Bernard Dudek: 2025 candidate for Lombard Village Board District 3

Bio

Office sought: Lombard Village Board District 3

City: Lombard

Age: 57

Occupation: Television and video producer, writer and editor

Previous offices held: Lombard Trustee District 3 since 2021

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

The main issue for Lombard in the coming years is balancing the financial responsibilities and challenges of being a nonhome rule community while maintaining high-quality services.

With a current $131 million budget, we must navigate restrictions on revenue generation while addressing unexpected challenges like the $1 million shortfall caused by the loss of the state grocery tax.

While increased hotel/motel tax revenue and the Yorktown Center revitalization will help, much creative work remains. To sustain Lombard’s financial health, we need to encourage responsible development, attract new businesses through economic incentives, and grow sales tax revenue beyond last year’s $13,674,440.

Additionally, we must plan carefully for significant projects including two new public safety buildings, ensuring that we meet residents’ needs while remaining fiscally responsible. Our improved BBB credit rating reflects our commitment to sound financial management. A new strategic plan will help guide future decisions, ensuring that Lombard remains a vibrant, secure, and financially stable community for all 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?

Lombard’s finances are stable, but challenges lie ahead. As a nonhome rule community, our ability to raise revenue is limited by state regulations.

While we’ve balanced the budget for four years, the loss of the state grocery tax will create a $1 million shortfall. Growing sales and property tax revenue through economic development, including the Yorktown Mall revitalization and hotel/motel taxes, is essential.

Priorities include funding new fire and police stations responsibly while minimizing the financial impact on residents. We must also advance stalled projects like the former Seminary property redevelopment and promote local spending to boost our tax base.

With the village collecting only 8 cents per property tax dollar, fiscal responsibility is crucial. Our improved S & P credit rating reflects strong financial management, and strategic decisions are needed to ensure Lombard’s long-term stability. I’m proud of our efforts to save residents money while maintaining service quality, including expanding online services for faster, more efficient operations.

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?

Lombard’s most important infrastructure project will be updating and building new public safety facilities for our first responders.

A centralized fire department is needed to improve response times and ensure all neighborhoods are covered effectively, especially as our population has grown by nearly 30% since the 1970s.

Additionally, our police station, built in 1974, no longer meets modern safety standards or provides appropriate training spaces. Improving these facilities will help Lombard attract and retain qualified personnel while maintaining excellent emergency services.

This multiphase project will likely be financed through a combination of bonds, grants, TIFs, public-private partnerships, fund reserves, and careful budgeting. The more funds we can save up-front, the better financing terms we’ll secure — supported by our improved BBB credit rating.

With $10 million expected to be set aside before construction begins, the financial impact on residents will be minimized. If necessary, nonessential projects, such as aesthetic upgrades or secondary infrastructure improvements, can be delayed until financial conditions stabilize.

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.

My approach to working in a group setting focuses on listening, asking thoughtful questions, and remaining open to new perspectives. I never assume I have the correct answer from the start and am willing to change my mind when evidence supports it.

A good example of this was our board’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Residents from Lombard and nearby areas requested a ceasefire resolution, but community opinions were deeply divided.

I spent two months personally meeting with neighbors at village hall, in homes, and local businesses, listening to all sides. Ultimately, the board decided the village should focus on local issues, but we did act by increasing police presence for those who felt threatened and suggesting humanitarian outreach as well as other ideas.

We then issued three statements to publicly explain our position. This process reflected my commitment to thoughtful decision-making and fostering balanced solutions. I believe this approach creates effective, inclusive policies that best serve Lombard’s diverse community.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am the best candidate for this position because I bring experience, a proven track record of community outreach, and a nonpartisan, resident-first approach. I am committed to responding quickly to residents’ concerns and making decisions based on listening and questioning, not personal agendas or politics.

My background as a documentary TV producer has taught me to dig deep, ask the right questions, and understand how things truly work — skills that translate directly into effective governance.

I believe everyone in Lombard deserves equal consideration, and my focus will always be on what’s best for the village as a whole. This role requires time, patience, and dedication, and I am fully committed to investing the effort needed to represent all residents.

Our current board works without political division, and I am proud to be part of a team focused on making Lombard the best it can be for everyone, with no hidden agendas or behind-the-scenes conflicts — just honest work for the community’s future.

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

One idea that isn’t being discussed enough is improving connectivity and green space in District 3 while balancing business growth with residential needs.

District 3 has a thriving mix of businesses and residences, but heavy traffic and the division caused by Roosevelt Road have isolated parts of the area from the rest of Lombard. To address this, we need to create more green spaces like the new two-acre park at Yorktown Center while ensuring safe pedestrian and bicycle access, especially as Yorktown becomes a major entertainment and residential hub.

Developing safe crossings at Roosevelt Road and connecting District 3 to Illinois’ existing bike path systems will allow residents to access trails safely while reducing traffic congestion.

This plan would foster both economic growth and residential quality of life, encouraging a more cohesive, accessible, and vibrant community where businesses thrive and residents feel connected and supported. Oh yes, and more pickleball courts of course!