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Michelle Kembitzky: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Michelle S. Kembitzky

City: West Dundee

Office sought: Village Trustee

Age: 60

Family: Husband, Bernie works for United; Two children, both graduates of HD Jacobs, Alex has a JD from Univ of AZ, lives & works in Tucson, AZ. Katy, graduate of EMU lives in Chicago & works for Allstate.

Occupation: Retired

Education: BA Accounting, CPA

Civic involvement: Heritage Fest, Halloween Party, Dickens in Dundee, H.D. Jacobs Athletic Booster Club Treasurer, Multiple church leadership positions, including finance, education, service, and pastoral search; Altrusa International - Treasurer; Community Crisis Center of Elgin - Board Member/Treasurer; American Heart Association Fox Valley - Fundraising Chair 1993; Dundee Highlands PTC: President, Treasurer, Auction co-Chair, book fair Chair; TAP Volunteer, Cultural Arts, Girl Scouts of America - Sybaquay Council Cookie Chair; Treasurer Softball organization, Camp Algonquin/Hurricane Katrina Relief - Treasurer

Previous elected offices held: West Dundee Village Trustee 6 years

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? Yes, first elected in 2015, appointed in 2013 (selected among 15 applicants)

Issue questions

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

One of the greatest issues facing the Village of West Dundee is the balance of resident service expectations versus the decline in available revenue. Sales tax collections for all funds of $3.4 million in 2018 is down nearly 50 percent from 2008 receipts of $6.7 million due to closure of several major retailers (J.C. PENNEY, Best Buy, Target, OfficeMax) As revenue declined, the Village actively reduced expenses, cutting positions and discretionary spending. When I came into this position 6 years ago, I had hoped to use my budgeting & cost-cutting experience to reduce expenses. I found that Village staff has been very frugal with its funds; and did not find unwarranted spending. I believe further cuts would reduce the level of services our residents have come to expect. Accordingly, we need to continue to look at new revenue through growth in residential, industrial & commercial development. Such changes need to be planned to prevent growth without losing our small community charm.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am a CPA with broad auditing experience. I have multiple years' experience in cost control as Controller/CFO for several mid-size banks and as the Director of Finance & Accounting for Pulaski County (ARK). More recently, my role as Manager, Internal Control/Compliance enables me to provide additional insight in ways to change processes to strengthen controls. In addition, I have 20+ years as an active volunteer within the community: including Heritage Fest, Halloween Party & Dickens in Dundee. When my kids were in school, I was active in various roles at Dundee Highlands PTC (President, Treasurer, book fair Chair, Auction, Cultural Arts, TAP and Carnival committees) Sybaquay Council Cookie chair, Treasurer for Jacobs Athletic Boosters as well as various travel softball teams. As a member of Bethlehem, I was Sunday school Superintendent, Chaired the Board of Ed, taught VBS, Sunday school, and assisted with the confirmation program. Bottom line, I'm invested in this Village that I call home and am willing to use my time and talents to help it prosper.

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 management style is collaborative. As previously mentioned, as a CPA with broad auditing experience, my first instinct is in gathering information, which includes listening to others. It is essential to work alongside a team with diverse strengths and knowledge to collectively resolve the challenges and opportunities presented. Currently the Board is comprised of members from different areas of town and backgrounds. As a resident of the Hills subdivision, in addition to my financial background I feel I am also able to represent residents west of 31.

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 Village operates a balanced budget. Each year the Village levies in dollars the amount of property tax to be collected. As mentioned above, because of the decline in sales tax revenue, in order to assure its ability to provide residents with the expected level of services without raising property taxes, the tax base must be increased. Through growth we increase our EAV - which theoretically results in reduced tax burden for each taxpayer. This past year we had planned growth in all areas; residential such as the Springs Apartments on 31 and construction of Spring Hill Senior Apartments, industrial including Helukabel in the Oakview Corporate Park and commercial such as the opening of RocHaus & Stanley's, and projected March opening of Woodfire Brick oven Pizza. As was done for the 2018 budget, the Village needs to continue with its capital projects plan, especially as it relates to street repair and vehicle and equipment replacement

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

Not applicable. As a current Trustee, my job is to continuously share my ideas to better the community with the staff and the other Board members,

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