Activist Toolkit

1. What motivates you to seek this office? What skills, experiences, and perspectives would you bring to the Village, and why would those contributions be valuable in the role of Oak Park Village President?

I am running for Village President to use the skills, knowledge, and experience I have navigating our governmental systems to help people so that we can commit to real progress.  As your Village Clerk and current President of the North and Northwest Municipal Clerks Association I have been a fierce advocate for fairness and transparency.  As the previous chair of the Oak Park Liquor Control Review Board, co-chair of the Law Review Committee for IMPACT, and OPRF Chamber Board member I have recommended equitable policy recommendations for families and our small business community for decades.  As a parent, teacher, nonprofit leader, and coalition builder I have experience bringing people together to build trust and advance shared goals.  As Village President I will move policy forward for racial equity, supporting a sustainability action plan to reduce greenhouse gases, and working together for economic recovery from COVID-19. 

We can attain these goals if we work together.  I have worked with all of our taxing bodies and have existing relationships to better foster collaboration.  I know how to bring people together to move policy forward and I am committed to representing all Oak Park residents and stakeholders.

2. What is your broad vision for the future of Oak Park? How will you promote substantive discussion, build consensus among trustees, and rally public support for your vision?

My vision for Oak Park has our taxing bodies working together to improve trust and transparency in government decision making, so that we can effectively implement our shared goals for sustainability, equity, and fiscal prudence. It’s a vision of Oak Park where we value trustworthy and efficient government, we celebrate our breadth of viewpoints, and we come together to solve problems. 

I realize board decisions are rarely supported by 100% of all citizens.  As a proven leader in our village, I have the ability to listen attentively to opposing viewpoints for understanding, build consensus, effectively communicate trade-offs, and help lead the board to thoughtful decisions.  This requires us to look at innovative communication techniques to ensure community members feel connected to the vision, and that their voices are heard and respected. 

3. What are the three biggest challenges or opportunities you expect the Village of Oak Park to face in the coming years, and how would you work with your colleagues to address these challenges or realize these opportunities?

In so many elections, candidates say “we are at a crossroad” and it’s absolutely true in this election.  The next four years will require experienced leadership.  My 30+ years of transparent and thoughtful leadership in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors really matters. COVID-19 requires new collaboration strategies with federal, state, and local governmental partners, the private and nonprofit sectors, and the community at large. 

We have a collective responsibility to value racial equity and justice for all. Historically, Oak Park has touted its commitment to diversity. To be blunt, we’ve rested on our laurels. We must listen with intention and acknowledge our failures, so that we can take life-changing action. Our village is strongest when all members of our community are heard, valued, and affirmed. I commit to nothing less and will set that tone at the board table. 

Sustainability extends past making sure our environmental footprint is as small as it can be. Living here must be affordable at all stages of life. We can accomplish this through improved efficiency among taxing bodies. Additionally, we must continue to cultivate a thriving business community and work with our non-governmental partners to ensure support for our small businesses.

4. How will you balance competing interests, such as your own deeply-held values and opinions, input from village staff and fellow board members, and diverse views from the community? How would you describe your leadership style and your decision-making process generally?

My decision making process begins with working to thoroughly understand the problem we are attempting to solve.  My thought process is strategic and thoughtful.  I listen for learning and  am not reactive.  I have a long history of integrity in making decisions that are in the best interest of the community and not motivated by a personal agenda.  My civic service is an honor but it does not define me, I have an identity without it.  This reality provides me the space to make decisions without being overly swayed by public opinion.  I strive to make informed and thoughtful decisions.  

I have extensive experience facilitating conversations with community stakeholders to define shared goals, identify barriers, and choose practical strategies for the broadest possible community buy-in. I will work with all Village Trustees to understand their individual goals. As a restorative justice practitioner skilled in listening to hear, rather than respond, I can work towards consensus and prioritize our collective goals. I will ensure information gathering is transparent and equitable, taking into account each Trustee’s input, and providing clarity regarding policy directives to Village staff. I’ll facilitate discussions that provide clear direction to the Village Manager, thereby reducing defensive or unproductive dialogue before it distracts from progress.

