Kari Altpeter: 2021 candidate for Lisle Park District board

4 candidates for 3 seats

Bio

City: Lisle

Age: 53

Occupation: Legal Assistant, Self Employed

Civic involvement: Current Lisle Park District Commissioner for last 8 years, Elected to 2 terms of The Lisle 202 School Board, Former Board Member Lisle Partners For Parks, 7 years on the board of directors for Eyes to the Skies, Former Board Member Lisle Education Foundation, Former Board Member Lisle Heritage Society, Served on Lisle HSO Boards, Treasurer for Residents of Sea Lion Aquatic Park, Girl Scout Troop Leader, Served on the Intergovernmental committee.

Q&A

Q: Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?

A: Reelection to continue to serve my community and ensure continued Fiscal Stability and Sustainability of our District.

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: Lisle Park District expanded virtual programs and created new programs as a direct response to the COVID 19 pandemic and the changing needs of our constituents. The Remote Education Center (REC) was initiated and launched in order to continue to provide relevant programming to community members. In addition, many classes (weather permitting) were relocated to outdoor spaces to accommodate safety and social distancing guidelines, and allow us to continue to serve constituents.

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 could not have been more proud of how our district staff handled the pandemic crisis, navigating the constantly changing guides and rules. New pandemic related policies/procedures were developed and implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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: As I stated with the addition of a Remote Education Center (REC) we as a district were able to re-purpose space that was formerly used as the Senior Center, to accommodate a socially distanced program option. In addition, our outdoor facilities saw record use this year, with revenues at the River Bend Golf Course up over 48%.

Q: How has the pandemic affected the park district's revenue? How has that been addressed on the expense side?

A: Unlike other taxing districts the Park District relies on programming revenues for roughly 40% of its budget, with tax dollars only contributing to a portion of our overall budget. Unfortunately, this necessitated a reduction of staffing costs to continue to maintain financial stability.