Andrew Migdal: 2021 candidate for Fox River Grove village board
Bio
Village: Fox River Grove
Age: 50
Occupation: Manager, AD Specialty Sewing
Civic involvement: 8 years as village trustee, help with special events committee
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 believe it is my role to help protect residents and visitors to our village by ensuring that COVID guidelines are enforced while vaccines are made available. Not everyone believes in this disease, but everyone needs to follow the COVID guidelines, so everyone can feel safe.
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. While the village hall did have to close to the general public at times during this pandemic, the residents were still able to contact the village through our interactive website. We have a "request a service" link that will direct a question to the person or department best suited to handle each question. We also used Webex for our board meetings to allow our residents to remain safe and still participate in town meetings.
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 adding guidelines would be very proactive if we were certain of what the next health crisis would consist of. I think that people and businesses now know how to socially distance themselves if needed, and wear masks if necessary. If a new crisis arises safeguards can be put into place at that time to address the potential level of harm to the population.
Q. What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?
A. We started to look into fees that residents pay, and we are in the process of ending our vehicle sticker program.
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. Many of our water mains are very old and need to be replaced. We are increasing the water and sewer rates over the next three years to address this problem. We postponed the increase by one year because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Q. Do you agree or disagree with the stance the board has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?
A. Since it is legal in Illinois, I voted to allow it in Fox River Grove.
Q. What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A. I would like to connect to Lake Barrington and then someday to Barrington with a sidewalk or bike path the same way we are connected to Cary.