Patricia Kalinowski: 2023 candidate for North Barrington village board

Bio

Town: North Barrington

Age on Election Day: 59

Occupation: Retired

Employer: Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

Previous offices held: North Barrington: Village trustee for four years; chairman and member of the Environmental and Health Commission for nine years.

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: Infrastructure for stormwater management. Aging culverts, lack of conveyances for roadside runoff, village topography and increasing severe weather events will contribute to major asset damage and hardship for residents. A master plan is needed in the short term before there is a catastrophic failure that will tap into village reserves.

Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?

A: The village has benefited from an influx of one-time county, state and federal funds from programs such as the American Rescue Plan Act, CARES Act, and Rebuild Illinois Program, which bolstered the village's bottom line the past few years. Unfortunately, when those windfall funds are removed from the equation, the village hasn't moved the needle with new, independent revenue sources, or efficiently collected those already on the books (septic maintenance and operating permits, vehicle stickers [program repealed in 2022]). Looming over the bottom line are shrinking revenues from motor vehicle taxes and property taxes due declining property values. Meanwhile, there is no spending on services or programs for residents, and many have been taken away from the community or drastically reduced in scope.

Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?

A: 1.) Stormwater management (strategic storm sewers, underpass road culverts, roadside conveyances e.g. under-driveway culverts. 2.) Increased safety surveillance and enforcement to reduce speeding on village roads, especially at school bus stops. 3.) Community programs to bring residents together, enhance neighborhoods and the environment, and foster a true sense of belonging to this unique village.

Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?

A: Legal expenses.

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: As stated above, stormwater management (strategic storm sewers, underpass road culverts, roadside conveyances e.g. under-driveway culverts). Can be funded from the village's Capital Improvement Fund, grants from Lake County stormwater Management Commission, grants from Illinois EPA/US EPA, US ACE, etc. The village skipped a year of the Road Program, so perhaps those funds can be used for stormwater conveyances when a road is redone. So many services and programs have been cut or curtailed in the past four years, it is difficult to expect residents to have even less from the village for their tax dollars.

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: As section head of Cost Recovery for MWRD, I was involved in administrative appeals, technical presentations, and stakeholder meetings with department heads, municipal attorneys, corporate attorneys, business owners, consultants, and staff to review or create policy, achieve consensus and administer regulations. As a former North Barrington village trustee, I was intimately involved with the current village president during a time of administrative upheaval, staff changes and financial review and realignment. I was appointed to the Finance Committee, served on the SWALCO board of directors, reviewed and developed vendor contracts for snow removal and waste collection. I encourage independent thought and debate, research the subject matter to be well-informed, and, in the role of trustee, consider my duty to the residents when discussing or casting a vote on an agenda item. This "style" has been effective in my municipal career and as a public servant for North Barrington.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: I represent the residents of North Barrington, and have served them well before. I am available to hear their concerns (not behind a gate), and I will challenge the status quo when necessary. I am not accountable to a person or political party, and do not seek higher office.

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

A: I have two: 1.) Opening communications with our neighboring villages, especially Lake Zurich, Lake Barrington, and Tower Lakes. These villages are vital to the livelihood of North Barrington residents. The major commercial corridors that we depend run through them. Idea sharing and boundary agreements should be resurrected to benefit the region and protect future annexation opportunities. 2.) Reducing or eliminate the permitting burden for home improvements of existing elements.