Encouraging Residents to Get Involved to Have a Voice in Village Government

Since being elected as Village President, it has been one of my personal goals to encourage residents to become more involved with the issues that are facing Hanover Park. I truly believe that bringing people together is the first key step to solving any issue that faces our hometown. To reach this goal, I have worked in several directions to open up conversations, share ideas, and move toward action.

First, I have worked to address key issues that face Hanover Park. These include discussions on issues such as getting more police officers on our streets, discussions of budgets, support for the cultural inclusion and diversity committee, assisting families facing foreclosure and the exploration of wind-generated energy options.

Second, I have worked to bring citizens, educational leaders, religious leaders, and public officials together to address issues that face Hanover Park. Here are several examples of how I have done this:

• Environmental Committee: This is a Village committee that had been inactive. I have re-organized and re-energized this committee, which is made up of residents and business leaders who are working to find and create sustainable options to save tax dollars and preserve the environment.
• Cultural Inclusion and Diversity Committee: This is a Village committee that is newly created since I have been Village President. This committee is working to bring together the many diverse cultures, ethnicities, language groups, and backgrounds in Hanover Park. This is a forum for sharing, and it celebrates the cultural richness of our hometown.
• The Wind Turbine Alliance: This is an advocacy group made up of over 40 schools, municipalities, and community colleges who are working to push legislation in Springfield that will make it possible for taxpayers to benefit from clean, affordable wind energy.
• The Mayor's Crime Prevention Advisory Board: This is a group of religious leaders, police department administrators, school administrators, and state and federal elected officials. This group has provided rich discussion and sharing opportunities to address the challenges we face in making Hanover Park safer. After much of the community policing efforts were cut by the Village Board, this was an alternative avenue for bringing people together to address public safety.
• The Mayor's Veterans' Advisory Committee: This is a group of residents who are addressing Veterans' issues in Hanover Park. They are exploring options for supporting veterans, and they are working to recognize the service given by our veterans.
  

It continues to be my pleasure to provide the leadership, skills, and abilities to work with the residents of Hanover Park.