Guy Zambetti: 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: GilbertsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Gilberts Village Board Age: 39Family: Rosaria Zambetti-wifeJohn Zambetti- sonIsabella Zambetti- daughterOccupation: Plumbing ContractorEducation: Trade schoolCivic involvement: Gilberts Days volunteer, Gilberts Elementary Fun Fair volunteer, past chairman of parks committee, past member of police committee, past member of public works committee, past member of police committee, past member of finance committee, past member of economic development committee, and participant in strategic planning eventElected offices held: Village trusteeQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have served as trustee on Gilberts board for three terms going for a fourth. I am aware of a lot of the past events and developments Gilberts has experienced good and bad that helps me make decisions on present and future matters. Over the past twelve years I have received a lot of feed back from various residents and neighborhoods regarding there likes, dislikes, and things they would like to see. This has provided me a good sense of the items we need to tend to in the presence along with the goals to strive for in the future. In my first term it was apparent to me that there was a need for commercial/industrial growth, retail growth, more parks, programs, new roads, and public works expansion. It has taken some time and the recession hasn't helped things but a lot has been accomplished with more to come. The commercial development at the corner of Tyrell and 72 has taken off bringing business like Wesco and Sub Zero to town. That kicked off interest in the retail portion in front of that development of which we have a new Shell gas station being built and a stand alone Dunkin Doughnuts in for permit along with other retailers showing interest. We developed another community park with splash pad paid for by developer. We have some programing offered by YMCA and Gilberts Grizzlies that didn't require a park district tax. Roads in four subdivisions have been replaced. Public works was expanded.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.I don't think anyone out there would feel taxes are low or even just right. We are pretty comparable to equivalent surrounding communities. Some of the newer industrial/commercial users in town that sell out of there facilities produce sales tax to help offset some cost. Not to mention the retail that has begun to develop will be a great help.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?Gilberts has been rated in the top ten on various sites (Safewise and HomeSnacks to name a few)as one of the safest communities in Illinois. That says a lot. The departments are well prepared for the next decade. When a new development comes to the table we look at those departments along with public works, water treatment, and school to make sure the proper fees are in place to cover those growth costs. For example we have impact fees collected with each home sale so if they are having a slow period like during the recession the fees came in slower because the amount of additional serviced needed happen slower, but if there was a boom like fourteen years ago the fees came in faster.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?That is the same question I asked my self when I approved the past and current budget. My answer is no where with out making some changes to services. Now if Gilberts did run into an emergency or something like we did not receive our LGDF from the state, there are funds we can pull from depending on the amount and where they needed to be distributed to. As a last resort we would need to start cutting into services starting with the cosmetic items like maybe longer periods between lawn mowing and leaving things like cutting back on staff as a last resort.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Well seeing I am currently on the board and have a hard time holding back what I feel are my good ideas I don't know if I have one that no one is talking about yet. So the next best thing I could do is share one I recently threw out there. My concept idea of what to do with the new village park that would be coming on line along with the development of the Conservancy subdivision. I want to see one large park that residents from various parts of town could meet up. I want to see things we don't have in our other parks. This property sits next to the forest preserve. I want to think out side the box and try to work out some joint venture with the forest preserve to bring them access to Tyrell road and cut back on the villages maintenance and have more of a natural look. I'm envisioning more towards a Busse Woods feel. I'm thinking walking trails through the naturalized area, boat slips for row boats or paddle boats, community garden, farmers market stand that some of those items in the garden could be sold at along with local vendors that want to participate, camping, frizbee golf, and a pavilion over looking the pond. We have ball fields and things for groups. I want to see some things that a family or even individuals that have already raised there families might enjoy.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Well we have covered a lot of issues that are important to me in the previous questions. I would say some of the other issues that are important to me that we need to keep in the back of our mind are the unknowns. What other restrictions are going to be placed on us in the future as water becomes more and more of a demand and what will it cost? What will our economy be like in the future and how will it affect our growth? Watch what is going on around us in neighboring communities and see how it affects them or how it could affect us. As our community continues to develop be conscientious of its needs and continue to make adjustments, because what works today might not next week.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My father. He might not be a political leader or the leader of some religion, but he has inspired the way I live my life.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?You will be accountable for your actions and respect your elders.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Nothing, I have a loving family, married to a woman that every day I love her more, have two great kids and good friends.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Gym, it didn't help me later in life. I grew up and play time was over.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't give up on something you believe in.