Rhonda Ansier: 2021 candidate for Naperville Park District board
Bio
City: Naperville
Age: 41
Occupation: Nurse Practitioner at DuPage Medical Group
Civic involvement:
Q&A
Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?
A: I am running for this position to help serve the Naperville community by bringing more accessibility, affordability, and diversity to the offerings and services of the park district in a way that is reflective and inclusive of the community at large.
Q: Did your park district 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 continue providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.
A: The park district did move to offering virtual options for some things like fitness classes, but I do feel there could be much more virtual content that can expand even beyond the pandemic. For example, virtual art classes, language classes, cooking classes, etc.
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: I think adhering to strict mask wearing indoors while this pandemic still goes on is important, even if we are moving down the tiers due to lower numbers. If we want to keep them low, we need to maintain the mitigation procedures and not loosen them too soon. A plan definitely should be developed to put us ahead of the curve should anything like this happen again so that we can maintain a high level of safety even beyond state recommendations.
Q: How has the pandemic affected the park district's offerings and use of facilities. Are there other ways the park board can fulfill the mission of a park district during these times?
A: Indoor facilities were definitely affected the most. Again, having more virtual options can help even beyond the pandemic.
Q: How has the pandemic affected the park district's revenue? How has that been addressed on the expense side?
A: I understand that budget cuts had to made on some projects put on hold.