Reid A. Foltyniewicz: 2021 candidate for Lombard Village President
Lombard Village Board Trustee Reid A. Foltyniewicz is challenging incumbent Keith T. Giagnorio in the race for Lombard village president in the April 6 consolidated election.
The Daily Herald asked the candidates several questions about issues facing the village. Below are Foltyniewicz's responses.
In-person early voting with paper ballots begins Feb. 25 at DuPage County Fairgrounds Building 5, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. In-person early voting with touch-screen voting begins March 22 at locations throughout the county. Learn more at www.dupageco.org/earlyvoting/.
For more election coverage, visit dailyherald.com.
Bio
City: Lombard
Age: 37
Occupation: Administrative Sergeant, Village of Oak Brook
Civic involvement: District 3 Trustee for the Village of Lombard, 2013-present; Lombard Finance & Administration Committee chair, 2015-present; Lombard Public Safety Committee chair, 2013-2015; Maple Street Chapel Preservation Society vice president, 2015-present; member of First Church of Lombard, Lombard Kiwanis Club, Lombard Historical Society, and Lombard Town Centre; Love Your Neighbor Day volunteer; Lombard Park District soccer and basketball coach; First Church of Lombard property management committee, 2015-2016; Neal Omi Golf Classic chair, 2015-2016.
Q&A
Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree or defer to state and federal authorities?
A: As a leader, especially during a pandemic, you have to be resilient and handle adversity. The ability to work with federal, state, county, and other local leaders are vital. Sharing information with sources while listening to our constituents provides the path forward. From there, we move Lombard Forward, Together!
Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.
A: Yes, our village staff did a fantastic job under the circumstances. Immediately our village staff began addressing challenges as they arose. We understand the commitment to our community when we sign up for local government work. Everyone adjusted as needed and didn't complain about a shift in position, work hours changing, or creative thinking. Core and essential services never suffered due to our staff.
There are numerous permanent innovations that staff thought up, but the one I am most proud of is from the finance department. We were faced with some dire financial situations when the complete shutdown occurred. Staff notified me of the problem with our 2020 budget and beyond, yet they still came forward and pushed for a moratorium on residents paying their water bill. The compassion they showed while their future was uncertain speaks volumes.
However, not everything ran smoothly during these uncertain times. Unfortunately, our leadership didn't see the pandemic as anything serious until election season. While the world transitioned virtually, our leadership had a difficult time with adversity. Due to this challenge, it took our village leadership until November to catch up with technology.
Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?
A: As a leader, our responsibility is the safety and well-being of our community. This starts with caring for our employees. If I am elected president of Lombard, I will ensure employees don't face punishment for using sick days. The era of showing up to work when you are sick must end. We tend to want to show everyone we can power through an illness, and it's magnified by being rewarded for doing so. The employee who stays at home to recover is then punished during their evaluation and by others in the form of gossip. The illness you carry might not affect you but could be detrimental to a fellow employee.
Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?
A: I have been fighting for property rights since I was first elected. We saw an enormous increase during the pandemic in permits being filed for home improvement projects. However, Lombard continues to lag on the debate over property rights. Some Lombard families have to pay a $500 "fee" to the village to have the same rights as others in town. As president, I promise to eliminate these "greasing the wheels" of government to get a permit for a home improvement project. Pandemic or not, these policies have gone on too long. It's their land; let's allow them to enjoy it while beautifying the neighborhood.
Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?
A: Every staff member will agree on the aging of our facilities is a critical infrastructure project. Our buildings have been a detriment to our community. Providing core and essential services to our community becomes more difficult every year. We have fallen behind other communities and continue to without a plan to do anything about our outdated facilities. Our staff members have done a fantastic job of serving the community while band-aids continue to be put on a wound that needs surgery.
These upgrades should be paid for by funds from the community as a whole and not just one taxing body. We have avenues and different funds to begin the process. It is our duty to come up with funding without having a tax increase on the residents.
There isn't enough infrastructure going on to be put on the back burner.
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance your board/council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?
A: I agree with our decision and glad we have leaders who took a stance on this issue. Our current leadership hides from tough decisions and passes the buck. As elected officials, we must make the best decisions for our town. The people trust us to make the correct call; that's why there are elections. With current leadership, any challenging issue will be passed down the road or go to a referendum to ease any pressure. Leaders must stand up and make decisions, not run for cover; they don't waver when times get tough.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A: Communication is critical in any relationship. Proper communication is more important in local government than it's ever been. The good old boys network of silence isn't acceptable anymore. Since I was first elected, I proposed a communications policy. With the assistance of staff, we were able to draft a policy to communicate effectively. The biggest hurdle was trying to convince the old regime of how important communication is in the 21st century. It took over two years, but we obtained enough votes to pass our most crucial policy in the previous 10 years.
This policy has been our playbook on everything we have done since its passing. We began a relationship with the local media, community trust began to rise, and employee morale rose. We can always improve, and there are some significant ways we can communicate more effectively. It starts at the top with more communication and community engagement. As president, I will host monthly community meetings, I will attend organizational meetings to provide updates from the village, and people will continue to see me all over town supporting local businesses. Finally, I will communicate and build relationships with other local leaders, which we currently don't have.
Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?
A: I am passionate and enthusiastic about our community. I take tremendous pride in Lombard. This village helped raise me and help make me the person I am today. I am honored to serve Lombard and represent our neighbors for the previous eight years. When Lombard Village government requires a leader, I rise to the challenge. I represent our town when I travel down to Springfield to fight for local control. I build relationships with other local leaders who represent us in Springfield and DuPage County. I conducted community meetings regarding eliminating the taxi cab subsidy, the tax levy, places for eating tax, and even represented us in Chicago when it comes to the Westin debacle. I want to continue to serve in a more responsible role as our village president. The president needs to be a leader, take action, and be responsive to us all. Actions speak louder than words, and I have shown that through the years, whether it's election season or not. Lombard Forward, Together!