Lawrence (Larry) Rosenthal: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Lawrence (Larry) Rosenthal

City: Prospect Heights

Office sought: Mayor

Age: 80

Family: Wife Ina, Sons Keith and Scott, Daughters-in-law Susan and Maureen, Grandchildren Adam, Iris and Evan

Occupation: Retired Association Executive, Consultant to professional and trade associations and foundations

Education: Bachelors, Two Masters' degrees, Doctorate and many many hours of continuing education

Civic involvement: Treasurer and Board Member Rob Roy Condo Association 6 years, Alderman Ward 2 Prospect Heights 4 Years

Prior to living in Prospect Heights - Member Skokie District 73.5 6 years (3 years as President of the Board) Board of Directors Skokie Central Traditional Congregation, Northwest Suburban Congregation, Held leadership positions in several professional organizations

Previous elected offices held: President and Board member Skokie School District 73.5, Treasurer and Board Member Rob Roy Condo Association Prospect Heights, Alderman Ward 2 Prospect Heights

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected?

Issue questions

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

The city needs to be prepared to address some significant capital requirements in the near future. These include flood control, street repair and correction and maintenance of the city sewer system which the state of Illinois transferred responsibility for it to the city. Since the City is a Non-Home Rule community, this will require the education of the community of the need so any referendums posted will be successful. Beyond this we need to create and insure an atmosphere of transparency in the Council's activities and a respect for all elements of our community and involvement of the community as a whole in the city's plans and strategic directions. In short, we need to develop trust in the council by all of the city's residents and to direct our efforts and priorities to meeting the needs and wants of the community and not any personal agendas. As leaders, we are in these positions to serve the needs of the community.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I served as alderman for the last four years and observed up close how the city and council functions externally and internally. Through my visits with various neighborhoods of the city, I have gained an understanding and appreciation of what the city residents want to see from the its leadership, The residents I have talked with want to see clarity and an understanding of the directions and decisions being made by the leadership and they want a feeling of respect for their positions and needs regardless of their specific location and position. Our residents want to be heard by the leadership. They understand that final decision-making rests with the council. I fully understand this and have demonstrated this by my actions as an Alderman. As an association executive I had to be able to bring together groups with different positions on issues and develop consensus. I not only "talk the talk" about the need for community involvement but also "walk the walk" through the work I have done as an Alderman and in my professional career. I welcome various groups input so that the best information is available for decision-making.

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.

The mayor, while being the elected leader of the city is not its sole decider of what is best for the community. If one views the governance structure (elected officials) as an orchestra playing for the benefit of the community then the mayor is akin to the leader of the orchestra; not its soloist. The mayor must be able to look to the future horizon of the city. The mayor needs to present in a rational manner to the council and to the community why a particular direction is important and will be beneficial for the city and its residents. The mayor must be prepared to listen and respect views that may be contrary to his. He needs to weigh and actively provide a venue for such views and to balance them in an objective unemotional manner. He must insure that the Council has all the positions presented in a clear, objective and clarified manner so that decisions can be made in an information-based manner. The mayor needs to encourage honest and open positions and not take umbrage or believe that if someone disagrees with him; he is an enemy.

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?

There are two segments to our budget. One segment addresses the daily, approved and continuing activities of the city. This segment is generally referred to the "Operating Budget." The second segment addresses potential current and future needs that are not part of the Operating budget. These are usually significant amounts of money and have a useful life of a significant number of years. This segment is labeled as the "Capital Budget." The city's operating budget is in a position in which it can meet its current needs. The Capital Budget is another story. Funds do not presently exist to address the future needs of flood control, street repairs and sewer maintenance. Our city is a non-home rule city. This means that additional funds will need to be secured through the passage of ref-erenda authorizing raising the funds. This will require an in-depth education process for the community and the involvement of citizens to help secure passage of such a referendum. This process needs to be aimed at presenting the community with the objective facts and rationale why the referendum is needed and what benefits will accrue to the city and to its residents.

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

From my other responses, it is obvious that a team approach to decision making as a philosophical and action approach is something that I favor. Every resident of the city is entitled to participate, to be respected and to encourage participation in the decision- making process of issues that affect the resident's living in the city. The council, while holding final decision-making responsibility should provide a means and structure by which residents have a pathway to have their voices heard and presented to the council as another information input channel to their decision-making responsibility. To this end I would, with the Council's approval, urge and provide support to each alderman to set up a community advisory panel that would be able to be a forum by which community input can reach the council. Along these lines I would also want to have more resident involvement through making our committees, that may exist mainly on paper, truly operational with an elected official serving as a liaison to these organizational units.