advertisement

Kari Altpeter: Candidate Profile

Lisle Park Board

Back to Lisle Park Board

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: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lisle Park Board Age: 49Family: Trevor Altpeter - son (21)Hanna Altpeter - daughter (19)Occupation: Legal Assistant/Office ManagerEducation: High School: Glenbard SouthCollege: Northern Illinois University/College of DupageCivic involvement: Partners for Parks - Director 2005-2013Citizens for Educational Excellence - Team Leader 2003/2004Residents for Sea Lion Aquatic Park - Treasurer 2002Lisle Eyes to The Skies- Director/Volunteer coordinator 2009-2015Lisle Education Foundation Board Member 2008-2013Former Lisle Heritage Society Board Member Meals on Wheels Volunteer - 1998 - 2011Schiesher Advisory Council - 2003-2006Lisle Womens ClubLisle Chamber MemberLisle Library Volunteer 1998-2012Lisle Special Events Committee- appointed positionElected offices held: Lisle 202 School Board Member 2007-2013(Board Secretary 2008 - 2013)Lisle Park Commissioner 2013 - presentQuestions 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 to the Lisle Park Board because I have always been and continue to be passionate about my community and their recreational needs. Since moving to Lisle in 1997 my family has been fortunate to enjoy the many parks Lisle has to offer, recreational activities like the Sea Lion Aquatic Park and the great array of wonderful programing for all ages and interests. I want to ensure that those opportunities are available for generations to come.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.Our financial position in the district has never been better. I will continue to promote fiscal responsibility with the resources that we have. We continue to maintain fund balances so that we do not have to increase taxes and we have reduced our pension liability while I have been on the board. Our boards goal has been to position ourselves so that if the State were to freeze property tax dollars we would still operate at the current highest levels of user expectation.What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?While senior programming is subsidized we found during our Cost Recovery Focus groups the community is accepting of certain program categories receiving tax subsidy. We continue monitoring all programming to be sure subsidy falls within the accepted levels identified by the community. I will continue to promote fiscal responsibility with the resources we have.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them?Our recreational programming is driven by patron/taxpayer demand and priority. I am confident that at this time there are no significant needs in our district that have not been met. I am in constant community contact to find out if there are needs and when identified brought to staff or board level to be addressed.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 was proud to be a part of the 2015 Cost Recovery process in our district. We conducted many focus groups comprised of staff and stakeholders from all areas of the community. Together we worked to identify what needs the community felt their tax dollars should be spent on and which programming should self-sustain. I felt the whole process gave me a greater understanding even of the district finances and recreational importance to our community. The process, analysis and implementation of the Cost Recovery has resulted already in a savings to our district boasting only a 2% operational budget increase this year.The other accomplishment I am most proud of was the completion of the Seastar space in our facility. The project was a great collaboration between neighboring communities, special recreation and our district staff and board.The completion of the Lisle Veterans Memorial on a parcel of park land this fall was another wonderful accomplishment to our district, with all of the funds for the monument being raised by community and business support.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Don Cook - Lisle Park Board PresidentWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Volunteerism is the most rewarding job.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?That I spent more time with my grandmother.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Mathematics with has been a part of my everyday life ever since.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be kind and honest always