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18 | March 23, 2017 | The lake forest leader election 2017 LakeForestLeader.com Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: John R Marozsan Age: 75 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Retired Past local government experience: 4 years on LB Library Board ( 2 of those years as President of the Board), 4 years on the District 65 School Board Marozsan What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? The district does not have one big overwhelming issue that we are facing but a number of discrete matters that we need to address. First, we are in the process of updating our forward thinking Strategic Plan by involving local community members as well as staff and board. The plan will lay out a long term perspective for the district looking at our challenges from all perspectives including both facilities and academics. Additionally we need to guide the district through impending financial uncertainty regarding budget cuts from the state and the potential of a property tax freeze. A major portion of our funding comes from property taxes and a freeze will affect all operations. We need to keep our eye on events in the North Chicago School District and how that may or may not affect Lake Bluff schools. They have struggled financially and the surrounding school districts could potentially be affected should their financial problems not be resolved. Finally, we need to make certain that the education experience provided to our students is second to none and always strive to provide a stimulating learning environment. What makes you a top candidate for this position? I believe my experience and contribution to the board over the past 4 years speaks for itself. As a board, we have saved Lake Bluff taxpayers millions by restructuring bonds, undertook and completed a major renovation of Lake Bluff Middle School on schedule and under budget, had a balanced budget each of the 4 years while making good use of the excessive fund balance to benefit all constituents. Academically, our schools have performed well above national norms in both reading and math with LBMS ranked in the top 10 percent for the county. It is important to continue with a board that represents the community and its concerns. Over the past 4 years this board has learned to benefit from the unique expertise that each of us bring to the table. Our board members represent a healthy mix of users and non-users. We have always kept academic excellence as our main mission but with fiscal responsibility being a close second. I personally bring a business and management aspect to the board. As a nonuser I view our challenge without prejudice or influence to make certain that we bring the best decisions we can for all Lake Bluff residents. Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Richard Hegg Age: 65 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Manufacturer’s Representative Past local government/ relative experience: I have just finishing my Hegg third year on the Lake Bluff District 65 School Board 43 Years of Sales and Sales Management What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? There are a few significant issues facing our district including 1) questions on the financial support from the State of Illinois and their attempts to redistribute funds and 2)the transition of our administration into retirement. Our board will deal with these issues with the same thought and perspicuity demonstrated in our past actions of reducing future debt while also building a strong administrative team and renovating the Middle School on budget and on time. What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? This board has a high degree of varied skill sets along with a capacity to listen and collaborate. I am very proud of being a member of a board which is diverse yet bonded by common principles of critical thinking and discussion to seek solutions in a transparent environment. My work experience has been based on bringing plans together and meshes well with my position on the board. Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Philip R. Hood Age: 40 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations; Secretary of the College. Lake Forest College Past Local Government/ Hood Relative Experience: Appointed to Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 School Board in May 2015 What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life?: While the school district is fiscally sound and maintains a healthy fund balance, the unfavorable resolution of any number of unresolved state-wide issues could place the districts fiscal health in peril. These could include changes to how pensions are currently funded, implementation of a property tax freeze, and/or the forced annexation of students from neighboring school districts, among others. While mindful of these possible financial issues, the school district must also do its best to advocate for a smoother matriculation of some of our most high achieving Lake Bluff Elementary School District 65 (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Julie Gottshall Age: 50 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Attorney (Employment Law) and Arbitrator; Mother of two teenagers Past local government/relative experience: Trustee, Lake Bluff Library, 2009- 2013 Gottshall What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? The principal challenge facing District 65 is continuing to promote academic achievement while maintaining financial stability. In the upcoming term, the board will need to develop a new strategic plan, conduct succession planning to recruit/ retain high-quality administrative leadership and top teaching talent, and interface closely with constituent families to ensure individualized student needs are met. At the same time, the board must navigate an uncertain political environment, with likely changes to school financing, pension reform and additional unfunded mandates to students into Lake Forest High School. In addition, I think there is a strong appetite among students and parents for expanded enrichment programs. Balancing parent, student, and taxpayer expectations in this fiscal environment is the most pressing issue facing the board at this time. As the school district confronts these competing funding priorities, I will prioritize those areas which best support a strong core curriculum for all students. What makes you a top candidate for this position? I’m pleased to have received the endorsement of the Lake Bluff School Caucus prior to my appointment in 2015 and Vote Lake Bluff during this election cycle. My professional and personal background is grounded in service and committed to the development of resources and strategic operations which promote strong student achievement. To this end, I believe that I have served as a collaborative board team member and effective steward of district resources. Finally, I do have children in both the elementary and the middle school. It’s important for the board to be comprised of those who currently utilize school district resources and those who do not. be foisted upon districts. I will approach these issues with a sense of balance and work collaboratively with my fellow board members and the administration to explore the best alternatives. What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? I have served on the District 65 Board for the past four years and am running for reelection along with my fellow incumbents. As a practicing attorney I bring to the board a willingness to ask questions and challenge assumptions; an ability to closely analyze legal documents and policies; and an expertise in human resources and negotiation. As a mother, I bring a drive for excellence in our schools, both scholastically and culturally. As presently composed, the board functions smoothly and effectively in partnership with the administration. Together, we have developed core principles and achieved outcomes – such as renovating the middle school, refinancing bonds, and establishing healthy budgeting protocols – that have benefitted the district academically, financially, and operationally. I believe continuing on this course will provide stability to the district and allow us to solidify the gains made.
