Kenn Miller: 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: NapervilleWebsite: http://www.electkennmiller.comOffice sought: Naperville MayorAge: 66Family: married, 2 daughters and three grandchildrenOccupation: Vice President, Community Relations, Autism Home Support ServicesEducation: Bachelor of Science, pre-med, University of IowaMasters of Business Administration, Lake Forest Graduate School of ManagementCivic involvement: • Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce member, Ambassador Committee 2011• Honorary Board, Naperville Responds For Our Veterans, 2010-present• DuPage Mayors Managers Legislative Committee, 2009-present• Naperville Development Partnership board, 2009-present• Citizens Appreciate Public Safety board 2007 to present• Voting member of The Regional Answer to Canadian National (TRAC), 2009 to present• Downtown Naperville Alliance board, 2005 to present• City Plan Commission, Naperville, 2003-2005• Naperville Exchange Club member, 2004-present• Downtown Rotary Club, 2007-present• Vice Chair, Wheatland Twp Republican Org, 1998-2007• Precinct Committeeman, 1998 to Present• Deputy Registrar, Will County, 2000- present • Ethics Advisor, Wheatland Township, 2004-2009• Finance Committee, Wheatland Twp, Will City, 2003-2005• Building Committee, Wheatland Salem Church, 2003-2005• Finance Committee, Wheatland Salem Church, 2004-2005• Staff-Parish Comm., Wheatland Salem Church, 1996- 2000• Past President Secr., River Run HOA, 1998- 2005• Member, Wheatland Plowing Match 2001- present• Delegate, Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation 1998-2003• Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, Healthcare, Transportation Air Quality Committees, Sacramento, CA, 1993-1995• Chairman, Sacramento Valley Venture Capital Forum, Sacramento, CA, 1994• Board of Directors, Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy, 1993-1994• President, American River Canyon Residents Association, Folsom, CA 1992-1995• City Economic Development Committee, Folsom, CA 1993Elected offices held: • City Councilman, Naperville, 2005-present• Trustee, Wheatland Township, Will County, 2000-2003Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NOCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 We must make Naperville more responsive to businesses and entrepreneurs. Unemployment and job loss are symptoms of a weak business environment. As Mayor, I will work with the Naperville Development Partnership (NDP), City staff, the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce and others to strengthen and grow our business community.One option is creating a Business Concierge role. The Business Concierge#146;s purpose is to help new and existing Naperville businesses, especially the small business owner to process permits, inspections and compliance to municipal codes. It also works to increase local sourcing for employees, materials and supplies.I will actively lead the City Council and City Manager#146;s efforts to create a more business compatible environment in the City of Naperville. I believe in this issue so much that my campaign has joined the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. Key Issue 2 I will lead the Naperville Sister City Commission to establish a Sister City relationship with China.When Chinese President Hu Jintao chose to visit Chicago as his only other stop on his recent state visit, he signaled to the world the great importance Illinois can play in global business. However, President Hu didn#146;t stop in Naperville with its significant Chinese community. I will shepherd the Naperville Sister City Commission to establish a relationship with China. I will work with the Naperville Chinese community and local business, such as, Lucent, Kraft, Tellabs, Nalco, Navistar, Phoenix Closures, and nearby Molex to expand a business and cultural relationship between our city and China. Many in the Chinese community trade back and forth and believe an Enterprise Center that focuses on Chinese trade can be a location of entrepreneurial support that would be beneficial to increasing the importance of Naperville as a center of excellence and trade.Key Issue 3 We must make Naperville more aware and responsive to people with disabilities.Given the high percentage of Naperville families that deal with loved ones with disabilities every day, I will start a real dialog with the community. This dialog includes parents, the two local school districts (203 and 204), foundations, health institutions, businesses and community organizations, with the goal of creating a positive and safe environment for people with physical and developmental disabilities to mainstream into our City. I will work to develop a plan that helps families whose loved ones are leaving the structured environment of school and facing the pressures of life as an adult.Questions Answers The city has slashed dozens of jobs in the last year in an attempt to balance the budget. Do you see more of this in the future?The City is required to balance the annual budget and will do so this year. While I cannot predict what will happen in the future, I will make sure that the City Council and City Manager work together and look at all #147;Capital#148; that affects our budget. We will thoroughly evaluate both, our highly trained #147;Human Capital#148;, who provide residents with #147;Great Service All the Time#148;, and the capital needs for equipment, road repair, etc., which enables our city employees to efficiently and effectively excel at their jobs. We must evaluate and make changes to the organizational structure, increase the use of technology and ensure city services and community priorities are fulfilled. Cutting jobs should be the last item to balance each department budget, not the first.Based on your experience as council member or mayor, are there any programs that you already know you would seek to eliminate if you were to be elected mayor?I do not have a predisposed list of items for the chopping block. In fact, as a current City Councilman, I already have a say in what programs need to be eliminated or adjusted. However, something I would like to eliminate when I am Mayor is the amount of time spent by City employees and City Council discussing sometimes superfluous points on the City Council dais. We must legislate openly and fairly, but we can do this with respect for staff and each other and be more expeditious. What are your thoughts/concerns regarding the city creating a shuttle bus service to help seniors and others commute to and from the downtown and other popular locations?Naperville continues to subsidize citywide PACE bus service, along with the township and county that addresses some of the senior needs and those who need bus service to get to work or college. We have created #147;Park and Ride#146;s#148; for residents to get from South Naperville to both train stations in addition to the neighborhood bus service. Naperville is fortunate that many senior facilities provide its residents transportation to area attractions. I will encourage the City to investigate a future shuttle service for all citizens in southwest Naperville between Naperville Crossings and downtown to reduce the number of vehicles on our roads.The city recently purchased the site of the DuPage Children's Museum on the city's north side. Do you support leaving the museum in place or freeing up the potentially valuable real estate at the city's northern border for economic development?I supported the City#146;s purchase of the Children#146;s Museum. I also support the current rental agreement between the museum and the city. The City was able to purchase this strategic commercial property at one-half the appraised value. I do not know what the future holds for the museum in its current form. However, due to this purchase the City secured 57 parking spaces that will be used by Metra commuters. For the long term, the city has secured the control of the future of a high profile property at the gateway to our downtown. There are already too many empty storefronts lining Washington Street between Ogden Avenue and Aurora Avenues. A local attraction that is visited by 300,000 people each year does a lot to offset these empty storefronts and draw people to downtown. What can be learned from the furor over the city giving police officers 3 percent raises then enacting layoffs? How should the city deal with its unions? Should it agree to raises when it knows layoffs will be a result?The most important thing I learned was the power of effective communications. The city could have done a better job in communicating the #147;process#148; to the public that led up to the layoffs. It is the responsibility of each City Councilman, the Mayor and the City Manager to evaluate all of the City#146;s options when it comes to effectively managing our limited resources. The police union has #147;interest arbitration#148; which means if the two sides cannot come to an agreement; an arbitrator will choose one or the other proposal. This left the City with a choice between agreeing to a voluntary settlement or risking that the arbitrator would award the police union a more costly agreement for the City. As in all union negotiations, the City#146;s needs must be met while balancing the department#146;s budget.