Activist Toolkit

1. What motivates you to seek this office? What skills, experiences, and perspectives would you bring to the Board of Trustees, and why would those contributions be valuable to the Village of River Forest?

I am running for Village President because I value the importance of good governance, transparency and accessible public deliberations. I have consistently championed these values which have been lacking over the past 8 years. Village initiatives like the languishing Lake and Lathrop lot, divisive committee processes like the Deer Committee, and stymied action to advance diversity initiatives arise from poor governance. 

I have honed skills which will serve the community through my leadership as a Village Trustee, LemonAid Co-Founder, a former D90 PTO President at both Lincoln and Roosevelt, current program coordinator of the Holiday Food & Gift Basket, and as a current board member of A House in Austin. Throughout these experiences I have demonstrated: 

• Integrity and principled independence; 

• Rigorous preparation and constructive curiosity; 

• Open examination of all sides of an issue; 

• Consistent advocacy for resident input to improve decisions.

The current “establishment” culture leaves many residents on the outside. I will bring residents into the solutions by creating a culture and system that values and uses buy-in and input from residents. Together, we will achieve real gains (not pretend gains and lip service) on economic development,diversity, sustainability, and much more.

2. What steps will you take to improve and expand community engagement with the Village and the Board? What is your view on how to involve residents in the decision making process in our Village?

I believe give-and-take is the cornerstone of engaged governance and yet, it is difficult to provide these opportunities when board meetings serve the “business of the Board”. I believe residents should feel comfortable asking questions, making suggestions, and/or raising concerns, and know that their input is welcome during the deliberative process and before Board votes are taken. 

To that end, I will propose the following opportunities: 

• Utilize the Committee of the Whole meetings as scheduled so Trustees have ample time for discussions in the public domain and so residents can hear what ideas or policies are being considered before votes are taken. 

• Amend the public comment process to ensure that public comments inform the deliberative process. Attendance should not be a requirement to voice an opinion and have it considered. Currently, comments are not read into the public record, and thus, do not inform real-time deliberations. For valid reasons, many residents can not accommodate a meeting in their schedule and I still welcome their input. 

• Schedule informal activities (Town Hall, Forum, Pre-Meeting Dialogues) to facilitate community Q & A about current issues in the village. 

I encourage others to bring ideas for engagement to the Board for its consideration.

3. Give an example of a time when you worked to understand a situation or view different from your own. What helped you to move through that process? What hindered you as you moved through the process?

When I ran for Village Trustee, Red Light Cameras were a contentious issue, with board support tied to their safety benefits. This opinion was challenged by state and local newspaper reporting (also here) which prompted my initial investigations regarding accident reports, revenue reports and other pertinent data. My opinion, in some ways, while neutral was moot because we were in the midst of a signed contract. 

More recently, when a new contract was proposed, I requested multiple data sets to clarify my position. While I recognized the value of ticket revenue to the village, I followed my traditional review process and sought additional data to test this assumption. I reviewed what I received through a safety and equity lens (resident/non-resident, socio-economic, clarity of adjudication process, etc.) which led me to question the value of the contract to the citizens and visitors of River Forest. 

I was hindered in my review by the absence of requested safety data which was not forthcoming. I subsequently voted NO as I was uncomfortable endorsing a 5 year contract in the absence of critical data.

4. Who or what is your role model for your approach to governing?

My approach to governing comes from a place of empathy. To me, that means looking at issues from several angles to gain an understanding of how different stakeholder groups might be impacted. As I prepare to make decisions, I thoroughly review information provided by staff, I listen to every commission meeting and review their recommendations, I research and talk to as many people and experts as I can.

Some may see quick decision-making as a sign of good leadership. There are times when emergency circumstances require it. However, my Board experience tells me decisions are not always black-and-white, and more often better decisions are made with discussion in the grey area to fully discern stakeholder concerns in the planning stage. 

On the surface, some decisions may seem like a no-brainer such as whether to implement Red Light Cameras for safety purposes. But by digging deeper into the data and discussing intended, or perhaps unintended, consequences, decisions can be made with greater benefit and less anguish for the community. 

The hallmark of effective leadership is less about being "right" and pretending to be the smartest in the room, and more about listening and presiding over an effective decision-making process. 

