Activist Toolkit

1) Why do you want to serve as Commissioner? What makes you qualified to serve? 

I want to serve as commissioner because I am good for the Village of Forest Park; I always put the best of the village at the forefront of my decisions, and I am currently working on important projects I would like to see through, including mental health initiatives. I am collaborative and hardworking, taking on projects outside of the standard duties of a commissioner. (For example, I have been planning Connect 2023, a mental health and social services fair to be held this May.)

My qualifications also include an undergraduate degree in accounting and a master’s degree in writing from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; my previous experience as editor of the Forest Park Review gave me the opportunity to learn the intricacies of how the village is run. I have lived in Forest Park with my husband Jason for over 20 years, and we are raising a family here. All three of our children have attended or are attending D91 and D209 public schools, and we are solidly invested in this community.

I am very strong, honest, and objective. My voting record shows that I vote independently and am beholden to nobody except the people of Forest Park and doing what I believe is the best for our village. That is the metric to which I hold myself accountable: I must always vote on what is best for Forest Park and put aside all else.

2) How do you make decisions? 

My decision-making process depends on the breadth and scope of the decision. For village issues, I begin with extensive research, looking, if applicable, at what other towns have done. I learn as much as I can. Then I reach out to trusted sources and advisors. It doesn’t always mean I take those people’s advice; but I know they’ll provide me with the best insights they have. I weigh the knowledge I have with the advice I’ve been given. As a commissioner, I then determine what makes the most sense for the village of Forest Park, using all the information I have.

3) What are the three biggest challenges or opportunities facing Forest Park in the next three, five, and ten years and how should elected officials address them over the next four years? 

The biggest challenges or opportunities facing Forest Park in the next years are our failing high school  system, our financial vitality as a village, and our need to adequately address both equity and  sustainability in meaningful, actionable ways. 

Failure of District 209 has a huge impact on our community. My own children have gone and go to D209  high schools, but we have seen so many families move away because they can’t afford private school  and don’t want to send their kids to the public high schools. Our tax dollars are being wasted, our  property values are lower than they could be, and thousands of children are being cheated out of the  public education they deserve. As elected officials, and as residents, we simply cannot ignore the  situation. We need to stand up and demand better. 

Financial vitality will mean working hard with the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce to market Forest  Park, which will in turn create an environment where new businesses want to invest. (And they do!)

Equity needs to be addressed, and a first step is bringing back the Diversity Commission, but with more  “teeth” and a stronger role. Its redevelopment should be overseen and guided by a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expert. 

Sustainability needs a plan in place. Forest Park’s recent alliance with C4 is a good place to start, but we  need a village-wide, overarching plan in place so environmental decisions are being made with purpose  and a plan, not in a piece-meal way. 

4) How would you approach the budgeting process? 

Forest Park’s budgeting process is led by Finance Director Leticia Olmsted, a highly qualified individual  who seeks input and individual budgets from department heads annually. A draft budget is prepared,  and the public is invited to the budgeting meeting to hear discussions and voice opinions on the process. I approach the process in the way it has been established. 

5) What would you say to voters who are worried about the tax burden? 

The village of Forest Park has been actively seeking out new sources of revenue, including a cannabis  dispensary, which will allow us to continue to serve the public without the need to place undue burden  on residents. 

6) What should the Village Commission's role be with respect to economic development and attracting new business to Forest Park? 

The village as a whole should continue to partner with the Forest Park Chamber of Commerce, who acts  as the de facto marketing and economic development arm for the village. They have a vested interest in  bringing more business to Forest Park. We should also budget for a rewrite of the Comprehensive Plan  within the next two years. 

7) The Altenheim property and future development alternatives are topics of much discussion in Forest Park. What should the next step in this process be, and what is your ultimate vision for the property?

