Meg Sima: 2023 candidate for Lisle Village Trustee, 4-year term

Bio

Town: Lisle

Age on Election Day: 54

Occupation: Attorney

Employer: FMS Law Group LLC

Previous offices held: Lisle CUSD 202 Board of Education from 2015-21

Q&A

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

A: Lisle needs stability and to work WITH our business community. Our downtown Main Street is in desperate need of revitalization; businesses are closed, some for years, and others are struggling to remain open. From the long-boarded up Family Square in downtown Lisle, to the empty and emptying buildings along the Warrenville corridor, to the vacant buildings along Ogden, Lisle needs a strong economic development plan with a more modern vision.

For small businesses, corporations, and industry alike, business needs are changing. Lisle needs a modern approach aligned with modern market trends to adapt to the current environment and to develop strategies to modernize and bring new businesses to Lisle, making Lisle more friendly to economic development.

There has been a lot of change, from the dissolution of the Lisle Visitors & Convention Bureau, to the turnover in the current Lisle Economic Development committee. Without true impactful development, the costs are passed to the taxpayer.

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

A: I support the current trend of keeping the village's property tax assessment low; however, we need to continue to grow our business community to help ease the property tax burden on homeowners.

Bringing more businesses to Lisle will increase sales tax in Lisle, and raising the estimated assessment value (EAV) of our commercial buildings along with increased sales tax revenue, will ultimately serve to reduce the property tax burden on individual homeowners.

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

A: We need to spend to support existing local businesses and to attract new ones, and that includes spending to hire experts in economic development to assist; the village did just hire a new economic development expert, after the last one quit and every business member of the Lisle Economic Development committee resigned.

We need to make the LEDP a viable and valuable entity directed toward growth in our community. We need to revitalize our downtown to make Lisle a destination people want to visit, and to make people stay, dine and shop, when they do visit. Hiring strong economic development experts and following their recommendations will assist with this process; we need to be prepared to spend for any recommended initiatives.

We also need to be prepared to spend for flood plain issues, as Lisle is flood prone village; the problem is likely to worsen as more frequent and worse storms are predicted. Although the levy is approved, we need to continue to address community protections.

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

A: Lisle's current administration has a budget friendly approach to spending and thus, I don't identify current areas that need to curtail spending.

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: For Lisle, which is both a rail community and a flood-prone community, infrastructure modernization is important particularly for bridges and in our flood plain. Making sure our many bridges are safe, secure and up to date is important, as well as investing in strategies to reduce the risk of significant damage to businesses and residences when floods do occur.

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.

A: I served first as a member of, and then the board president of, the Lisle CUSD 202 Board of Education. Prior to that, I was a member of the Lisle Planning and Zoning Commission.

I also regularly engage in mediation and settlement conferences in my work as an attorney. In those capacities, I have regularly worked and negotiated with: fellow board and commission members, district administration, opposing counsel, and clients to: manage everyone's expectations, determine and set policy for the district, resolve zoning disputes, or reach resolution for my clients. My style is toward collaboration and consensus-building to reach agreement; the ability to listen to and respect the views of others is important in building a functional board dynamic. However, I'm not afraid to act or vote decisively when needed to move the village forward.

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

A: As a practicing attorney for almost 29 years, school board president for 4 years, school board member for almost two years prior to that, planning and zoning commission member for two years, and a regular volunteer in many capacities in Lisle, I am able to blend my government service, professional skills and community serve to identify and bring focus to pressing issues.

I am then able to work with others, including experts, colleagues, and opponents, to bring issues to a satisfactory resolution. I am willing to listen to and consider the views of others, while still advocating for what I believe is best for Lisle, to advance the needs of all constituents.

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

A: I believe strongly, as does my slate, Lisle Forward, in intergovernmental collaboration as the best way to enhance the community of Lisle. That is why I, and Lisle Forward, are supporting candidates not just for the Village of Lisle, but also for the library board and park district board.

We believe that Lisle is strongest when its branches work collaboratively together to move Lisle toward greater economic development for our businesses and greater health and well-being for all of our residents.

It is a mindset that views Lisle as being greater than the sum of its parts, and better off for the teamwork that unites all of us in working to bring Lisle Forward for the 21st century.