5. What do you feel are the three biggest issues facing River Forest, and how do you intend to address them? How will you prioritize among competing priorities?

The three biggest issues are: 

• Economic Development (Lake & Lathrop, Madison TIF, North Avenue TIF) -- I will promote community-endorsed development and hold developers accountable to contract deadlines, property maintenance and meeting conditions set as part of the approval process. I will ensure that we are strategic in supporting existing River Forest businesses and intentional in how we encourage community input at all stages of planning conversations. 

• Finances (Needed Infrastructure, Pension Shortfalls/Obligations, Postponed Revenue Needs Due to Flat Tax Levy) -- The Board currently relies on an annual financial planning model. I will propose a new process, a 5 year Comprehensive Financial Plan, to include prior year actuals, known current year budget assumptions/actuals, proposed tax levies, scheduled infrastructure needs and known pension 

• shortfalls/obligations (with funding options) to prioritize future revenues and expenditures.

• Closed Commission Process -- Current Village ordinance places selection of commissioners in the office of the President, thus creating commissions and outcomes which do not reflect the community. I will implement a more open, transparent process to attract and select commission members. I will formalize terms of office to balance institutional memory with the benefit of welcoming new perspectives. 

I will prioritize these with Board and community input. 

6. How would you characterize appropriate oversight of the Village Administrator by the Board? Given that River Forest will soon have a new Village Administrator, what challenges or opportunities do you expect the Board to face in its oversight role?

The Village Board has a single employee, the Village Administrator, a professionally-trained municipality manager to oversee Village staff. 

A Village Administrator’s job is to oversee village employees as they execute Board policies. I don’t believe the President or Board should micromanage day-to-day village operations. As long as decisions being made and work being done is in keeping with Village policy, I would expect the Administrator to work fairly independently of the Board. This is a departure from current practice. 

Opportunities: We have a terrific staff and the once-in-a-decade opportunity to mentor the new village administrator with an emphasis on transparency and inclusivity, attributes I believe enrich governance. I hope to also expand Administrator - Board communications to include the entire Board so that all are equipped with uniform information.

7. What do you believe has been the most significant action taken by the Board in recent years, and why? Do you believe the Board acted appropriately?

I believe the most significant action taken by the Board is represented by a throughline from the Welcoming Resolution to the Twin Village Covenant with Maywood then concluding in our (much-delayed) partnership with Dominican University in their work through Truth Racial Healing and Transformation. These cumulatively represent a watershed moment in River Forest’s history. 

While we celebrate these steps, and I championed each of them, I know that it is now that the hard part begins. We need to have the challenging, uncomfortable conversations that will bring about impactful changes. We must move from the symbolic resolutions to actual policy that can have lasting impact. An up-to-date and comprehensive affordable housing plan is one way we can truly be a welcoming village that welcomes new residents and allows existing residents to retire-in-community. 

I commit to empowering the Diversity Committee to conduct a thorough review of internal and external initiatives, actions and operating procedures and budgets to identify areas to revise in policy, commissions, training, and engagement with one another and the community. 

8. How do you define racial equity? Have recent events and discussions in the larger community informed or changed your thinking? 

I define racial equity as a means to deliver needed (but likely varying) support to ensure fairness in outcomes. 

I believe everyone should feel welcome and safe in River Forest.

My perspective on race and racial injustice was formed growing up in the Austin neighborhood between 1968 and 1990, during the height of white flight. I experienced firsthand what racism does to a community. As a child, I watched my friends’ families move away one by one out of fear and saw the disparity between my parents’ home value appreciations as compared to relatives who purchased homes in Oak Park at the same time. As an adult, what I now understand was also at play were systems like redlining, blockbusting and disinvestment which treated black and white Americans -- and their homes -- differently. 

With this backdrop, I know that entrenched racism has not been eradicated, as hate crimes at our local Jewel and on our streets attest. Moreover, systemic racism, as evidenced by the death of George Floyd (and countless others), continues. We are at a critical moment where bold steps, not hopeful actions, are needed to combat systemic racism. 

