Craig Maladra: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Craig Maladra

City: Geneva

Office sought: Alderman, 5th Ward

Age: 59

Family: Wife (Karen), two sons (Jacob and David)

Occupation: Northern Trust - SVP, Enterprise Data Platform

Education: MBA, Loyola University of Chicago

Civic involvement: Geneva Strategic Plan Advisory Committee (1996 to 2002) - Member, Chairman

Previous elected offices held: Geneva Public Library District (199 -2003) - Trustee, President; City of Geneva - Alderman, 5th Ward

Incumbent? First elected 2003.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/Craig-Maladra-For-Geneva-5th-Ward-333472654163532

Issue questions

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

Generally, we face the challenge of a community where large-scale residential development will give way to infill development and where demand for housing will change. We also face the challenge of the changing retail economy. More specifically, and within that context, over the next few years we need to see the completion of the East State Street roadway reconstruction and the implementation of the streetscape plan. We need to see redevelopment in the TIF 3 area. Taken together the result will be a connected network of vibrant, unique neighborhoods from East Side Drive through the central Downtown. We need to recognize the changing demand for housing and learn if and how a more diversified housing base can strengthen our community.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

My experience and my approach. I have experience helping the City face very different challenges. In the mid to late '90s it was the challenge of rapid growth and a pace of change so fast that we risked losing much of the character that makes us unique. In the early to mid '00s we weathered the storm of a terrible recession. We have successfully met these challenges and turn now to the next challenge: being a community where large-scale residential development will give way to infill development; where demand for housing will change; and during a time of great change in the retail economy. To each challenge I have brought the same approach - addressing the near-term in the context of our goals for the long-term. For me the real challenge is changing as the times demand but without losing sight of what we really want to be. Doing that means embracing diverse viewpoints with interest and respect. As an organization it means establishing our policies, setting our priorities, and empowering the dedicated professionals we hire to execute within that framework.

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 believe in the power of collaboration; that we are stronger working together than we are working as individuals. Our team consists of the residents and businesses that call Geneva home; elected officials, and staff.

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?

The city is in healthy financial condition. We have a balanced budget, our reserves are at policy levels, and our credit rating is investment grade. We have reduced our property tax rate over the last three years by -5 percent, -14 percent, and -7 percent and we are on track to have our general obligation debt retired by 2022. We manage our budget annually by prioritizing within the context of the Strategic Plan.

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

I believe Geneva should be a Home Rule community. Under the Illinois constitution, municipalities are limited to doing only what the State allows them to do, but Home Rule communities are limited only by those things the State specifically prohibits. Such designation would enable us to address local problems with local solutions. For example, we would be better able to address the challenges of rental properties and absentee ownership - perhaps through licensing; perhaps through inspections for exterior and interior conditions prior to leasing.