Katy Timmerman: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: MundeleinWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Mundelein Village Clerk Age: 57Family: Kurt Timmerman (husband)Megan, Jeff Danny Lackaff (daughter, son-in-law and grandson) Joe Timmerman (son)Occupation: Mundelein Village ClerkEducation: Bachelor of Music Education, Loras CollegeCivic involvement: Tullamore Homeowners Association (served two terms on the Board and involved with neighborhood events)St. Mary of Vernon ChurchMundelein High School Band Program (former volunteer)Fremont School District 79 Band Program (former volunteer)Girl Scout leader (former)Elected offices held: Mundelein Village Clerk (2013-present)Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?I am running for re-election as Mundelein's Village Clerk because I have found it be a challenging and fulfilling way to serve my community. It's been a privilege to sit on the dais with Mayor Lentz and the Board of Trustees, representing the community of Mundelein. I have also enjoyed working with the Village's outstanding staff and am proud to be a part of such a hard-working, dedicated group of people. The issue that motivates me is that the voters of Mundelein have spoken clearly regarding having an elected, rather than appointed, clerk. I respect the voters and feel strongly that having successfully done the job for the past four years, I am the most qualified candidate for the position.Some communities have contracted out for certain services, such as snowplowing, to save money. What innovative methods would you propose to reduce your office's budget? Explain your answer.The Clerk's office has no budget formation responsibilities.The state's revised Freedom of Information Act guidelines renewed focus on open government. Name one specific step you would take if elected to increase government transparency in your office.When Mundelein's Village Clerk position became part-time in 2004, all FOIA responsibilities were transferred to a staff FOIA Officer. The Clerk's main duty in this area is to immediately forward any FOIA requests that come to the Clerk's office. If re-elected, I would continue this practice, always striving to be a "team player" who contributes positively to the workings of the Village.What steps would you take as village clerk to improve and increase the flow of information to residents?My main goal to improve and increase the flow of information to residents has been to always have the minutes from meetings completed and posted on the Village website in a timely fashion. This allows residents to easily stay informed with the discussions and votes from meetings. The regular Board meetings are also livestreamed and then posted on the Village website, which is another option for residents to be knowledgeable about the workings of their community.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for village clerk? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.In the months preceding the move to the new Village Hall, I undertook a thorough cleaning-out of decades worth of paperwork and digital records in the Clerk's office. This resulted in an increase in efficiency. Of course, this was done in conjunction with staff to be certain that all laws regarding records retention were followed. I have also been a key player in implementing the Village's new agenda and minutes management software. The Board made the decision to pursue this in 2014 to increase transparency and efficiencies, and I worked closely with staff during the training, transition and execution of the system.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?During my time as Mundelein's Village Clerk, I have worked hard to fulfill the duties of the office: attending meetings; taking and composing the minutes in a detailed and accurate fashion; signing official documents; maintaining Village papers and records; applying the corporate seal; making records available to the public; and overseeing the election process. I believe that I have successfully done this in a manner that reflects positively on the Village and I welcome the opportunity to serve another four years.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Dr. Paul Farmer, anthropologist and physician who is known for his humanitarian work as co-founder of Partners in Health.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To be responsible and to follow through on commitments.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have studied nursing, as I greatly admire nurses and the physical/emotional/mental care they provide to their patients.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English - it provided me with excellent writing skills that I use in the Village Clerk position.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I would advise them to be the kind of people they want to be around...thoughtful, empathetic, curious and most of all, kind.