5. What values would you bring to the budgeting process? What changes do you favor in the process by which the Village conducts its budgeting and fiscal planning?

One of the values in the village budget includes the resources necessary to significantly advance our commitment to equity. This requires a more robust community involvement process to create shared outcomes. Operating with shared goals and respecting the reasons for existing goals is step one.  

The Village Board Finance Committee did not meet during the 2021 budget process. This created inefficiencies in the budget process and it led to a lack of understanding of the budget by community members.  I will restart the Village Board Finance Committee for greater transparency.

The only path forward to retaining any level of affordability is in greater collaboration among taxing bodies. If we desire to keep the services we have, we need to budget responsibly and identify ways to share resources and reduce redundancies. The keys to a fiscally responsible budget are well defined goals, clear direction to staff, and accountability. 

I will be pushing for understanding all that goes into attaining our goals across all departments with program based budgeting so that we have the complete picture when approving the Village budget, and can more easily identify where village services could collaborate better with other governing bodies and community agencies.

6. How will you balance the community's desire to reduce the property tax burden with the promotion of equity, diversity, and quality of life in the Village?

Of every $1 you pay in property taxes on your home, business or through your rent, the village government receives fifteen (15) cents to fund services such as police, fire, and public works. 

We all know the cost of living and the cost of government rarely go down. It’s commendable that recent village budgets increased at or below the rate of inflation. But, in 2021 the village board significantly depleted the reserves to balance the village budget. This is not sustainable. 

In managing the Village Clerk’s budget, I’ve learned how to find efficiencies. My commitment to restarting the Village Boards Finance Committee and supporting program based budgeting will help identify where cost savings are possible. 

Currently, there is a growing consensus that equity, diversity and quality of life are values in the community that need to be aggressively supported. I agree! However, we have no comprehensive plan and therefore we don’t know what the ‘price tag’ will be.

To get there, we must listen with intention, acknowledge failures, engage large numbers of community members and identify meaningful equity, diversity & quality of life strategies. This will require the concerted effort of all taxing bodies, social justice organizations, and the private sector. 

7. How do you define equity? Have recent discussions in the larger community informed or changed your thinking?

Equity in my view is providing what is needed to attain access.  What one person needs to have access or be successful is not the same for everyone.  Social equity is removing barriers to access services and resources that were originally put into place to benefit white people.  Systemic racism was designed to maintain wealth and power for white people.  My journey to better understanding systemic racism and social equity became more evident from my experience as a school teacher in Dolton, IL. and continued through my nonprofit work designing after-school programs in D97 and youth adjudication work.  The inequities in our education and criminal justice system, and wealth are blatant and stifling.

More recent discussions in the larger community have further informed the knowledge I gained as a younger person.  I am grateful for individuals in our community who are sharing their teachings and life experiences with others to help grow awareness for more people who are willing to listen and learn more about anti-racist work.

8. How do you plan to solicit feedback from people who may be experiencing Oak Park in a different way than you? What barriers do you believe may exist in this process?

As Village President I will be present in the community, work to build trust, and open myself up to listening and learning from others.  I will work with my colleagues at the board table and community leaders to aid in difficult conversations to identify and reduce barriers.  The greatest barrier from my view is that this work is going to take time, require resiliency, and patience.

I will rebuild the Community Relations Commission to develop a plan for community outreach.  I will empower the Citizen Involvement Commission to seek accurate representation of our Village on commissions for all forms of diversity.  I will encourage commissions to collaborate for holistic plans.  

As Village President I will engage elected officials with our governmental partners and community agencies to increase trust, improve collaboration, and reduce redundancies on shared community level goals; racial equity, sustainability, SMART Cities, aging in place, affordable housing and affordability.

9. How will you help smaller and locally-owned businesses survive and thrive in Oak Park, especially in the wake of the pandemic? Do you believe it is appropriate for the Village of Oak Park to provide incentives or supports specifically directed toward minority-owned businesses? Why or why not?

