Cheryl G. Ross: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Cheryl G. Ross

City: Gurnee

Office sought: Trustee

Age: 67

Family: Married to David for 44 years. Three Adult Children: Laura (Murfreesboro, TN), Michael (Hong Kong), Amy (Kenosha, WI).

Occupation: Retired teacher. Taught at Woodland District #50 for 35 years: 1st grade, 2nd grade, Elementary Math Specialist.

Education: B.S. in Elementary Education from Carroll College. M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from National-Louis University.

Civic involvement: Founding member of Bethel Lutheran Church, Chairman of Board for Lake County Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Lake County), member Exchange Club of Gurnee, supporter of COOL Food Pantries and Family Housing, supporter of Love INC of Lake County, member Warren Historical Society, chaired the committee to develop Welton Plaza.

Previous elected offices held: Village of Gurnee Trustee, 2007-2019. Gurnee Plan Commission, 1999-2007

Incumbent? Yes. If yes, when were you first elected? Elected in 2007

Website: N/A

Facebook: N/A

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your community and how do you intend to address them?

We have to keep our local economy strong. We currently do not have a property tax for the Village so we are dependent on consumer spending and tourism dollars. The village board directly impacts this through the decisions they make and the policies set: zoning, building code amendments, etc. Strategic investments should be made that will draw visitors to the Village (Six Flags, Gurnee Mills, Great Wolf Lodge, ETC.). We must also work in conjunction with business owners, the Chamber of Commerce, and others. Maintaining effective and professional public safety is essential. Our public safety departments are well trained and properly equipped. It is a high priority to facilitate communication with our residents and to develop cooperative relationships with other regional services. We should continue to ensure that public safety remains a budget priority. We must utilize technology to improve operations, while understanding that there is no substitute for direct human interaction. Presently the general perception of government has become negative. It is important that trustees are accessible, approachable, and responsible. I will continue to be out in the community attending events, talking to residents, soliciting feedback, and following up with information that has been gathered.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am the most experienced and qualified candidate in the field. I have lived in Gurnee all of my life and I want it to remain a great place to live, work, and raise a family. The experience I have gained as a Trustee for the past twelve years is invaluable. My father, Gordon Gillings, was Mayor of Gurnee for 24 years before Dick Welton, so I grew up with an understanding of Village business and operations. I taught at Woodland School for 35 years, raised my family in Gurnee, served on the Plan Commission for 8 years, and have been a Village Trustee for 12 years. Serving on the Visit Lake County Board has given me a broader community perspective, allowed me to get to know leaders from all of Lake County, and to promote regional tourism. I am a good listener and attempt to understand all sides of an issue. I feel it is important to listen to our Department Heads and help evaluate how we can see improvement. I recognize that the Village Board sets the overall policy and direction, then relies on staff level experts to carry it out.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

I am a collaborative leader who is willing to listen and ask challenging questions. I prefer to work behind the scenes to gather information, work with all involved parties, and listen for points of view that are different than my own. An example of this style is my leading the effort to develop Welton Plaza. There were many competing perspectives about what should be done at that location. I was able to find areas of agreement and move the project forward to its completion in June of 2018. I take pride in being involved in the community and being accessible to residents and businesses. I enjoy attending as many Village activities and events as possible. As a lifelong Gurnee resident that has seen the community evolve, I understand how we got where we are today, as well as the stumbling blocks along the way. Despite differences, I understand that everyone wants what is best for the Village, and will seek areas of agreement. After serving on the Visit Lake County Board for several years, I was elected Chairwoman in recognition of my collaborative leadership style.

How would you describe the condition of your community's budget, and what are the most important specific actions the town should take to assure providing the level of services people want?

We have a very strong balanced budget that limits the burden on our residents by relying on visitor spending (Sales, Food & Beverage, Hotel, Amusement taxes). We have not collected a property tax in 19 years. By being fiscally conservative, we have sufficient reserves in case of an economic turndown. We are investing $10 million annually in capital improvements to maintain our infrastructure and curb appeal. We are able to meet our annual pension obligations. It takes hard work to ensure we are fiscally responsible with tax dollars while creating a community that is safe and attractive for our residents, businesses and visitors. Budgeting, fiscal planning, and quarterly financial reports, etc. are year-round activities so that adjustments are made before negative impacts occur. It is essential that local government is accessible and transparent. Residents have changed the ways in which they communicate their concerns, so the Village has changed to accommodate them. Multiple social media platforms (Nextdoor, Facebook, Twitter, Village website, Connect CTY, Instagram) and other events (Business Lunches, Citizen Police Academy, Coffee with the Mayor, etc.) are used to communicate with residents and solicit feedback. However, we still seek as much face-to-face interaction with residents as possible.

What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

I hope that we are able to continue to make infrastructure improvements in our aging parts of town as well as maintaining the newer parts. East Grand Avenue has been talked about since I first ran for Trustee and we are finally making progress. I am very interested in the results of the sports feasibility study to determine if it is possible add to our resident and visitor-oriented amenities.