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

Alternate perspectives enrich every dialog and consequently, the outcomes for the community. In addition to engagement suggestions already offered, I plan to meet people “where they are”, an approach used during the census. Along with Trustee Bachner, we set up tables outside of multi-unit housing to share the importance of the census with residents. Our willingness to provide a community touchpoint resonated with residents. I plan to repeat this approach where possible. 

I believe the greatest barrier to a more inclusive dialog is the belief (and potentially, the practice) that alternate views are not welcomed. Current Village Boards and commissions are primarily populated by an intimate group with linked relationships, leaving few openings for “others”. Overcoming this hurdle and rebuilding community trust will take time but I am committed to opening the commission process. 

The agendas and packets for the village board and commissions should be posted online at least one week before the board or commission meets instead of four days ahead. That will give the public more time to read and digest the information, as well as adequately evaluate proposals before the board or commission. The best governed villages around the country do this. Why can’t River Forest?

10. What is your position on the extent to which the Village includes or should include accessibility features? Please address both physical structures and virtual/information processes.

Since I see accessibility as part of equity and inclusion, I believe River Forest should exceed legal mandates for ensuring maximum accommodations in physical structures and processes. We are a small community, where residents are supportive of one another, and I believe Village guidelines should reflect this ethos. 

As it relates to virtual/information processes, I believe the technology genie is out of the bottle and residents will likely continue to request virtual access long after COVID restrictions are lifted. I believe it is incumbent that we provide and expand access, for example, by offering closed-captioned viewing. 

11. How can the Village encourage and support locally-owned businesses in River Forest?

After the Economic Development Commission met in November to address how to support our local businesses during COVID, I submitted ideas to the chair and village staff that included creating a "Business Spotlight" in the Village newsletter and having regular Facebook posts that highlight a list of local businesses. One benefit of all these ideas is that they could be done with little to no cost. I was pleased to see the ideas quickly implemented. 

I was disappointed that my additional suggestion to refer this to the Board to establish guidelines and policy regarding how businesses would have equitable access to these platforms was never taken. This issue echoes the inequitable treatment of existing businesses during the Lake & Lathrop Development process where I recognized that some uprooted businesses received financial support while others did not. I believe the development of consistent protocols is in order if the Village is to truly support all businesses.

To that end, I believe we could better utilize the OPRF Chamber to market and support our businesses, employing existing Chamber supports which we’ve not fully accessed.

12. The Village Board passed an Affordable Housing Plan last June, which included a number of specific actions to be considered by village commissions. What is your stance on affordable housing in River Forest, and which, if any, of those actions would you push forward?

Sadly, a weak affordable housing plan passed when the President cast the tie-breaking vote. River Forest, out of compliance with state law, commissioned a plan to deliver the State-required minimum 10% of units ; I do not believe the floor should be the Village’s goal. I advocated for a stronger plan and a more robust conversation with the community. The concept of affordable housing is complex and, for some, a basis for fear. Education is needed to dispel concerns and to identify the economic, personal, and community benefits of having a range of housing stock in the community. 

River Forest needs new mixed income housing and the “missing middle housing” to enable current residents below the village’s median household income to continue to live here. 

Affordable housing units can be preserved, and more created, if the right conversations guide the process. As mentioned during the Plan Commission review process, “There’s a lot of creative ways to do affordable housing. (It) takes concerted effort and creative financing” but this creative exploration was hamstrung by a shrouded process. To bolster the existing plan, I would seek additional input from an expert with affordable housing experience to help enrich the current plan. 

13. What impact can a municipality such as River Forest have on climate change, and how will you prioritize that work among other issues? [For incumbents: What actions have you taken in office with respect to climate change?]

The reality is that the majority of climate action must occur at the municipal level. River Forest laid the foundation for climate change by participating in the PlanItGreen sustainability plan, but further progress requires a comprehensive Climate Action Plan to both cut greenhouse gas emissions and prepare for climate-related impacts. 

A Climate Action Plan (CAP) is a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the specific actions a community will undertake to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and to adapt to the effects of climate change. Using the GHG emissions inventory recently developed by the River Forest Sustainability Commission, a CAP would define GHG reduction goals based on local priorities for reducing emissions and provide a framework for achieving those goals. 

