Julie Samuels: 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: Oak ParkWebsite: http://greens4mwrd.org/Office sought: Metro. Water Reclamation DistrictAge: 67Family: Married, three childrenOccupation: Community OrganizerEducation: Bachelor of Arts, Miami University (Ohio), 1966 Treekeeper certificationCivic involvement: Volunteer activities have included: Citizens' for Appropriate Transportation (Rte. 290 Corridor), Sustainable Development co-chair for the Oak Park Greens, Oak Park's Environmental Health Assessment Task Force, and Park District Infrastructure Study Committee. Positions on boards of the Safer Pest Control Project and Chicago Recycling Coalition. She was co-founder of the Oak Park Women's Exchange, Waste Ideas Network (WIN), Austin Anti-Asthma Advocates (AAAA), and Businesses and Residents United to Serve Harrison St. (BRUSH). Julie served appointments to Oak Park's Solid Waste Advisory Commission, and Environmental and Energy Advisory Commission, and to West Cook County's Solid Waste Technology Advisory Committee. Julie served six years as an at-large member of the state-wide Illinois Environmental Council, with two terms as Vice President.Elected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Keeping stormwater out of sewers. Launch District-wide public education program to conserve water and reduce the amount of water both from the sewage stream as well as rainwater.Key Issue 2 Promote programs to allow rainwater to soak directly into the soil. For example, Chicago is developing plans to channel rainwater into redesigned parkways where it will go into the groundwater and not the sewers. Encourage municipal governments to remove asphalt, install permeable-only surfaces, remove downspouts in order to collect rainwater in cisterns, collect and reuse gray-water, expand greenspace and plant trees, native plants, rain gardens and roof gardens.Key Issue 3 Explore re-reversing the Chicago River and expansion of wetlands to the west of Chicago in order to manage sewage and clean water.Questions Answers What special knowledge or experience do you have that particularly qualifies you for this office?Served on many boards and commissions with environmental related missions and goals (see above).What should the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District do to prevent disasters like the widespread flooding that affected the North and Northwest suburbs in July 2011?Reduce rainwater entering the sewage system. Promote municipal programs to disconnect all freshwater sources such as downspouts and install rain collecting ponds, encourage natural area plants and reduce effluents from homes and industries.The district changed its severance policies last year, prompting 78 employees, including the executive director and a commissioner, to quit and resulting in a payout of $2.4 million. Do you support how that change was handled? Why or why not?I do not support how the change was handled. All current employees and commissioners should have been grandparented and new folks subject to the change as there was a "contract" with current employees.What should the district's policies be with regard to severance, sick time and pensions' Please explain in detail.Severance pay is normally for employees that loose their jobs through no fault of their own.Sick time is for employees that are truely sick and if taken for three days or more a doctor's note should be required. Pensions should be based on time served and salaries.The Water Reclamation District voted in June to disinfect sewage before dumping it into waterways. Are there more steps the board should take to protect the environment? Please be specific.The Board should explore ways of removing all harmful ingredients in sewage before dumping it into waterways. This would include disinfection and channeling water to wetlands for cleansing before being put into the waterways.