WC_032119

6 | March 21, 2019 | The winnetka Current election 2019
winnetkacurrent.com
Winnetka Village Council (4-year term, vote for 4)
Name: Andrew B. Cripe
Age: 45
Residence: Winnetka
Occupation: Labor and Employment
Partner at Polsinelli
PC
Past local government/relative
experience: Volunteer community representative
in the District 36 strategic planning
process (2008); Winnetka Caucus Council
(2009-2011); Chair of Winnetka Caucus
Council Schools Committee (2011); Winnetka
Zoning Board of Appeals Member (2013-
2015); Winnetka Village Council, Trustee
(2015-Present).
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?
Storm water management remains the most
immediate and pressing quality of life issue
before the Village Council. Relief has already
been provided to some residents, but the
westward component of the storm water master
plan must be completed to provide much
needed relief to the hundreds of households
impacted by recurring flooding. The originally
proposed westward solution has been refined
Name: Robert H. Dearborn
Age: 59
Residence: Winnetka
Occupation: Investment
Management
Past local government/relative
experience: Current Winnetka
Village Council trustee, past member of
Winnetka Design Review Board and past Winnetka
Caucus Council chairman and treasurer
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 Village of Winnetka has a number of important
initiatives and challenges. The most immediate
of these are 1) the plan for revitalizing
our downtown commercial district, and 2) the
plan to solve the storm water problem in certain
parts of town. Those two projects will likely
undergo extensive review in 2019/2020, both
by the Village Council and by residents. There
are important financial considerations for each
and improved through continual input from
residents and the other local governing bodies
who must be partners in this effort. We are on
the verge of finally being able to move forward
but we cannot become complacent — we must
continue the hard work necessary to finally
solve this long-standing problem while being
vigilant in our use of limited taxpayer funds.
Residents in Winnetka pay too much in taxes
already and we simply cannot afford to spend
funds needlessly, particularly given the impact
of the recent tax reform law on state and local
property tax deductions and the serious fiscal
situation in Springfield.
What makes you the best/a top candidate
for this position?
As a result of my four years on the Village
Council, I have gained valuable institutional
knowledge, experience and working relationships
that will be helpful in addressing the
issues before the Council, particularly on the
storm water issue. However, while this experience
will be helpful, I remain committed
to carefully listening to the residents of this
Village who have continually provided wellinformed
and thoughtful guidance on the key
issues before the Council. I am grateful for this
guidance and for the opportunity to serve.
project and, assuming that the plans make sense
financially, I believe each would be quite positive
for the village and would improve our constituent’s
quality of life. In addition, given the
increasingly high tax burden faced by residents,
we need to be continually mindful of the financial
repercussions of decisions made. I view the
village’s financial position as being quite strong
and the services provided to residents as being
very high quality. We need to continue to deliver
this high level of service within the context
of sound financial oversight.
What makes you the best/a top candidate
for this position?
I believe that my professional experience in
finance is beneficial on many issues, as is my
past experience in village affairs, including the
past two years serving as a village trustee. I
make a point of understanding all viewpoints on
issues, and being respectful of differing opinions
even though I may disagree. In the end we
are all residents of this great community and are
always striving to do what is best for Winnetka
today as well as for the years to come.
Editors Note
Current Village President Chris Rintz did not submit a Q&A for publication.
He is eligible for a second term.
Name: John A. Coladarci
(Jack)
Age: 55
Residence: Winnetka
Occupation: Lawyer
(family law is main
practice area)
Past local government/relative
experience: Commissioner on Winnetka
Plan Commission until 2018;
Winnetka Caucus – Chairman of
Caucus; Chair of the Park District
Subcommittee, Rules committee
member; Winnetka Community
House - Board of Governors; Board
member - Winnetka Historical Society;
United States Coast Guard
Auxiliary; Grosse Point Lighthouse,
Evanston; New Trier Township –
Adult volunteer – Peer Jury; Boy
Scout Troop 18 Scoutmaster, Assistant
Scoutmaster, Eagle Scout Board
of Review; Christ Church Winnetka
– Sunday school teacher and various
other positions
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 think we need to continue to
carefully implement Streetscape
and signage plan and work through
the updates to the 2020 Comprehensive
Plan, as the foundation and
across-the-board guide for updating
carnival
From Page 4
ing students’ world-view, they learn
valuable lessons about executing
grand-scale fundraising events from
start to finish.
For example, prior to the carnival,
students must solicit local businesses
and organization in hopes of securing
donations. Students reach out to
food vendors too and come up with
clever and engaging activities for all
age groups. They make posters and
decorate the school, relying on grassroots
efforts to market and promote.
“I’m not going to lie, it can be a
little intimidating cold-calling businesses,
but fortunately we receive
great business coaching at school,
the Village Code (both of which the
council is currently doing) I another
big issue facing the village is the
cost of living in Winnetka- this is a
problem people have mentioned repeatedly
to me since I have become
a candidate for village trustee. I
think the best way to approach the
various problems facing the village
is to investigate carefully, discuss
fully, and come up with a well
thought out solution, or potential
solutions – I think the collaborative
approach is the best.
What makes you the best/a top
candidate for this position?
I think my deep and long standing
connection to and love for
Winnetka. I have focused my time
and volunteer work on local organizations
that I care deeply about,
and on issues I care deeply about.
I have had long experience on the
Winnetka Plan Commission dealing
with aspects of the issues that come
before the village. Through the Plan
Commission I have had a lot of exposure
to and experience with local
government, so making a step up to
Council activities and issues won’t
be an enormous shock, although I
recognize it is quite a bit more commitment
of time and effort. I really
enjoy serving the village, and trying
to improve the quality of life of
Winnetka’s residents.
making the task a little easier. And,
after a while, it seems like second nature,”
Kuhn said.
For Wilmette’s Kelly McNulty,
the fact that the Winter Carnival requires
the help of every, single senior
class member is unique, making for a
memorable experience.
“It’s a very exciting time, because
each senior must play a part decorating,
promoting, selling tickets, volunteering
at the event; there is a job for
everyone,” McNulty said. “The event
really pulls everyone together. Clubs
too participate, so we are often working
with students from other grades.
The carnival really takes a lot of manpower;
most are excited to be part of
it all, knowing a night of fun means
huge rewards for a family in need.”