Chris Ferron: 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: LisleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: ferronforlisleparkboardOffice sought: Lisle Park Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: My wife and I have lived in Lisle for the past 10 years. a second graded at attends Tate Woods and a third grader at Schiesher (4th grade).Occupation: Physician Assistant - Emergency MedicineEducation: Monmouth College: Bachelor of Arts BiologySaint Louis University: Physician Assistant StudiesKeller School of Business: Masters of Business AdministrationCivic involvement: *Volunteer at my children's schools (Tate Woods and Schiesher) on a regular basis.*Volunteer Flag football coach for i9 Sports*Teach paramedic students anatomy and physiology for the Edward Hospital paramedic education programElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.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 believe in providing high quality programs and activities to the residents of the district while maintaining fiscal responsibility.As a park district commissioner I would be influential in ensuring the park district:*remains resident focused through board accountability, open communication and transparency.* provides a supportive environment that enhances the lives of our residents through the quality of programs and activities offered.*safeguards the needs of our senior residents through services provided by the Senior Center.*protects the interest of the taxpayer through judicious budgeting.How do you assess the state of the district's finances? What, if any, changes do you propose to alter the district's financial picture, whether through cost reduction or revenue increases? Please be as specific as possible on where you would propose cutting or how you would propose increasing revenue.The Park district is financially strong, but their is always opportunity to continue to be good stewards of taxpayer funds. The cost recovery, resource allocation and revenue enhancement study of 2015 is a good example of its fiscally proactive responsible thought process. The purpose of the study was to help the park district better reposition programs and services with the goal of greater cost recovery and reducing reliance on tax dollars. The park district would benefit from the following: *maintaining budget goals and maintenance plans by keeping its current operating costs.*optimizing relationships with organizations like Partners for Parks in order to maximize fundraising efforts.* pursuing joint ventures with surrounding park districts to consolidate services and optimize class/program availability and shared costs.*increasing patronage to River Bend Golf Club and Wheatstack restaurant through better marketing and branding efforts.What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?Most of the districts programs are solvent or at least very close to it at this time. Two areas that need closer examination are the fitness and Senior Center.The Senior Center and its programs are very well attended and the staff does a wonderful job meeting the needs and demands of our senior customers. Because this program has had some financial challenges, I would like to see the park district perform a cost recovery analysis to determine if the fees are appropriate and in balance with the services rendered or do certain tier based fees need to be adjusted.The fitness center is another area that needs further evaluation. Enrollment over the past few years has declined and it would benefit from an aggressive membership drive that offers tiered memberships that fit the changing needs of our residents.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them?The theater program that was recently implemented has been a big success for the park district and our community. I would like to see continued growth in this program over the next few years. The staff has done a wonderful job at developing our young stars of tomorrow. I believe there is an opportunity for expansion of the theater program such as multiple plays throughout the year and offering theatre classes.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the park board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.I chose to run for park board because I believe in providing the Lisle park district residents with high quality classes and programs at a reasonable cost. My goal throughout my years in medicine and business is to enhance the experience of the customer by utilizing metrics that are measurable, repeatable and sustainable to ensure consistent outcomes that enhance the quality and services for our customers.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I would like to see the park district continue to ensure that the early childhood education programs are preparing our children for their next educational step.It is important for the park district to continue proper maintenance for our 40 parks, facilities and recreational areas and ensure they remain safe, clean and accessible.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Candidate did not respond.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Anatomy and Physiology: I use it everyday in my career as an emergency medicine Physician Assistant.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Treat others as you would want to be treated.