Mary C. Dominiak: 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: AntiochWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Antioch Village boardAge: 57Family: Married for 21 years, no childrenOccupation: Assistant Professor and Director, Undergraduate Health Systems Management Program, Loyola University Chicago. Previously held positions in marketing at Baxter Healthcare Corporation most recently Global Director of Marketing. Registered Professional NurseEducation: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)Master of Business Administration (MBA)Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)All from Loyola University ChicagoCivic involvement: Member, Village of Antioch, Combined Planning and Zoning CommissionMember, St. Peter Parish Finance CommitteeParish Chairperson, St. Peter Parish Special Religious Education ProgramFormer Member, Antioch Jr. Women's ClubMember, Leader Council, Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Chicago, ILChair, Board of Directors, Center for Nursing AdvocacyElected 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 ""Memories and Imagination"": I will work hard to assure that the rich, warm history of Antioch as a wonderful place to live is linked to the future possibilities that will make Antioch fiscally strong and the # 1 place to live, work, and enjoy life in northern Illinois.Key Issue 2 Collaboration and communication are key. We need new voices and different types of experience on the Village Board. Coming from a large family, I know everyone will not always agree and also how important it is that everyone#146;s voice is heard; that everyone#146;s opinion matters and people must be respected. We need to work to expand the commercial and retail tax base to reduce reliance on alternative taxes that burden residences. We must increase transparency and ongoing communication with the residents of Antioch regarding the rationale and outcomes of initiatives and decisions being made by the Board and Administration to achieve a FOCUSED vision and goal for Antioch.Key Issue 3 Enhancing our built environment to support the well-being and health of our residents. Our Main Street is an untapped gem and the small size of our greater downtown area supports a future built environment where seniors, other adults, and children can walk to restaurants and specialty shops, children can walk and ride bikes to parks and recreational facilities and our seniors can safely reach their destinations. We need to explore grants and other sources of funding to improve access without driving, including bike and walking paths and sidewalks that connect Main Street with Route 173 development, and our parks such as Osmond and Williams Park among others.Questions Answers Antioch has recently instituted a utility tax on electricity, gas and telephones. Do you support that tax, and why or why not?I have never met anyone who enjoyed having their taxes increased! The reality is that in this tough economy, where businesses are struggling and jobs are lost, traditional sources of tax revenue, such as sales taxes are declining. In order to continue the level of services needed to assure the well-being and safety of Antioch residents, alternative sources of revenue are needed. We need to grow the commercial and industrial community in Antioch to increase jobs and tax revenues. Further, I believe that the Board has a responsibility to assure that the residents are widely informed of the reasons these types of taxes are needed, what the impacts might be if such taxes are not enacted, and what the funds are being used for to support/provide services to the residents. We must use every available means to assure that these messages are received by all residents. We need to examine every line item on the budget to cut unnecessary spending and control costs. We need to manage our finances so that people are not taxed out of Antioch and to keep a close eye on how those tax revenues are being spent, with a target of reducing this tax and then eliminating it when fiscally responsible.Should Antioch proceed with plans to build a new aquatic center in Williams Park? If so, how would you ensure the financial success of the center amid concerns about competition from similar facilities in neighboring towns?The proposed aquatic center is an excellent example of creating a venue for kids, adults, seniors, and anyone in between to enjoy life in Antioch! The old pool definitely needs replacement to keep our residents from going elsewhere for swimming and related events. Expanding beyond a new pool appears to be beyond our financial abilities at this time. I think that we need to get into a much more robust financial state before taking on a project of this scope. We need to have a plan that clearly outlines how this project would be implemented and address the issues raised by residents such as: 1). Is this the best location for such a facility? How does this building fit with the vision for Main St and the adjacent areas? Can access to the North Avenue site be improved with bike and walking paths that make it more accessible? 2). What are the revenue sources to assure the aquatic center#146;s viability over time? Should the project be built in phases? Is there a #145;business plan#146;? 3). If this is the final site, what alternatives for lighted baseball fields will be put in place before the project begins, 4). What are the traffic implications and how will we assure safe access for our children?Are you in favor of spending the money needed to bring Lake Michigan water to Antioch? Why or why not?There are two parts to my response. First, I believe that we need to connect to the Lake Michigan water supply. Water is an incredibly vital resource that impacts the health and well-being of our residents. Water shortages exist in many locations across the nation and within our larger community. The Great Lakes hold about 20% of the world#146;s supply of fresh water and the opportunity to connect to this valuable, limited resource makes perfect sense to me. It has been predicted by some that future wars may be fought over water. 90% of Lake Michigan#146;s water has already been allocated. If we don#146;t tap into it, we will lose the option forever; there are other communities waiting in line to replace us. It will strengthen our water supply, enhance its quality, and assure that our children and grandchildren will have access to a safe water supply for years to come. So, in that regard, I support bringing Lake Michigan water to Antioch. Secondly, I recognize that this will be a tax burden on our residents. So, I am in favor of #147;spending the money needed#148; ONLY if careful diligence assures that the money being spent is being spent appropriately and that all options for connecting have been explored. We don#146;t want our children and grandchildren to look back and ask #147;What were they thinking?#148; I will work to assure that the final option is the BEST and most fiscally responsible option, that it supports our collective goals of making Antioch the #1 place to live, work, and enjoy life.With the Lake Villa parks and recreation department shutting down, should Antioch pursue those residents as potential customers? Why or why not?Activities provided by the Parks and Recreation Department are an important source of community connection. The first priority of our Parks and Recreation Department must always be the residents of Antioch. We must be careful that we do not overburden and decrease resident access to our limited facilities and resources. We should also be good neighbors to residents of surrounding communities. The staff of the Parks Department knows best the capacity of our facilities and programs, thus, we should charge them with exploring the risks and benefits of pursuing Lake Villa residents as potential customers. If we can invite Lake Villa residents to join our residents and share in our programs with no negative financial or access impact, we should do so. A pricing plan that benefits our residents should be implemented and non-Antioch residents, from any surrounding community, should pay a supplemental fee above program prices. This additional revenue can potentially support expansion of Parks and Recreation programming to benefit all. Further, Antioch should negotiate with Lake Villa for Antioch resident access to any activities provided by that village.What do you think the village must do to move forward on the development of the Antioch Market Place property?Retail development of the Antioch Market Place property can bring revenue and jobs to our community. Increasing sales tax revenue could help to control property and utility taxes. Concerns have been expressed over the traffic implications and the environmental impact on the surrounding areas. These must be addressed with greater rigor than previously. Options to make access to the downtown area easier should be explored. Consideration should be given to what goes on Route 173 and what should be developed on the Pittman property on Main St. I have heard several examples of people who live on the east side of Antioch stating that they and their neighbors rarely venture into downtown because of the retail stores on Route 173. We need to find ways to change that decision. Also, the Village Board must be more rigorous in assessing the financial viability of developers who bring proposals to the village. Cookie cutter development that does not reflect the spirit and history of Antioch must be avoided. I believe we should look for development that brings to Antioch what can not be found in the surrounding villages; stores such as Trader Joe#146;s and other brand name stores would fit that description. Development of that type would not only bring people from the east side of Antioch closer to Main Street, which is a vital part of our community, but it would bring people from surrounding communities to Antioch, building awareness of all that Antioch has to offer from our restaurants, specialty shops, PM L theater and small town friendliness.