Rob Hanlon: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: WinfieldWebsite: http://wearewinfield.comOffice sought: Winfield Village President (4-year Term)Age: 47Family: Married to Jodi Hanlon on October 6, 1990. Two children attending public school in Wheaton.Occupation: Chief Information Officer (CIO) - TreeHouse Foods (NYSE: THS)Education: Taylor University - B.S. Computer Science (1988) University of Chicago - M.B.A. (2000)Civic involvement: Village of Winfield Environmental Concerns Commission Winfield Park District Indoor Soccer Coach Winfield in Action Baseball Coach DuPage County Election Judge Taylor University Computer Science Advisory Board Judson University Adjunct Professor AIM DePaul University Advisory Board M.B.A., MIS Concentration M.S. Information Systems University of Chicago M.B.A. Executive in ResidenceElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Business growth in Winfield generating new and sustainable revenue for our Village infrastructure and services.Key Issue 2 Effective partnerships for Winfield collaborating with business, citizens, civic organizations, DuPage County, state government, and surrounding towns.Key Issue 3 Restore a sense of community improving engagement with residents.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I am a proven and respected leader that builds trust based relationships as a foundation for focusing passionate opposing groups on results and progress.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.I do not support new fees or increased taxes until governing bodies can demonstrate to citizens and local business that responsible actions to reduced costs are implemented and remaining alternatives are unreasonable.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.The public spoke in a vote last election to keep the Winfield police department. Many residents are still fearful of losing dedicated police resources. Winfield is filled with talented volunteer residents, experienced professionals on staff, and police officers with creative ideas. Winfield has an opportunity to establish a focused working group of our residents, staff and current officers to develop, with guidance from village leadership, a plan to retain dedicated police resources in a fiscally reasonable way. Ultimately, all solutions need to have significant input from our officers in the field, they put themselves at risk every day to enforce the law, limit disorder and protect property.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Winfield staff annually pressure tests investment levels with Trustees in a public forum and monitors costs monthly. The balance between operational expense and capital maintenance projects is always debated. Winfield continues to closely manage operational expenses year over year. Winfield continues to bid contracts appropriately. The only item left is focus on capital maintenance projects. Before any capital maintenance is deferred, we need to review historical investment levels on infrastructure maintenance, asset aging and service disruption patterns. Deferring investment in maintenance is not a long-term solution and should only be a last resort short-term option. Winfield needs new revenue from business growth.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Engage residents through focused working groups on current Village challenges or needs. The focused working groups are: - Linked to an objective defined by our Village leadership. - Accountable to produce specific deliverables defined up front. - Time boxed with start and finish dates. - Producing interim work for periodic review by Trustees. - Managed by milestones and dates. - Defined by specific scope.