The Altenheim Advisory Committee, a group of dedicated and highly qualified and intelligent residents  of Forest Park, has finished its many months of research. The committee’s ideas should be finalized and  prepared as a document that will be presented both to the public and to the village council for  discussion. An open town hall meeting should be held, during which the ideas are shared and all  residents are afforded an opportunity to offer feedback and opinions. 

It is important to remember that if/when an RFP or RFQ is put out by the village, there will be a  considerable amount of back-and-forth negotiations between the village and the potential developer,  and there will be ample opportunity for public opinion and discourse throughout the process.  

The village has processes in place to protect residents from developments that are not in line with what  they want or that will lead to unwanted overcrowding or traffic. (A recent example of this is when a  developer wanted to build an apartment building in the old Pines location across from the Park District  of Forest Park, and residents and the Plan Commission didn’t accept a first draft or a second draft of a  plan, at which point the developer pulled out and the land was sold to the Park District instead.)

8) The debate over video gambling has been resolved through binding referendum, yet there are still significant divisions over the issue. Do you think those divisions can be overcome? If so, how? If not, why not? Would you now seek to repeal the prohibition on video gambling in Forest Park? If so, how? If not, why not? 

The issue of video gambling was decided by a vote of the residents of Forest Park, and a binding  referendum is just that: binding. The debate over video gambling was one of the ugliest things I’ve seen  in local politics. Facebook “discussions” were hate-filled, and the fake referenda and tactics used by  some of the elected officials at the time were frankly embarrassing and disgusting. I think time has  healed some of the wounds, but there is still division. The best way forward with division is to openly,  honestly, and graciously accept people’s differences of opinions. We don’t have to see eye-to-eye with  another person to be respectful. 

9) How can local governments ensure that Black Lives matter? What actions can and should be taken?

Active work must be done within local government to ensure that Black Lives matter. One way to  address this is bringing back the Diversity Commission, as mentioned earlier, seeking guidance from a  Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion expert in its formation and also its goals.  

10) Commissioners are elected “at large”. How will you represent the views of all Forest Parkers?

Resident input is essential, and I don’t just say that, I act on it. Since being appointed in July 2021, I’ve  already held two town hall meetings, open to the public, to talk to residents about issues (chickens and  rats). I strongly feel that residents must be engaged, and we must hear their input, before making  changes that will directly impact them. I plan to continue to do this in a second term. 

11) What does transparency in government mean to you? Give one example of an action you would take as Commissioner, or have taken during your time as Commissioner, for those seeking re-election, reflecting your views on this topic. How would you evaluate the Village’s record on transparency?

Transparency means making information as accessible as possible to people. Shortly after being  appointed as commissioner, I sat down with the village administrator and talked about putting out a  village newsletter, accessible via email and online, to share information with residents. Coming directly  from my job as editor of the Forest Park Review, I felt it was important for the village to be putting out  its own news rather than waiting for the local newspaper to do it, and within a few months, the village  newsletter started being sent to residents and posted online. I am proud of this initiative to bring village  information to residents. 

12) What are the appropriate limits to a nepotism policy that would prevent the appearance of favoritism while not unduly hindering the ability of local government to work with those who already have an existing relationship with government stakeholders? 

A strong nepotism policy must ensure that jobs are fairly opened up to everyone, but should not exclude  a candidate based on a previous relationship. In a small town like Forest Park, there have been and are  situations where the best qualified person happens to have many connections within the village and  should not be prevented from getting a job simply based on that. However, rules should be in place so  that a candidate is never interviewed by a family member and so that there is no supervisory  relationship between family members.

13) What steps will you take, or have you taken, to enhance community engagement with the Village and the Village Commission? What is your view on how local elected officials should communicate with and respond to constituents?

I have held two town hall meetings, one on chickens in backyards and one on combatting rats in the  neighborhood. Both were well attended, and I plan to host more opportunities for the public to engage  with the village in matters important to them. Local elected officials should always be respectful and helpful to residents because their relationships with those who live in Forest Park are an important part  of residents’ experiences here in town. It is our job as commissioners to ensure that we are creating an  environment in which people are respected and heard. 

