenditure budget needs to closely align itself with the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Thought in point, in 2014, the CPI-U is .08%. Therefore, the overall budget expenditures should not increase more than .08%. More specifically, there are portions of the operating budget that can use some belt-tightening, specifically in the areas of finance, public works and internal services. Interesting enough, the police and fire department budgets are not adequately funded at appropriate levels given our size of population and the level of services residents in Mount Prospect have come to expect. A much more in-depth discussion and analysis will be necessary with village staff and department heads in order to make a well-educated decision.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?The development of a robust senior center that is rich and vibrant in activities, financially sound with the assistance of generous corporate and private donations, fully staffed with dedicated employees and committed volunteers that share the same vision I do. I envision the new senior center will serve as an anchor downtown Mount Prospect to complement the re-vitalization of the dilapidated area.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The importance of connecting with the residents of Mount Prospect. Listening to their concerns, their important issues that worry them and keep them up at night. As Village Trustee, I will serve as their advocate and address their concerns with the village council to seek amicable resolutions. I have always felt that we can always find ways to improve our community and build a better tomorrow. Serving as your next Village Trustee, I WILL deliver on my commitment to the residents of Mount Prospect.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Martin Luther King, Jr. A dream for change and a better tomorrow. Courage, perseverance and the will to fight for whats right till the end.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Express gratitude. Gratitude is a discipline best experienced in both the good times and the bad. My parents displayed it regardless of external factors.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I live a life with no regrets and feel that I have one chance to get it right. I am in the pursuit of happiness.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math. Math taught me that the harder I worked, the more knowledge I gained, the more I would teach others my craft.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Learn compassion. Compassion is about realizing we are no more important than everyone else, and we aren't at the center of the universe.