Christopher Romano: 2023 candidate for Pingree Grove Village Board, 4-year
Bio
Town: Pingree Grove
Age on Election Day: 38
Occupation: Accounting manager
Employer: Enova International
Previous offices held: N/A
Q&A
Q: What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?
A: Allocation of resources as village continues to expand with large housing development. Population has continued to expand and will increase even more over the next few years with the approval of 900-plus homes to be built. The strain on current roads, business, government services and the role all of the HOAs play will be the most debated issues.
Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?
A: Mediocre
Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?
A: Infrastructure, creating a parks department, and creation of a downtown/business district.
Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?
A: Review of budgeting items should always be done, but at this time I do not believe there is much waste from the village.
HOAs cover almost every home, so partnering with them to keep the fees low will be critical.
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: Creation of a parks department should be at the forefront. The HOA fees are coming up to $1,200 a year. This could be looked at like an additional tax. Creating the parks department should help alleviate the waste that these fees create.
The new development should help with the traffic issues but that will need to be closely monitored.
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.
A: My entire career has been spent in a group setting. I operate in a best answer wins environment. Collaboration is crucial to obtaining the best answers. There are so many different viewpoints and ideas, it would be a mistake to ignore any of them. Collecting all of those ideas and discussing the cost/benefits of each with as much information as possible will enable the board to make the best possible decisions.
Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?
A: With the expanding community, my experience with real estate development, real estate investment and general finance/accounting will be quite valuable to the board and the village. I am a registered Illinois CPA with an MSA and MBA. I have an affinity for completing large projects and welcome the challenges.
I moved to this community a few years ago with the desire to raise my son in a neighborhood similar to the one I grew up in, that can only continue to happen if people stay involved. Running for board, is me doing my part to keep our community a wonderful place to raise a family.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A: Creating a parks department to take over the many responsibilities of the HOAs. The eventual goal is to be able to dissolve the HOAs and have those events and facilities run by a dedicated department. Then create new programs within the department so residents don't need to use Huntley or Hampshire programs, which would keep more money in the village.