Patrick Wall: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Patrick Wall

City: Fox River Grove

Office sought: Village Trustee

Age: 43

Family: Wife, Kirsten; Children: Braden, 14, Logan 6

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Bachelor's Degree, Central Michigan University; J.D. Cum Laude, Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Civic involvement: Cubmaster Pack 357 (2010-2012), FRG School District 3 Board Member, (2013-2015); Member Fox River Grove Planning and Economic Development Committee, (2012-2015); Fox River Grove Village Trustee, (2015-present)

Previous elected offices held: Fox River Grove school board member, Fox River Grove village trustee.

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? Yes, May 2015

Issue questions

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

There are two key issues facing our town. First, is the redevelopment of the downtown area, including residential housing, and commercial development. Second, is to continue to proactively maintain, plan, and wisely spend our budget, while maintaining our reserves to continue providing excellent services to our community. Our board has taken a proactive stance to both of them. The Village continues to identify and work with potential developers who can build residential housing in the area surrounding the Metra train station. Next, the Village is attempting to attract commercial tenants for the downtown block, as well as bringing in new business, and further tax revenue for the community. During my time on the board, we have assisted in opening new business from dog grooming to banquet services. Lastly, we have been able to reduce the property taxes burden on the taxpayers through abatement, the repayment of bonds, and levying the least amount of property taxes possible to each homeowner. We have identified areas in which we can reduce staff and operating costs, and/or combine services to provide additional savings to the citizens. I will continue to fight to solve these issues on behalf of Fox River Grove.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am continually committed to making Fox River Grove an attractive place for all. I have

served in my community since we moved here in 2010. I truly enjoy public service, and how I can offer my skills to help our community grow. I think I offer a different viewpoint and can contribute in a meaningful way. I have learned through my almost 10 years of public service in our town how to effectively identify and execute on the projects and needs for our town. I believe my ability to connect, listen, and advocate for our residents, makes me the best candidate for the job.

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 is to listen and discuss various viewpoints from our stakeholders, residents, and businesses in our community, and work with the board in a collaborative way to identify solutions which can solve our problems facing Fox River Grove. Although I will lead on issues I feel are important, I think our board works well with all the issues which arise, and I look forward to continuing that progress through shared discussion, and compromise.

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 condition of the Fox River Grove budget is strong. We have adequate reserves, maintain a sound operating budget, as well as the ability to complete capital projects as needed. Although we face significant challenges with respect to the Police Pension fund, we continue through the work of our staff to identify federal, state and local grants which can assist in continuing to improve Fox River Grove with a smaller impact to the taxpayer. We need to continue to identify sources of revenue to maintain the proper contributions to the police pension. As a board during my term, we made significant contributions to the pension fund to achieve the funding required by the state. As an example, we continue to review all of the services we provide to assure we are providing the best service at the best prices we can obtain through competitive bidding, and combining services. We should continue the excellent steps we have taken in the last 4 years to continue providing the services our residents need and desire.

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

I would like to see more civic engagement within the community. I would like to offer more ways of engaging our residents. I would like to stream our village meetings, offer polls on our social media, and generally increase the citizen participation in the decisions we make to continually improve Fox River Grove.