Michael (Mike) Charewicz: 2023 candidate for Des Plaines City Council, Ward 8

Bio

Town: Des Plaines

Age on Election Day: 67

Occupation: Retired business owner

Employer: Social Security

Previous offices held:

Q&A

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

A: Growing our downtown business community by continuing our grant program and streamlining our permitting process.

Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?

A: Better than most. We have very little debt and have kept property taxes stable.

Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?

A: Downtown development, bringing in new business for the entire city and infrastructure to reduce flooding.

Q: What do you think is the right way to revitalize Metropolitan Square? Should it be funded privately or publicly or not at all?

A: A balanced combination of both as was illustrated in our theater project.

Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?

A: Rather than "curtailed" we should continue finding ways to spend more efficiently without cutting city services.

Q: Is city hall doing enough to retain businesses in town and lure new ones? If not, what should be done?

A: We can always do better. Streamlining the permit process without compromising safety is the first place to start. Since most new and expanding business need to start with a permit of construction.

Q: 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?

A: We cannot forget about Des Plaines flooding. It's has been about 10 years since our last major flood, but we should still be funding our infrastructure plans during this dry spell and not became complacent. This has been our best use of casino funding.

Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

A: As an Des Plaines employer for over 40 years, listening and finding common ground has been a daily occurrence. Always treating others with respect and fairness, even if we don't share the same opinions. And being mindful it takes five votes on council to pass any idea.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: My business experience, eight years serving as a Des Plaines alderman, honesty, willing to work hard to support and represent the 8th ward to residents.

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

A: Public meetings at the library or council chambers for any larger projects (and many smaller ones) coming into Des Plaines. So many times a project gets resident opposition before the developer gets to explain the features and benefits that their project will bring to town. Some residents ask why our city is not more like "Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, or Elk Grove" but then we struggle among ourselves to move in that direction. We need to stop this internal conflict.