Columbus Montgomery: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Columbus Montgomery

City: Bartlett

Office sought: Bartlett Village Trustee

Age (on Election Day): 57

Family: Rose (wife), Marcus, Michael, Mathew, Moses (4 sons), Marilucina (daughter)

Occupation: United States Postal Service, Headquarters, Commercial Mail Field Specialist

Education: Austin High School, DeVry University of Technology studied Electronic (trade school, American Automotive Mechanics (received certificates)

Civic involvement: Schaumburg Idol (2018), Bartlett Idol (2005), USPS Employee Engagement (2018 - 2019), Heron Landing (HOA) Board Member (2017 - 2021), Parents Teachers Association (U-46 School District - Nature Ridge), co-president

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? N/A

Facebook: Columbus Montgomery

Issue questions

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

The three most important issues facing the Bartlett Community are: Safety, Increasing Property Taxes, Water Quality. I will engage with the community at public forums to implement, develop, and execute a 3 - year a strategic plan in addressing those important issues. It will be results-oriented with milestones to ensure we have addressed those concerns. I will research other communities in similar nature like the Village of Bartlett who have the same concerns to assess and evaluate what the outcomes were and their successes. This means I will work with Bartlett Police Department, Village Tax Assessor Office (Hanover), Public Works Committee in seeking the best methods and programs, trends to find out what is working and what is not in addressing those important issues. Finally, I will also host meetings at various public venues such as local coffee shops and/or libraries with other interested colleagues and community members to seek input about those issues and potential methods to include in the 3 - year strategic plan. The plan will be shared via media and news releases, including community forums and/or meetings in seeking the community buy-in to the plan.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I am the best candidate for the board because I can be an effective leader who understands and embraces civic duty, including being accountable in keeping the Bartlett Village board of trustees on track with setting policies aligned in the mission, vision, and goals of the village board. I believe in team work because "It Takes Teamwork to Make the Dream Work." Effective teamwork includes the talents, collaboration, and working together as a team.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board.

My leadership style is participative. I believe that is the most effective style because I daily offer guidance to team members at work, including civic colleagues. I believe the best team players encourage other members to participate in moving plans, projects, or concerns to a final decision while at the same time I can also make final decision with other input that would be best for the whole community. Meaning, other members of the community, including the board will be engaged in the decision-making process, more motivated, and creative to bring the best plan to fruition. In turn, this foster commitment to the mission, vision, and goals of the board.

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?

According to another trustee member on the Public Works Committee, "The condition of the community budget is in the positive or "ballooned" in a positive because "Bartlett officials have decided to change the village's water source to Lake Michigan via the DuPage Water Commission. The move will double the average customers' monthly water bills in 2019 (Daily Herald, December 8, 2016, by Eric Peterson). This means the village of Bartlett community has a higher water quality level source.

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

A good idea no one is talking about is the "beauty of living" in the Village of Bartlett and the celebration of the "Diversity in Bartlett" to bring the community together. The vision is to bring our residents out of their homes and support our local businesses such as a "Community Days" for a weeklong celebration, including a science fair similar to a Blue-Ribbon Fair to show the village values their residences and business.