14) In what ways have you sought to better know and understand the experiences, concerns, and needs of residents outside your demographic group? 

We moved to Forest Park because we wanted to live in a diverse community. My family has chosen to  send our children to local public schools, both District 91 and District 209, because diversity is important  to us. 

15) Much is made of how long one has lived in Forest Park as a marker of legitimacy in its local government. This can serve to delegitimize the large number of people who have recently moved here, especially those who are renting. How will you work to get the perspectives of and involvement from newly arrived Forest Parkers and especially renters in the village? 

Partnering with our local school district is one way to reach out to families who have recently moved to  Forest Park. I’d love to add a new section to the village website, maybe a “New to town?” section with information about the village departments as well as links to different organizations in town (such as the  arts alliance, scouts, etc.). New residents who stop in at Village Hall can be provided with a brochure  with this same information and be encouraged to sign up for the village newsletter, which provides  information about upcoming events. 

16) What are your thoughts on the appropriate limits on candidates/officeholders weighing in on the actions of a different taxing body? 

If and when different taxing bodies are doing their jobs as they should be, officeholders do not need to  weigh in on their actions. However, in situations like Proviso High School District 209, where our  taxpayer money is being willfully misspent and children are being failed on a daily basis, it is our moral  imperative, as officeholders and residents, to speak up and demand better.  

17) What do you see as the best role for Forest Park’s Commissions, especially the Diversity Commission? What challenges do you anticipate with regard to equity and inclusion in the Village, and how will you approach them? 

The roles of all of Forest Park’s commissions need to be clearly defined so the members know exactly  what their goals are. I am particularly excited to have spearheaded the revival of the Public Health  Commission, which will take a good look at health-related issues in Forest Park and find ways to bridge  gaps in what residents need and what they have. The Diversity Commission is a priority, and bringing it  back needs to be done with expert advice from a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion specialist so the village knows for sure it is reaching the people who should be asked to serve and setting goals that will truly  guide Forest Park in meaningful ways in regard to equity and inclusion.

18) The Village Council has an arguably mixed record on climate action. For example, they have voted against pursuing a Metropolitan Water Reclamation District grant that would capture stormwater yet voted to bring in electric car-charging stations. How would you act to ensure policy reflected climate change locally, including residents impacted by water/sewer backup into homes? 

Forest Park’s involvement in the C4 initiative is a great place to start, and along with this we should develop a comprehensive sustainability plan to address environmental concerns now and going forward.  Without a plan in place, grant money (with a significant out-of-pocket match that had increased with  rising material costs) was offered to redo a parking lot that had many years of useful life left. I want to  see sustainability efforts that make sense rather than a piece-meal approach with no meaningful or  overarching plan. Recent revival of the Sustainability Commission is a great step the village is taking, and  I am confident that this group will help provide guidance in the formation of policies and procedures  that will ensure our village is addressing environmental concerns, which are of utmost importance. 

19. For those serving as Commissioner: What vote are you most proud of, and what vote do you  most regret? Why?

I am most proud of my vote against pursuing the exchange process for the Army Reserve Center on  Roosevelt Road. I spent a lot of time researching the issue and talking to experts and trusted advisors. It  was an important vote surrounded by complex issues, and I ended up voting against the project because  I firmly believe it was rushed and the village wasn’t being careful enough. Despite not voting in  alignment with the mayor, we were able to maintain a respectful and collaborative relationship, and I  take pride in being able to disagree on issues yet be able to work together closely. I am objective and  independent and beholden to nobody except the residents of Forest Park. I do not regret any votes I  have made. 

20. Please list the three largest donors to your campaign by dollar amount contributed?

Rory Hoskins, $500. (I also received a smaller contribution from John Doss.) $250 from family friends  who live in Chicago and have no ties to Forest Park. $250 from the Iron Workers Union. $250 from  someone who later made it clear a quid pro quo was expected, so my campaign issued a refund check  for that amount.