I empathize with every small business owner, because I’ve been there myself. I know the rewards and challenges in running a small business. Unfortunately, these days it’s mostly challenges, but there are things we must do. 

I commit to restructuring the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation (OPEDC), ensuring they have a more transparent role in not just recruiting new businesses, but retaining existing businesses. 

As a Board Member of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce and Co-Chair of the Chambers Women in Business, I’ve seen how they can make a positive difference.  On February 19th the Chamber hosted an honest and courageous conversation on why Black and Brown business owners do not always feel included or welcome in our community and the Chamber.  

I will utilize my contacts in local, state and federal entities to ensure Oak Park has a seat at the table for all state/federal small business grants. These dollars can be used to support or incentivize local small businesses.  I would support collaborative opportunities for sharing resources for small businesses in need.  Possibly a small business incubator that can place new business models in open storefronts with grant funded rent subsidies prioritizing Black and Brown business owners and business owners who live in Oak Park.

10. Rental units comprise about 41% of Oak Park’s housing stock. In what ways should the Village better serve the needs of renters who reside in our community?

I was a renter in Oak Park for most of my life.  As a single mother I lived in multiple Oak Park apartments.  My overarching goal is to serve in a way that increases the number of people who feel ownership over our government through increased access and transparency in our decision making process as a Board.  Decisions will begin with gaining true understanding of an issue.  Historically, I have been present and an active participant at community events and known to show up in spaces where I am the minority.  As village president I will host a forum at least annually for renters and seniors to gain additional knowledge and understanding of how we can better serve the needs of renters.  I will work with the Township, Park District, and Library to increase the level of understanding and collaboration for needs and services.

I will direct the Transportation Commission and staff to assess the need and increase access to parking for renters.  I will seek a greater understanding of our snow removal process compared to neighboring communities to increase mobility for walkers all over our village.  I understand that it is frustrating for renters in multi-unit buildings to not have access to recycling and composting programs.  We will continue to problem solve those barriers.  I will maintain a goal of at least ⅓ participation of renters on village commissions and require a section on actions plans approved byboard for bringing forward needs and concerns of renters and seniors.  

It is anticipated that the IZO fund will have approximately $1.5M to spend on affordable housing in the near future as payments from current developments are collected.  As village president I will suggest to my colleagues that we identify how best to use that funding for the greatest impact to increasing affordable units for renters.

11. How will you collaborate with neighboring communities? Discuss a specific initiative you would wish to undertake. What benefits and challenges would you anticipate?

I am the co-chair of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce Women in Business affinity group that is working in partnership with River Forest, Forest Park, Berwyn, and Maywood dedicated to building mutually rewarding personal and business relationships amongst an intentionally diverse group for the purpose of nurturing impactful collaboration that foster new opportunities.  We are committed to hosting honest conversations to increase inclusion.  The intention is to inform policy for relevant governing bodies so that the work of this group does not remain in a silo and can contribute to identifying and reducing barriers to opportunity.  The immediate challenge is building a safe space to host conversations.  The current strategy is to identify and invite community leaders that can moderate effectively and interview business owners with a long history to share experiences for better understanding.  

I have been working with a coalition in West Garfield Park since 2014 with the goal of reducing underage drinking and drug use. I am also the co-chair of the Oak Park Township Positive Youth Development coalition.  Collaboration between the two coalitions increases grant opportunities for both communities.  I am also the President of the North and Northwest Municipal Clerks Association.  These relationships are invaluable for leveraging State and Federal grant opportunities. 

12. Debate at the Board table and in public has grown increasingly contentious in recent years, as individual trustees have leveraged the power of social media, national media, and local organizing to bring attention to issues they care most about. What strategies will you employ to channel this energy toward a more productive discussion and the creation of better policies for Oak Park?

The current Board is not operating with shared goals, nor a clear understanding of how to direct policy under a Village Manager form of government.  I will ensure we each understand and respect the unique roles of the Village President, Trustees, and staff.  

