Farah Laman: 2021 candidate for Hawthorn Woods village council

Bio

City: Hawthorn Woods

Age: 50

Occupation: Information technology professional at Capgemini

Civic involvement: Board member of local PAC, supported PPE distributions and first responders in Lake County

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: I would agree with the state and federal recommendations, and a mandate to continue wearing masks until the communities are fully immunized and pandemic situation is well under control.

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: Town has encouraged it's residents to follow the guidelines laid out by the governor, and provided the information to Lake County testing centers and Immunization clinics. No clinics or centers have been set up by the village board to directly facilitate the pandemic situation which in my opinion could have been a more positive approach to support the cause, encourage and facilitate the wellness of it's residents.

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: The first safeguard is to have a mandatory mask in public and private places. There should be a social distance until the situation is under control. The immunization is to be made widely available and no citizen left behind. There should be permanent and mobile clinics setup at village locations where ongoing testing and immunizations are provided.

Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?

A: The property taxes should be reviewed to allow leniency to the homeowners as employment is at stake for some homeowners, village dues and fines should be subsidized or eliminated temporarily until the normal funding is made available from the government.

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: Priority and seasonal projects that cannot be deferred should be taken up such as: Immediate needs of replacing the culverts that have reached end of life span, replace corrugated pipes, address street and drainage needs to prevent watershed flooding, patching of roads as per the need which could seriously be impacted due to budget cuts. The village needs to look into alternate sources of income by promoting local and small businesses in the area besides approving residential development.

Q: Do you plan to address businesses that don't adhere to the governor's order to close or restrict business?

A: There should be a general awareness among businesses and the consumers to adhere to state and federal laws to prevent and bring the COVID situation under control. Social distancing is definitely needed to protect both the consumers as well as the owners of businesses and adherence is equally critical to the well-being of communities and faster operational state of business, as such it has to be governed and checked by authorized agencies.

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: Plans to permit the recreational marijuana is a very debated decision that the village should or should not be taking without the residents feedback and opinion. Since Hawthorn Woods is a very family oriented conservative community with very limited businesses, for me personally, resident's safety should be number one priority. After all, any decisions made by the village board should be for the benefit of the village and it's residents.

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

A: Hawthorn Woods is a beautiful place surrounded by natural beauty and very safe for anyone to raise a family. It lacks a community gathering place or recreational spots where the families could hangout and enjoy nature's beauty as well as bring revenue to the village. I would like to leverage the nature's beauty and encourage the idea of having Glen, where we have local small and family friendly cute shops, year around farmers market and hiking parks for a nominal fee.