Kristin A. LeBlanc: 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: St CharlesWebsite: http://www.voteleblanc.comOffice sought: Campton Hills Village presidentAge: 38Family: Married almost 11 years to Paul LeBlanc Daughter, Madison (11 years) Son, Dominick (7 years)Occupation: President of Fox Mill Homeowners Association and raising two childrenEducation: Packaging Engineering ~ San Jose State UniversityFirst Degree Black belt registered in the KukkiwonHAZMAT Technician ~ SERTC TrainedClorox ~ Leadership Training Civic involvement: Bell Graham PTO ~ Fundraising ChairLeukemia Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (TNT) Institute of Packaging Professionals ~ Board of DirectorElected offices held: Current Fox Mill Homeowners Association President 2010/2011Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The current Village leadership suffers from a total disconnect from its constituents. The same few people have basically led the Village, since its inception, down a path which is contrary to why residents supported the village incorporation. There#146;s a great deal of frustration with the politics and game playing, beginning with the change of our address several years ago. We#146;re suddenly a mecca for speeding tickets, rules restricting who can live in a home, what type of vehicle can park in a driveway, and the latest, what type of animals we can own, and what type of building materials can be utilized. We must focus on the residents and get the priorities straight. I believe the needed positive leadership will give fair treatment to all residents.Key Issue 2 The vacuum of communication from the Village is frustrating to residents. The Village website is sorely lacking in any meaningful information for residents, resulting in an excessive amount of expensive FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) requests. I believe people should be able to freely, quickly obtain information about what#146;s happening in Campton Hills without a wild goose chase, and a time consuming, costly process. I#146;ve proposed a greatly improved website, and live stream video of Village meetings, to be posted on that website.Key Issue 3 I#146;m a big supporter of our open space. Campton Hills is fortunate to have farmfields, wetlands, forests preserves, prairies and bike paths running through it all. The current trend towards development, and the need for increased revenue to pay for the proposed #147;citification#148; of Campton Hills, is going to change the feel of our village. I#146;d like to see greater preservation of what we have; not a larger government, requiring a greater tax basis to support it.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I am the best candidate for Village President because I bring a fresh approach to the issues at hand. I am extremely positive, accessible, and energetic. My concern for my community is evident by my willingness to step up and be an advocate for the residents. I see myself delivering on the unfulfilled promise of four years ago.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.We do not need an additional taxes to support this village. If shared revenue is not adequate, we need to look at how to manage our funds more efficiently.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.My greatest concern, and one I hear echoed from neighbors and village residents, is regarding our emergency response providers. I am not sure why the current Village administration continues to throw up roadblocks to our fire district, which is trying to improve service and response time to Campton Hills residents. The most recent is with regard to the type of stone detail on the outside of the new fire station. Also, is our police department#146;s first priority to serve and protect us, or is that taking a back seat to producing revenue for the village by generating tickets? Response time to the majority of village residents is slowed tremendously if there#146;s only one officer on patrol, and he#146;s parked way out Burlington Road in a speed trap #8211; miles from our most populated area.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?Budget? The Village doesn#146;t even have a actual budget! The Village is now four years old, and unless there#146;s something they aren#146;t willing to share with residents #8211; they#146;ve yet to produce one. Creating a budget and adopting it would be my first step. Once that#146;s in place, we need to look at some of our #147;luxuries#148;; for example, the number of full time employees for whom we are required to provide benefits and well as pensions. We could most likely utilize part time employees who would perform just as well at significant savings.What#146;s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?My best idea is that we need to completely rethink and retool #160;the Village#146;s mission, and do it with a fresh approach, this time listening to and honoring the desires of the residents. We all know that layer upon layer of government is wasteful and frustrating; that #147;fat cat#148; politicians usually have agendas which run contrary to their constituents; that bureaucracy isn#146;t going to satisfy small town folks. It#146;s time to ask residents, #147;What do YOU want from your village?#148; and determine what we can do better, and what we can peel away. Most residents don#146;t aspire to have Campton Hills Libraries or Campton Hills Park Districts; those cost money, and mean more taxes. Most residents have NO IDEA in what direction this Village is heading, and that#146;s due to the lack of communication. You shouldn#146;t have to file a formal request of the Village to know that they#146;re trying to create a city out here; our first Campton Hills park will it require a Park District? My idea is to listen, and not only give people what they want #8211; DON#146;T make them pay for what they never wanted!