LakeForestLeader.com election 2017 the lake forest leader | March 23, 2017 | 19 Lake Bluff Library Board of Trustees (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Kate Jackson, MA, MBA Age: 42 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Strategy and Change Management Consultant for Accenture and Deloitte; Private Banking Analyst at JPMorgan Private Bank; Board and fundraising leadership roles at The John G. Shedd Aquarium and The University of Chicago Past local government/relative experience: This is my first foray into local goverment What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? I bring a fresh perspective because I am the only newcomer running for the Lake Bluff Public Library Board, and if elected, I will be the only board member with school age children. What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? I have a masters in English literature from The University of Chicago and an MBA from UCLA Anderson School of Management. As a result, I have a deep love for and knowledge of literature coupled with a strong strategy and marketing background. As a Lake Bluff resident with elementary school age children, I have a vested interest in our library’s continued success. Lake Bluff Library Board of Trustees (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Scot Butler Age: 66 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Retired Past local government/relative experience: Previously erved one term on the Library Board. This would be my second term. Jackson Butler What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? The Library serves a valuable purpose in our community and as a result needs to keep up with changes in the environment. Therefore the continued evolution of what the Library offers is of the utmost importance in the foreseeable future. This includes books, videos, digital offering as well as the available space for local citizens to meet and study. What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? I believe I’m a good candidate because of my time on the Library Board as well as my years of marketing, finance and analytic experience. Village of Lake Bluff Library Board of Trustees (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Carole S. (Cal) Stroh Age: Not Provided Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: I am a retired high school Latin instructor. Past local government/relative experience: I have been on the Lake Bluff Library Board of Trustees for the past 12 years What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? We have outgrown our space. We don’t have adequate quiet reading areas, space dedicated to teens, program meeting space, staff work areas, etc. The board is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine how best to proceed constituents’ quality of life? What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? My 12 years of experience on the board under four different Library Directors and two Interim Directors. Village of Lake Bluff Library Board of Trustees (4 Candidates, 4 Seats) Name: Tim Kregor Age: 62 Residence: Lake Bluff Occupation: Retired Past local government/relative experience: Current Lake Bluff Library Board (5 Kregor years), business career in marketing and marketing research. What do you think is the biggest issue facing your coverage area and how do you plan to approach it to improve your constituents’ quality of life? The library receives virtually its entire budget from property tax. The need to keep property tax from increasing is a clear demand from the public, which creates a challenge in managing the library expenses. This will be an ongoing issue for Lake Bluff Library for the foreseeable future. What makes you the best/a top candidate for this position? Having served for five years as a Lake Bluff Library Board Trustee I am familiar with all the issues facing the library. This depth of experience means that I can provide knowledgeable advice within the context of the library mission and community concerns. NFYN From Page 16 that will go toward patching both concrete and asphalt streets throughout the city, and $340,000 that will go toward improving the pavement in alleys. According to Director of Public Works Ramesh Kanapareddy, the quality of pavement life steadily decreases after 13 years of usage. In order to maintain pavement, Kanapareddy suggested the City tackles any issues with its pavement early on. “The City does have a pretty robust program in that regard,” Kanapareddy said. Reporting by Erin Yarnall, Freelance Reporter. Full story at HPLandmark.com. THE NORTHBROOK TOWER Northbrook rally brings community out for kindness Maura Crisham did not like what she was seeing. News reports of hate crimes and hoax bomb threats across the country worried her. But it was the swastikas drawn in the men’s restroom at the Northbrook Public Library that horrified and shocked her the most. There were five instances of swastikas or swastika-like symbols being drawn between November-January, with four of the symbols accompanied by the word “Trump.” Motivated by a desire to amend the narrative, she decided to do something she hadn’t done before. Assisted by library staff, Crisham organized a Rally for Kindness on the lawn of Greenbriar School. More than 40 people showed up on March 12, including 10th District Rep. Brad Schneider (D- Deerfield), State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) and 57th District Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-Northbrook). Attendees made a kindness chain by writing a pledge for kindness on small strips of paper, which were to ultimately be looped together and displayed in the library. Children also made buttons with the words “love” and “friendship” written on them. Crisham took inspiration for the rally from the residents of Whitefish, Mt., who held a block party after national media coverage of anti-Semitic harassment of residents and businesses there. Reporting by Matt Yan, Contributing Editor. Full story at NorthbrookTower.com. THE GLENCOE ANCHOR Trustees sign Welcoming and Inclusive Community Pledge The Glencoe Village Board of Trustees unanimously adopted a resolution to support the Welcoming and Inclusive Community Pledge and publicly signed a postersized version of it during the board’s regular meeting Thursday, March 16. The pledge states that those who sign it support diversity in Glencoe and will stand against discrimination and condemn “any verbal or non-verbal attacks, harassment, or intimidation based on race, ethnicity, color, immigration or refugee status, religion or creed, gender or sexual orientation, age, mental or physical disability, veteran status, or other social identities, as well as discourse that disrespects or degrades people’s identities, needs and beliefs.” Reporting by Alexandra Greenwald, Freelance Reporter. Full story at GlencoeAnchor. com.
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