Sean Michels: 2023 candidate for Sugar Grove Village Board

Bio

Town: Sugar Grove

Age on Election Day: 59

Occupation: Project Manager

Employer: McCue Builders, Inc.

Previous offices held: Village President, Village Trustee, Park District Trustee

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: The most serious issue is how to diversify the Village's tax base. Residents do not want office/warehouse buildings in their back yard and at the same time they do not want to pay higher real estate taxes. The Village is updating the comprehensive land use plan to show where future development will be built. The Village needs to put much more emphasis on how important this plan is for the future. The Village needs to get more public involvement into this plan so that residents and property owners know how the Village will be developed. The Village also needs to address the issue of where commercial development will be placed. This has been the main issue for years, but the update to the land use plan is not addressing this issue.

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

A: The Village finances are very strong. The Village is currently budgeting a surplus of $250,000 for this fiscal year, in addition to transferring $700,000 into the Capital account to pay for long term improvements. The increase in revenue is from sales tax on items purchased on line, bonds being paid off, and an increase in local sales tax. With the increase in revenue and expenses being held down, the Village does not need to raise the tax levy for 2023. Kane County and other communities have not raised their levy for years. Sugar Grove should help the residents by not raising the levy this year due to the strong financial shape the Village is in.

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

A: The top priority is local road improvements. Sugar Grove evaluated all of the roads in 2021. The road pavement assessment identifies which roads need repaired. This report should be used to set priorities needed to improve the roads. The Village has the revenue to make these road improvements. It will take a few years, but the roads can be improved with out any tax increase.

The next priority is storm water management throughout the Village. Various neighborhoods have had issues with flooding in major rain events. With excess funds that the Village is putting into the Capital account, there is now a funding source to address these needs.

The third priority is extending pedestrian trails though out the Village. This is always a top priority for residents. The Village needs to fund the local match to a grant to complete the bridge over Blackberry Creek. The Village also needs to complete the crossing at Route 30 and Municipal Drive.

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

A: The Village needs to evaluate the need for a $6 Million + Village Hall. The Village sold the property at 140/160 Municipal Drive, which consisted of two buildings, 3 building pads, and a large parking lot. The Village then entered into a lease to rent back the property that they had just sold. The question is why did the Village sell the property that they were receiving rent from and why does the Village need a large Village Hall if the current building meets the needs of staff. The 140/160 buildings should not have been sold so the Village could receive the rental income until a new village hall can be justified.

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: The extension of water and sewer infrastructure to the Prairie Landings commercial development on the Southwest side of Galena and Route 47. This will allow for more retail space to be built out for the Village to diversify the tax base. Unfortunately, this project should have already been started so that the developer can start the buildings. This project is being paid for by the developer with financial assistance from the Village.

With the uncertain economic times, the Village should not pursue the construction of a new Village Hall. There are many other priorities that the Village can focus on in the near term.

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 have had a lot of success over the years in working with various boards to set goals and then accomplish the goals set by the board. The key is to have open discussion and to encourage different ideas to solve an issue. Once a consensus is reached on how to resolve the issue, the board then needs to work together to move forward and get the task at hand completed. It is important that a project gets done in a timely manner. To many times projects are held up waiting for more information. Decisions need to be made based on the information given and then move forward. Extending projects due to lack of decision making only makes the project more expensive. Residents want to see the Village work on their behalf. Debating a policy, then implementing the policy in a timely manner proves to the residents that the Village is working on their behalf.

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

A: I am the best candidate for Village Trustee because I am an active member of the community. Being involved in activities/organizations outside of the Village give you a better feel for what residents want in the Village. Whether it is being out to dinner, going to church, attending the corn boil, residents want to hear what is happening and give their feedback. To many board members believe that showing up for a board meeting is all that is required. If you want to get someone's candid opinion on a topic, the best place to talk to them is outside a board meeting.

Another strong reason that I am the best candidate for the job is my understanding of the Village finances. I constantly review the Village monthly finance reports to make sure that the Village is keeping to the budget.

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

A: The Village placed a $6.48 charge on everyone's monthly water bill ($77.76 per year) years ago to help fund road improvements. The Village needs to remove this charge from the water bill now that Village revenue is sufficient to pay for road improvements from higher sales taxes, reduced debt payments, and lower expenses. Years ago, the Village would only project a very modest surplus of $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Now that the Village is projecting a surplus of $250,000 and transferring $700,000 into the capital account, there is sufficient funds to eliminate this charge from every water bill.