Bob Dunn: 2022 candidate for DuPage County Board District 1

Bio

Party: Republican

Office sought: DuPage County Board District 1

City: Elmhurst

Age:

Occupation: Global Supply Chain Executive

Previous offices held: Alderman for City of Elmhurst, Vice Chair of Fly Quiet Committee, Adjust Professor at IIT

Q&A

Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running for an open seat on the DuPage County Board because we need to continue moving forward to stay relevant. Outdated approaches do not mesh well with the rapid changes in today's world in technology, workforce makeup, and tax-payer preferences. I'm running to bring new energy, extensive government experience, and business acumen to the County Board. This combination uniquely qualifies me to identify and develop ideal solutions to current and future issues that will face the citizens of DuPage County.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

As an alderman and non-profit leader in the community, I have many accomplishments to my credit, including:

• Securing approval and grants for the $3M Rt. 83 Pedestrian Flyover project

• Helping create a fair and equitable O'Hare nighttime flight rotation plan

• Improving the gateway appearance around the city

• Redesigned the Elmhurst YMCA parking to improve safety and walkability

• Establishing a new Bike and Pedestrian commission

• Promoting comprehensive stormwater project solutions with >140 ac-ft in new storage My priorities are to help DuPage County residents keep the money they earn in their pockets and to feel safe in their neighborhoods. I will work to restructure pensions for long-term viability, promote smart development to help create jobs, and foster a collaborative and engaging county government.

Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming and how the county should deal with them.

Responsible budget planning and management are critical to the ongoing health of DuPage County. As the Chair of the Finance Committee for the Elmhurst City Council, I lead the establishment of regular monitoring of revenue streams so we can adjust expenses to maintain a very strong financial position.

DuPage County's fiscal health is threatened by unfunded mandates that residents are forced to pay and an over-reaching government that can inflate expenses. On a broader scale, the continual upheaval in the U.S. economy can put us on our heels if we are not adequately prepared. Fortunately, my extensive experience in managing the uncertainty and complexity of global supply chains makes me the most capable candidate to help us navigate rough seas.

How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If it's adequate, explain why. If you think improvements are needed, delineate them.

The DuPage County Board should be more transparent in sharing information with its citizens, but even more important is to engage the municipalities and the residents better. In my decade-plus involvement in the community, we have never heard from our District 1 Board members, and that is unfortunate. As an alderman, I have conducted regular town halls and have always been an active participant in helping rectify both resident and business concerns.

What, if anything, should be done to improve automation and customer service in county offices? What steps should be taken to make that happen?

The DuPage County administrative offices have a reputation for out-of-date business processes. There are a lot of very competent county employees who could be more effective if they had current tools, updated systems, and better training. I have a wealth of experience creating improved efficiencies in many types of organizations. Improvements such as these could help reduce administrative costs, thus lowering taxes for the residents and improving customer service.