Kerston Russell: candidate for Mundelein trustee
Bio
Town: Mundelein
Age on Election Day: 68
Occupation: Technical Support
Employer: Alchemco, Inc
Previous offices held: Currently a Village Trustee and previous a Economic Development Commissioner
Q&A
Q: What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council or village board respond to it?
A: Financial strain from rising costs due to inflation coupled with the need to maintain growth. The board will need to carefully weigh just about every expenditure to ensure that what is spent is necessary for the city to provide for its citizens. The board will need to examine carefully any development work and the cost of that development work to make sure any monies being spent are justifiable to the growth of the community. This balancing of money against potential growth is the toughest thing any village board does. We need try to watch the communities money better then we watch each of our individual monies.
Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?
A: We are doing well to hold line on budgets, with the exception of state mandated pension funding. We are straining a bit against the rising costs of goods. In spite of the rising pressures on our budgets we have been able to build our reserves and currently are committed to maintaining that trend. The village continues to look for ways to improve how we spend money and to get the most from our money. We are doing good, but we are always looking for ways to do better.
Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?
A: Maintaining police, fire and public works. Safety and Health of the community should be the most important.
Continue to maintain and if possible improve upon infrastructure, especially roads. Find economical ways to continue to grow the community, especially as it relates to new businesses. Jobs for our citizens, sales tax income to relieve property tax burden.
Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?
A: We are holding the line on spending and there is nothing at this time that needs to be curtailed, but that changes as the economy changes.
Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?
A: Road infrastructure seems to always be the number one issue with citizens. Maintain our ability to move reasonably through and around our community is very important. At the current moment we seem to have found a level of expenditure that is providing for improvements through out the community. Many would say not fast enough, but at the current spending level is steady, with some portion of the community getting updated. Past village boards have kicked the can down the road and now we are having to deal with roads that are in complete disrepair.
As the economy puts more pressure on the village finances, we would probably look to cutting involvement with development projects and then road funding may come next as places we look to make cuts. Police and Fire are the last places to cut.
Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board or city council.
A: Listening is the most important thing we can do. Listen to our constituents and then to each other as board members. Make sure we are tempering emotion with facts. A board should be able to disagree on issues, but should never become disagreeable. Always being respectful to the community and to each other is very important. I also like to add humor to my style, I find smiling and laughing once in a while makes life better.
Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?
A: My Experience , the ability to find balance, willingness to listen to all sides of the issues, finding the path that provides for all members of the community not just a few. My sense of humor and most importantly my love of people, all people!
Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A: I am not sure I have that one good idea. I do know that I would love to see our community find a way to focus on those things that we have in common and not on those things that make us different. If we can work together on common goals we can accomplish a great deal. Optimism and positive thinking can be very contagious!