I do believe that each person on the current Board loves and cares for Oak Park. Some on the Board are lacking the ability to build consensus, some wish they didn’t need to waste time building consensus, and still more remain too defensive to listen to a differing view for any level of learning.  I am able to listen for what is being said and not be distracted by how it is said.  

I will work individually and collectively with Village Board members to understand and value the goals they/we have for residents and other stakeholders. Information gathered for board consideration must be transparent, equitable, and factual. I’ll facilitate discussions to provide clear direction to the Village Manager and eliminate unproductive dialogue which distracts from progress.  I will work to build trust in the consistency of a transparent process.

13. How will you work with your colleagues to ensure that Oak Park remains economically and racially diverse? Give an example of an initiative you support that would have a significant positive impact on racial or economic diversity.

I believe retaining economic and racial diversity requires a multifaceted strategy.  Many who live in Oak Park today share that they moved here for its diversity.  In order to retain our current diversity and continue to attract Black and Brown residents we must be more welcoming and responsive to concerns of all residents.  We must be willing to host difficult conversations related to race without responding with defensiveness. We must be willing to learn about different types of businesses and cultural experiences so that more can feel a sense of community in Oak Park. I would bring our governmental partners together to host conversations with experienced equity leaders to grow our self-awareness as a community.

In recent years a number of buildings with high rents have gone up in Oak Park. We will have an opportunity to use IZO funds to issue an RFP (request for proposals) for affordable housing.  We need to make sure we assess how those funds can be used to have the greatest impact on increasing affordable housing units in Oak Park.  

Additionally, we will be facing significant budget challenges.  We will need to budget smart to not add to the tax burden that already contributes to Oak Park’s affordability.

14. What do you see as the most pressing issue relating to housing in Oak Park? What policies would you advocate to address this issue? Do you consider support for affordable housing to be a core function of our village government? Why or why not?

Affordability to age in place is a significant concern in my view. The population of older adults is growing and expected to reach 20% of the US population by 2030. As Village President I will direct staff to bring forth possible policy and program incentives to assist with aging in place.  Additionally, I will ask for an equity review of our current policies and programs, as well as how we inform residents of the programs that exist.  What kind of outreach do we have?  We currently have programs through the Housing Authority, Residents Corporation, and village but a more coordinated approach may be needed.  Housing vouchers through the Residents Corporation have been on a waitlist for years.  As well as looking at how we inform residents of options that already exist we need to coordinate those efforts with services that through our governmental partners.  I believe we have older adults struggling at remaining in their homes who may not be aware of services through our Township, Park District, or Community Mental Health Board that could ease some of the burden.  

15. What impact can a municipality such as Oak Park have on climate change, and how will you prioritize that work among other issues?

This is a high priority for me. Human-induced climate change is affecting the health and harmony of our planet. In order to do our part we are tasked with reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 7.6% annually between 2020 and 2030. As our young people will undoubtedly bear the most significant impact of the climate crisis, there is a substantial obligation and need that we as leaders have to educate them on the science and on new technologies and strategies for meeting the greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal. I support a community campaign for education on strategies that are most effective at reducing GHG emissions. 

The Village of Oak Park has a sustainability fund which has been accumulating over the past few years.  The current village board is expected to take some action before April 6, 2021 following recommendations from an ad hoc climate action task force. I support the hiring of a part-time consultant to conduct a greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) inventory and recommending an action plan with equity components that targets the source of our GHG emissions most efficiently and impactfully. I will set firm timelines for village staff to move initiatives forward and require collaboration with sustainability advocates across the community.

16. In recent months there have been calls to defund the police or reimagine public safety in Oak Park. How do you define public safety? Would you begin from the premise that the Village's police budget should increase, decrease, or remain flat? Why?

I take very seriously the fact that not everyone feels safe in our community.  Any percentage that does not feel safe is unacceptable.  I plan to lead an open and transparent process with my colleagues and village staff to identify what changes need to be made in policing.  I will seek assistance from leaders that know more about leading these conversations than I.  I do not yet know how that equates to budget changes.  My view is that refusing to host this conversation has only contributed to more harm.  This is a national conversation that has to be had everywhere, no matter what your current crime statistics are.  

