Elizabeth Lesniak: 2023 candidate for Lisle Village Trustee, 4-year term

Bio

Town: Lisle

Age on Election Day: 49

Occupation: Business owner

Employer: Self

Previous offices held: None

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: The most serious issue that will face Lisle in the coming years will be the increased tax burden on residents due to the lack of commercial development. The village board needs to move away from the reactive style of governing and move to a strategic and proactive style in which it directs staff to develop and actually execute a comprehensive business attraction and retention program. Such a program will help diversify the economic base and proactively identify businesses that would best match the needs of the community.

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

A: Lisle's finances are technically sound but yet the town's economic base is not growing at a sufficient pace or level which makes it difficult to be competitive with other communities. Lisle needs to be willing to invest in projects and programs that will attract commercial development. These investments should be part of a comprehensive plan rather than singular, stand-alone efforts to help ensure the best return on investment.

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

A: Lisle's top three spending priorities should all have complementary intentions as part of a comprehensive plan rather than singular, stand-alone goals. I don't believe that Lisle's Comprehensive Downtown Master Plan has ever been utilized properly. Items from the recommended Action Matrix have not been implemented in concert with needed changes to how the village interacts with potential and existing business owners and developers.

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

A: My opinion is that the funding of the Lisle Economic Development Partnership (LEDP) has not yielded any return on investment and that the village board should cease funding it. The reasons behind its ineffectiveness, in my opinion, was ironically the resistance to accept the recommendations of its previous director, who had the requisite education, experience and understanding of the changing needs of business and the changing business landscape needed to attract and retain businesses.

In place of an EDP, a more prudent use of funding would be to develop a comprehensive business attraction and retention program that was implemented by village staff with oversight from the village board.

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: The most important infrastructure project that Lisle needs to address is adapting its current infrastructure to meet the demands of climate change. According to recent reports, 25% of critical infrastructure in the U.S. is at risk due to flooding. Mitigation efforts should include updating stormwater drainage systems, encouraging permeable surfaces, enforcing land coverage restrictions, updating ordinances to allow for yards with native grasses and providing sufficient green space. Investing money in these kinds of initiatives should result in lowering the financial impact of flooding incidents, which is why state and/or federal grants should be considered as funding sources.

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: My experience as a contract project manager to the Federal Aviation Administration did not involve the setting of policy but rather the following of policy and ensuring that all stakeholders understood and followed the policy in a uniform manner. Any failure to properly follow the policy would risk the successful implementation of projects and the wasting of resources. Whereas, as a business owner, I have complete control over setting policy yet I choose to seek input from my vendors and other business partners as they can provide valuable knowledge and insight that can help develop a better policy than I alone may have created.

My experience with the Lisle Warhol Committee best illustrates my preferred style for determining policy. The committee is comprised of various Lisle businesses and organizations, all with different needs and perspectives yet we are able to analyze those differences to appropriately develop policy.

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

A: Due to my extensive project management experience at the FAA, I know that those principles can also be effectively applied at the local government level, resulting in a more efficient and streamlined local government. My perspective as a small-business owner in Lisle will also be invaluable to the development and implementation of a realistic and comprehensive economic development plan. My vested interests as both a resident and small business owner to see Lisle grow economically in a way that responsibly addresses the concerns of its residents also makes me well-suited for the position. I will bring a collaborative and inclusive approach to policy-setting, and also be mindful and considerate of the need to move initiatives forward in a timely manner.

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

A: Lisle's location and size makes it perfect for sustainable and green pilot programs. Lisle being at the forefront of such initiatives could benefit the community greatly. These initiatives could be complementary to any economic development plans or business attraction/retention programs, and infrastructure management programs.