Bela (Bill) Suhayda: 2023 candidate for Sugar Grove Village Board

Bio

Town: Sugar Grove

Age on Election Day: 73

Occupation: I am a retired Educator of 34 years in Dist. 131 East Aurora Schools

Employer: Self Employed

Previous offices held: President of the Fox Valley Kickers Soccer club

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: Lowering taxes for our citizens is an important consideration. We need to attract the types of industry that are both useful to our community and will bring us much needed tax revenue as well. Doing this will give the citizens of Sugar Grove much needed tax relief.

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

A: I would describe our finances as concerning to a large proportion of our citizens. It is a regular topic of conversation where ever I go especially at my "Meet and Greets."

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

A: To this point, I have not considered this question very carefully. I would rely on my colleagues who are on the Board now to educate me concerning this question. Once I got there response to this question ... I would do further research to determine what our priorities should be.

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

A: There are always priorities that must be considered when spending tax payor dollars. I would have to have a much more intimate understanding where the existing Board is spending money now and how that spending might be better appropriated.

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: This is another question I would have to consider in more detail once I had a more intimate knowledge of the projects the Board is considering.

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: I think it's important we have independent thinking people first. This creates a variety of solutions for the problems we face. I am an educator of the sciences. All members bring ideas to the group. Then we test them to see if they are valid answers to the problems. I've been a coach for over 40 years as well. I understand the value of teamwork. It takes cooperation of the individuals on a team to develop good teams. Individuality brings the fresh ideas. Teamwork makes those ideas work.

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

A: I have never been in politics before. At first glance, that may show inexperience. The positive in this is I am coming in from the outside looking at problems on the inside. This gives me a fresh outlook with no pre conceptions or alignments with any positions held by other members of the Board.

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

A: I think we need more recreational opportunities for all of our citizens ... especially young people.