My commitment to fairness and transparency has been unwavering and evident in my behavior and life accomplishments.  The call to be a civil servant is to make decisions consistently that are grounded firmly in putting the community’s needs above your own.  The greater good must be the motivation.  

 As village president, I will listen for understanding and use my knowledge of our government and need for improved data collection to advance policy reform that is responsive and fair.  Together, we can realize a vision for Oak Park that lives up to our values.

17. What do you see as the most pressing issues relating to development in Oak Park, both residential and commercial? What policies would you advocate to address those issues? In which areas of Oak Park would you prioritize residential and commercial development?

Here are facts. Oak Park is a completely built-out community. Many new developments require demolition of existing structures. Neighborhoods like Southeast OP experience developers turning foreclosures of small single-family homes into mega-homes. Currently, they receive a tax break for leaving one original wall. This is wrong.  

Oak Park has invested time and money creating various business district plans. Those plans haven’t had the funding for implementation, especially for small businesses. I will bring stakeholders and the board together to forge an action plan addressing inequities in investment among business districts. 

The Oak Park Economic Development Corporate (OPEDC) must expand their support for existing small businesses and create marketing targeted to small business development. 

The Business Recovery Task Force, created in response to the pandemic, is currently an ad hoc committee which meets irregularly. I propose making this a standing committee of the board and business district representatives charged with looking at small business development and support through an equity lens.

18. Following work done in Evanston, recent community discussions have focused on reparations for Black Oak Parkers, with particular interest in policy changes to help support Black home ownership. Are you supportive of reparations, in principle? Would a discussion on this issue be helpful to the Oak Park community? How should such a discussion proceed?

Discussion of reparations is an opportunity to educate more of the community on the systemic injustices of our Nation and as part of Oak Park’s own history.  It is an opportunity to come together and support each other.  I do not know what reparations should look like or how to secure sustainable funding but I would most definitely welcome the dialogue.  My concern is that the dialogue not be used to further polarize our community.  I believe it is best to discuss as part of an open and transparent process that includes education and investigates options for the greatest positive impact for the future of our community.

I would support tasking this to a rebuilt community relations commission in partnership with members of our community who have already been working on it.  Community outreach should be conducted to inform efforts and policy decisions.

19. Advisory referenda have appeared on the ballot in Oak Park over the past few years at the direction of the Village Board. Do you believe non-binding referenda such as these are a useful tool for governance or civic engagement? Why or why not?

I understand non-binding referendum questions were intended to be part of our democratic process to inform a board of the view/desire of the community on a specific topic.  I do not believe recent examples have been in the best interest of voters.  The issues we face are complex and require thoughtful discussion and analysis.  A non-binding referendum question is just that, a question - without data, analysis, context, or discussion. All too often a voter is not aware they will be asked the question until they go to vote.  This is not a responsible way to govern.    

20. Oak Park Trustees share responsibility for oversight of the Collaboration for Early Childhood. Do you support this example of intergovernmental cooperation? Are there other types of intergovernmental cooperation that you would support?

As a former teacher, parent, and person with a learning disability I can not overstate my support of intergovernmental collaboration to evaluate and address needs for our children so that they can live, thrive and have the best opportunity for educational success.  I was a huge advocate for social emotional learning curriculum as a founding member of P4SS (Parents 4 Student Success) before it was commonplace.  I still share the opinion that SEL and core curriculum need to be interlinked at all levels of education.  While I am supportive of identifying and pursuing additional State and Federal grants to support the Early Childhood Collaboration as village president I will be an active participant.  I believe partnerships like this provide needed context to attain our shared goals in a thoughtful and informed manner.     

As village president I will seek out intergovernmental collaboration on all community level shared goals; for an impactful climate action plan, racial equity policy, and smart budgeting to reduce redundancies, including initiatives to promote small business and increase tourism dollars.  Empowering these partnerships only increases our chances for State and Federal grants.

• • • • •

[The above answers were supplied on 2/19/21.]