Jeanne McGowan: Candidate Profile

Back to Geneva City Council Ward 4

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: GenevaWebsite: www.jeanneforgeneva.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: JeanneforGeneva4thOffice sought: Geneva City Council Ward 4 Age: 42Family: My husband Jim and I have two children, both of whom attend Geneva 304 schools.Occupation: I am a busy SAHM. I work part-time on an occasional basis and I do a lot of volunteer work as well.Education: I have a BA in Speech Communication with a Minor in Sociology from Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago.Civic involvement: Served as a Kane County Election Judge from 2012 - 2016, with a promotion to Tech Judge in 2016. Served as a volunteer for the Williamsburg Elementary PTA/PTO in organizational, fundraising and support roles since 2008. I have also helped with events and improvements at Geneva Middle School North.Served the Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois as Geneva Registrar and Troop Co-Leader (2014/2015) and Troop Cookie Coordinator (2014 and 2015). Recently (2016) completed training to become a Volunteer Tutor at Illinois Youth Center in St. Charles through Jump Start/Literacy Volunteers of Illinois.Elected offices held: N/AQuestions Answers Do you support what the Downtown/Station Area Master Plan's suggests for redevelopment of several opportunity sites, including the Cetron factory site and the Mill Race Inn site, including calls for higher-density housing than currently allowed? Discuss in light of recent decisions against an apartment building at the Cetron site and townhouses/duplexes at the former Geneva Greenhouse site.I support what the Downtown/Station Area Master Plan suggests regarding redevelopment and the need for higher-density housing. I was vehemently against the overwhelming size of the proposed Marquette Apartments, which would have been located at the Cetron factory site. The Marquette Apartments plan clearly failed to meet the objectives of the Downtown/Station Area Master Plan, which outlines that new housing developments need to be "reasonable in size and fit in with the surrounding area." A smaller-scale housing development would fit in better at the Cetron site and would be a welcome addition to, instead of detracting from, the surrounding neighborhood.The Mill Race Inn site would be a great place to add housing, as long as the size and scale of whatever housing development is proposed fits in with the existing residential and natural surroundings, and as long as all traffic and pedestrian safety studies are completed and all resulting recommendations are met. I would also love to preserve riverfront access at the Mill Race Inn site for city residents to continue to enjoy. In regard to the Geneva Greenhouse site, I would like to see this location utilized for new housing in keeping with the Downtown/Station Area Master Plan. Since the previous townhouse/duplex proposal did not work out, a more collaborative approach is needed to achieve the best results for all involved.Should a city employee (the administrator or her designee) negotiate city union contracts, given that they, like other employees, will receive the same benefits as union members?Currently the City Administrator is tasked with negotiating city union contracts. Her recommendations throughout the negotiation process are presented to the City Council for review in closed sessions. The City Council then decides whether or not to accept the recommendations. The City Council is not obligated to accept any of the union contract terms. The City Administrator does not have the authority to finalize any union contract changes. Only the City Council can approve and finalize union contracts. Furthermore, the City Administrator is not a member of the union, so most of the union contract recommendations that are made to City Council do not apply to her. If a city employee cannot negotiate union contracts for Geneva, a labor attorney must be hired to do the negotiating on the city's behalf, which is an increased cost for the city. The City Administrator is able to negotiate union contracts that are fair to employees and fair to Geneva taxpayers alike. It is true that certain employee benefits extend to both union and non-union employees, but if an outside labor attorney is hired to negotiate city contracts, that attorney will inevitably end up negotiating some of the same benefits as well. Therefore, it does not make sense to hire an attorney to negotiate city union contracts. That is why Geneva, along with many other municipalities, entrusts the City Administrator with the task of negotiating city union contracts "â#128;œ it is efficient and saves money.Mayoral candidate Tom Simonian has said he won't take the salary of mayor/liquor commissioner, or would donate it to charity. Is that a good idea? Why or why not?I would like the Mayor of Geneva to graciously accept the salary for their elected office, and thereby be held accountable to the residents of Geneva whose tax dollars go to pay that Mayor's salary. Tom Simonian is fortunate to be able to refuse or donate his salary and it is an admirable gesture, but any donations should be done on his own and not used as an incentive to earn people's vote. I wonder why a person running for public office, if truly qualified based on their own merits, feels the need to "sweeten the deal." I feel that a public official should accept the salary for their position as a promise of sorts to dutifully carry out the roles and responsibilities of their elected office. I do not like the idea of a Mayor being able to say to themselves, "Well, I'm not getting paid for this anyway so I can do whatever I want." That is not the attitude we need in the Mayor's Office and this type of situation should be avoided.Should the city do something to increase the amount of affordable housing in Geneva, as the Chicago Metropolitan Agency on Planning study calls for? If so, what?I am in favor of the city doing something to increase the amount of affordable housing in Geneva. Geneva does not currently meet the recommended levels of affordable housing. There are active, independent senior citizens/retirees looking to downsize, as well as young professionals that would be happy to call Geneva home, if only they could find housing that fit their budget. These residents would contribute to the economic base of Geneva. One challenge lies in finding locations for affordable housing to be built, as Geneva is running low on available space for new residential developments. The City Council should continue working with the Chicago Metropolitan Agency on Planning, and make decisions that lead to increased affordable housing whenever the opportunity presents itself.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I would like to see the city do even more to promote healthy living by connecting residents of all ages with people, events, activities, and places right here in Geneva that lead to healthier, happier lives. Encouraging more people to enjoy the great outdoors on a year-round basis would be a wonderful way to begin! Perhaps the city could start small with one day each season devoted to encouraging Geneva residents to get outside and onto the walking and biking trails, into our parks and forest preserves, or just strolling around downtown. A special hashtag could be created so residents could help spread the word about the initiative on social media. Eventually, this could turn into a monthly effort and include music, games and seasonal activities and partnerships with area businesses that promote physical exercise. I would also like to see the incredible vegetable stands sell out for once before the amazing croissants do at the Geneva French Market!What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I am interested in ensuring that Geneva maintains its historic character and unique charm, all the while striving to keep up with modern times and remaining fiscally strong. Developers will continue to eye certain areas of town as lucrative business investments, and their plans may or may not align with the expectations and desires of residents. Our Historic District and the historic character of our city are of tremendous value, not just to our city but to the entire region, and must be preserved.I will remain an independent voice on City Council "â#128;œ I will not be part of any "voting bloc" of City Council Members. I plan to represent the residents of the 4th Ward and voice my beliefs accordingly.It is vital to continue to attract residents, visitors, and businesses to Geneva. This will keep Geneva thriving, valuable, and sustainable for generations to come. In addition to fostering economic development, we need to make wise decisions regarding the use of city tax dollars.There are certain financial unknowns coming from the State of Illinois that all cities and towns are having to contend with. We must be prepared to deal with changes and mandates as they come from Springfield, however large or small, that affect our city's budget.Affordable housing for seniors who would like to downsize, yet remain in the community they love, is important to me. Geneva currently does not meet standards for available, affordable housing.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.I am greatly inspired by Dr. Joanne Liu, International President of Doctors Without Borders/MSF.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The world is full of many wonders.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would pursue a Master's Degree "â#128;œ I love to learn, and it would be great to go back to school at some point.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I've always enjoyed writing. Being able to explain complex information or simply connect with others through writing has given my life greater value and meaning.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Make the world a better place.