Dale Collier Jr. : Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Dale Collier Jr.

City: Cary

Office sought: Trustee for Village of Cary

Age: 47

Family: Married to Laura. 3 children, Hayden, Alyana (Laney),& Lilah

Occupation: Vice President at Tri State Hydraulics in Elk Grove Village.

Education: William Rainey Harper College

Civic involvement: Past coach for Cary Youth Baseball, volunteer at Cary Grove High School for musical (set building).

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent? No

Website: www.weunitecary.com

Facebook: We Unite Cary

Issue questions

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

Many important issues face Cary. We need to focus on economic development, pension funding, and maintaining a balanced budget without jeopardizing the safety and services Cary provides to it's residents.

The residents of Cary have a growing obligation to pensions in our community and these concerns need to be addressed.As Trustees we need to find ways to maintain the services the residents have come to expect while not overburdening residents with higher taxes.

A way to address economic development is to raise awareness of local businesses. Retain existing businesses by starting a business visitation program by visiting businesses within Cary (including follow-up visits). Be responsive to issues and concerns raised by local businesses.

Welcome new businesses. Create a "Welcome to Cary" new business

program with an introduction letter, local business and Village information, etc.

Attract new businesses. Continue to develop relationships with key business

representatives that may choose Cary as their location.

Consider incentives for businesses. Explore all available incentives for businesses that have a significant impact on the Cary

economy.

Follow-up with new business. Once business located within the community, follow

up and seek input about their experiences working with the Village.

Identify key development parcels that have the opportunity to contribute most

to the Cary economy.

Continue to seek available federal, state and county grants to assist with Cary

economic development efforts.

The Village of Cary has a blueprint to follow in the Economic Development Plan

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

Having lived in Cary for the past 17 years and having spent summers growing up on my grandparents family farm off Newbold Rd I am in touch with what Cary and it's residents want to see from this town. I understand keeping a balanced budget while also providing the services and safety our community has come to expect. I understand that economic development will be the driving force in maintaining a balanced budget as well as a chance to reduce some of the budget pressures we are seeing from pension obligations.

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.

My leadership style as trustee will be one of communication and collaboration. I will gather the necessary facts and information from the professionals that present to us while also putting the needs of the residents and our community first. I believe through my involvement with our community through its many programs that I have shown the best way to lead is not by micromanaging great people, but by helping them achieve their highest potential and learning from others.

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?

Our budget has taken many reductions since the recession, we have growing pension obligations, and increases in expenses from an aging infrastructure. Along with increasing payroll numbers. I believe the residents of Cary have not had village resources directed toward enough of the projects that help reinvest in the community along with attracting new development. With resources directed to community development and new business growth I believe the community will see a positive financial return for residents and businesses alike.

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