Greg Hose: 2021 candidate for Downers Grove Village Council
Six candidates are running for three, 4-year seats on the Downers Grove Village Council in the April 6, 2021, election. They are newcomers Chris Gilmartin, Danny Glover, Tammi Karam and Andrew Pelloso, and incumbents Margaret "Marge" Earl and Greg Hosé.
The Daily Herald asked the candidates several questions about issues facing the village.
Below are Hosé's responses.
In-person early voting with paper ballots began 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/.
Bio
Town: Downers Grove
Age: 39
Occupation: Attorney, Gregorio & Marco
Civic involvement: Downers Grove Village Council since 2013; The Grove Foundation
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: Our primary requirement is continuing to provide the services our residents expect and deserve despite declining revenue due to the pandemic. In terms of confronting the worldwide health emergency, we need to follow all prevailing health mandates in our own operations while also encouraging others to follow current guidance from the CDC, Illinois Department of Public Health, and DuPage County Health Department based on the best available science to keep our residents and businesses safe.
We also lobbied the state through the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference for common-sense changes to the state's COVID response, such as dividing the state into more regions to focus restrictions where the pandemic hit hardest. Residents are always welcome to voice their opinions to us, but in the face of a highly infectious disease, the responsible thing is to try and bring everyone's focus back to objective science and proven public health practices. I'm an attorney, and I know I personally have no standing to second-guess epidemiologists, public health experts, and medical professionals.
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: I am proud to say that Downers Grove did everything it could to ensure that essential services were continually provided to our residents. Our police and fire departments faced down the dangers from COVID firsthand. Our planning department continued to review applications and issue permits remotely.
The village hosted a virtual listening event around issues of policing in our community in response to the widespread hurt and outrage being expressed this summer. We coordinated with Downtown Management and business owners across the village on expanding outdoor dining options and tackling other pandemic driven issues facing our business community. We coordinated with DuPage County to obtain CARES Act grants. We are always striving to improve, but I am proud of how the village continued to serve the entire community.
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: Downers Grove, like all suburban communities in the county, relies heavily on the DuPage County Health Department and the Illinois Department of Public Health in any public health emergency. We can look for opportunities to partner with other governmental units and neighboring municipalities to grow a more secure supply of PPE for our own operations for the future.
In the meantime, the village should continue to use every communication channel at our disposal to ensure that timely, accurate information reaches our residents to help them keep themselves and their families safe. This function could also be extremely helpful as local vaccine availability grows and if more vaccination sites come online in or near DuPage.
Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?
A: The Village of Downers Grove cut over $2 million from the 2020 budget, primarily through holding open vacant positions and other short-term cost reductions. We did this after the village was already operating with 30 fewer full-time staff than we had in 2007.
Downers Grove runs a lean, efficient, and effective operation. We also paused most capital projects in 2020. But, reducing capital and maintenance investments in our community is absolutely not sustainable over the long run. Roads and sidewalks need to stay on their regular repair and resurfacing schedule to avoid having to replace them entirely, which costs four-times as much as regular maintenance.
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: We paused capital projects but have restarted them to avoid the risk of replacing certain systems, which costs four-times as much as regular maintenance.
I have been a leading advocate on the council for addressing Downers Grove's historic flooding problems. We have invested tens of millions in new stormwater projects but too many residents still experience flooding. The village is preparing a study to determine the next areas for major improvements. I also helped pass stricter building standards to protect neighbors from new developments pushing runoff onto their properties.
The police station is undersized for its award-winning police force and is literally falling apart. The roof leaks; victims and witnesses are sometimes interviewed in the public lobby because there aren't enough private interview rooms. The village hall is a 100-year-old ball bearing factory that was converted for "temporary" use in 1969. Sinking more taxpayer dollars into obsolete structures is irresponsible. Council reached consensus to consolidate operations, construct a new building, and sell a portion of village land to help finance construction and boost the tax base. Then COVID hit. We need this fixed.
Q: Do you plan to address businesses that don't adhere to the governor's order to close or restrict business?
A: Unlike some other towns, Downers Grove does not issue business licenses. Businesses are permitted to operate provided they meet our zoning code and any applicable health codes. When a business is believed to be in violation of lawful COVID restrictions, we inform them that they may be in violation. If they continue, the village makes a referral to the DuPage County Health Department for the appropriate response.
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance your council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?
A: I was a principal proponent of allowing recreational cannabis sales in Downers Grove. The motion that passed strikes a sensible balance between allowing cannabis sales and restricting sales to industrial areas set far away from residences, schools, and parks.
Like it or not, this is now legal in Illinois. We can ignore the opportunity to take advantage of the change and let tax dollars flow to surrounding towns, or we can capture that tax revenue for Downers Grove and use it to fund our community's priorities. This potential new funding stream will also alleviate pressure on other forms of revenue if we are able to attract and retain responsible cannabis related businesses.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A: I believe local governments constantly need to think and act creatively. This need was identified and included as part of our long-range plan: I want us to hire a social worker to help residents, seniors, and homeowners access existing federal, state, and county programs that they qualify for and may not even know exist. This one role could help our people by simplifying often complex processes that are hard to navigate to bring them benefits they deserve. The new office would not only help those in need, and be a facilitator for everyone in town, but would also connect our public safety personnel to important aid, counseling, and development programs too.