The CAP should approach climate change policy through an equity lens to both ensure the just distribution of the benefits of climate protection as well as to alleviate the unequal burdens created by climate change. The CAP should also incorporate adaptation and resilience policies to mitigate flooding and other climate-related impacts. 

The Village of River Forest would need to work with the other governing bodies (park district, library, school district) to both develop and implement a comprehensive CAP for the village.

14. What are your plans for collaborating with our neighboring communities? What specific steps would you take in relation to the recent Twin Village Covenant with Maywood?

I believe when it comes to the Maywood Twin Covenant, we have to start with fostering opportunities to build relationships and trust. Sadly, we have a history that has not always welcomed this engagement. 

I believe there is synergy between our neighboring communities that can be more fully realized if we find ways to collaborate that are mutually beneficial rather than duplicating efforts. We already look to neighboring communities when it comes to shopping, dining, and entertainment. By working together more intentionally we can find such untapped opportunities.

The Covenant will evolve over time. I personally see the Forest Preserves as a great place to start building these relationships. For too long it has been a convenient barrier between our communities. I see there are endless ways it could bring us together. For example, an event similar to A Day in Our Village could be organized to showcase what both communities have to offer. I would love to see a sidewalk along Chicago Avenue that would allow easy walking access to Trailside from both communities, a physical sign of the Twin Covenant.

15. Do you think River Forest’s TIF Districts have been a good and effective use of taxpayer funds? What material benefits have the North Avenue and Madison TIFs had? Should they be continued?

When properly managed, TIF districts can provide a means to improve a blighted area to increase revenues from property and sales taxes and, as a result, improve property values. Without a clear vision or plan to achieve that vision, a TIF district proves to be a detriment. 

In 2010, TIF dollars were committed to improve Lake and Lathrop, a developer was chosen and when that developer backed out, a new developer was secured in 2017. Now, in 2021, self-imposed developer delays and the unwillingness of the village board, led by Cathy Adduci, to hold the developer accountable has created this boondoggle. While I initially supported the approval of this developer in 2017, I voted NO to the initial development and every extension since 2018. 

The community needs a Village President and Board who will not repeat these mistakes on the upcoming Madison and North Avenue TIF projects. 

Primary to my consideration of any project are the voices of property owners within an impacted TIF district as well the needs of adjacent property owners. Of final concern is the establishment of better policies around how TIF dollars will be spent on new or existing businesses.

16. What are your ideas for new partnerships with other taxing bodies within River Forest?

My first objective will be to reinvigorate and re-engage the Collaboration Committee, a representative body with members from each local taxing entity. Commissioned to provide a trusted environment in which to discuss proposed ideas before committing resources, the group has stalled since the creation of a village calendar. This is unfortunate as an active Committee could have coordinated messaging on COVID, consolidating best practice into a single news feed for residents. 

I believe it is imperative that representatives from all Village government entities be welcomed as partners, including the Cook County Forest Preserve which currently does not have a seat at the Collaboration Committee table. 

Insofar as specific new partnerships, I welcome all community ideas and give consideration of potential collaborations to the Committee for examination. If goals align, further consideration would happen at the respective board tables. This illustrates my interest in welcoming broader input from like-minded community servants for a greater benefit. 

17. What is your vision for the future of River Forest? How will you promote substantive discussion, build consensus among trustees, and rally public support for your vision?

My vision is for River Forest to be the model of “governance by the people for the people”. By incorporating many of the ideas and processes stated above, I believe we can create: 

• Smart, community-endorsed development that will stabilize property taxes 

• Increased access to affordable housing that will welcome new residents and allow existing residents to retire-in-community. Enabling our cost-burdened middle class residents, especially the seniors who made River Forest such a fine place to live, to continue to live here.

• A climate action plan that will get us closer to reaching committed goals and external compacts 

• Improved and expanded accessibility, both virtually and physically, so that all residents can engage and enjoy our community more fully 

I believe the community engagement opportunities above will promote substantive discussion. Given the tenor of current Board conversations, I will schedule an annual Board retreat to develop the trust needed to hold substantive conversations to work toward consensus, but not necessarily unanimous agreement. 

Public support is earned from inclusive leadership with integrity, character, and transparency, qualities I have demonstrated while on the Board and will continue in my role as Village President.

• • • • •

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