Supporting Open Transparent Government

This post was originally issued on the Hanover Park Progress Blog at:
http://www.hanoverparkprogress.com/blog/index.cfm?Fuseaction=ViewBlog&BlogTopicID=4589

Supporting Open, Transparent Government

HANOVER PARK, IL--"The members of Hanover Park Progress have pledged to instill a positive culture within our Village government," noted Rod Craig, Village President. "We believe in open, transparent government that uses resident input as the foundation for addressing issues. We do not believe that 'no' should be the first word from an elected official. Obviously, we can't solve every problem that comes our way, but we can't solve anything if we say 'no' right away."

The members of Hanover Park Progress came together over the last year because they recognized a need for a transparency in the Hanover Park Village Government. Communication, planning, accountability, and resident participation are at the heart of the changes proposed by Hanover Park Progress.

"The main job of a Village Trustee is to ask questions," comments Bill Cannon, candidate for Village Trustee. "Ask questions of Village staff to learn what they are doing. Ask questions of residents to see what they need. This should be a process of gathering information to make decisions. We communicate outward to residents; we communicate inward to staff."

Hanover Park Progress has defined the following in their party platform:

Create an Open and Transparent Village Government: Return Effectiveness to the Village Board by providing new leadership within the village

Return Accountability to the Hanover Park Government

• Create and enforce yearly goals and performance expectations for Village staff
• Establish a Finance Committee
• Make recordings of meetings available on Village Web site or public television
• Create an email newsletter to send to citizens
  

Return Leadership to Hanover Park Government

• Resume the practice of training for staff and elected officials
• Establish Trustee liaisons to Village Departments
• Increase participation by Hanover Park in the regional activities
• Promote involvement by elected officials in regional and national organizations
  

Establish a Strategic Planning Process that Sets Priorities

• Use a budgetary process that actually matches needs to resources
• Establish a competitive bid process that identifies the best deal on services for the Village
• Remove personal agendas and take politics out of Village Government
  

These platform items speak to a larger goal of focusing on the needs of residents. "We would never allow personal agendas to interfere with our job as a Village Board," comment Rick Roberts, candidate for Village Trustee. "We are committed to setting priorities and accomplishing the job that the people elect us to do."

It's time to return Village Government to the people of Hanover Park. It's time for Progress in Hanover Park.

Tonight's Event in Honor of Martin Luther King

This evening's special event in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a very moving event. The members of our Cultural Inclusion and Diversity Committee should be proud of their work. Residents from across Hanover Park came together in fellowship and celebration of Dr. King's legacy. We are all striving to fulfill his dream.


This is a photo from this event. I was honored to recognize the great work of these individuals:
Ron Woods, Father Mathew Idicula, Pastor Jenny Swanson, (Rod Craig), Eira Corral, Pastor Heitman (hidden), Toni Carter, Phil Anderson.

Village Hall Plans Represents Our Broken Government

At last night's Village Board meeting, the staff presented a 27 million dollar plan for essentially rebuilding the entire Village Complex. I was a bit surprised at the extravagance of this plan, especially during these difficult economic times. The creation and presentation of this plan emphasizes lack of transparency and openness within our Village government. The magnitude of this plan is immense, and I believe that a plan of this size cannot be formulated without input from residents and from elected officials. Yet, last night, this plan was presented to the Board of Trustees. How can our Village propose a plan that would more than double the tax burden of our citizens over the next several decades? This plan represents a clear disconnect from the needs of our citizens and the operation of our Village Government. What other services will we be sacrificing to support this project?

This plan originated with a need to update our Police facilities, which are in desperate need of renovation. The plan creators worked directly with Police staff members, which is totally appropriate. Our officers desperately need new space, and this space should be designed to meet their needs.

My concern is that from the beginning, this process has lacked oversite by elected officials. The Village Board was not given any options on architectural firms following the RFQ process. The majority that controls the Village Board allowed the staff to select the firm. Following this, the plan migrated from a focus on the Police Department into a major redesign of the Village Complex that included a glass atrium and other ornate details.

As a Village Board, we should be presented with options for this redesign. These options should include that absolute cheapest plan that meets the minimum needs of the police officers, and it should also include incremental options for additional rennovations that may be warranted as the Police Department vacates their current space in the Village Complex. The plan we saw last night does not present options to the Village Board. It was clearly the Rolls Royce, when we are operating in an economy-car economy. Last night, the Village Board only saw one plan that was presented as a up or down vote. The presentation focused more on the redesigned Village Complex than on the Police Station. The needs of our Police need to stay at the center of this plan. We can reduce a great deal of the cost of this plan by cutting out the unneeded work on the rest of the Village Complex.

Over the last two years since my election as Village President, I have been pushing for a more open process and a more transparent government. This plan is representative of the problems that we need to correct. It is time for Progress in Hanover Park.

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.

King Day Celebration

The Planning Committee for the Hanover Park Cultural Inclusion & Diversity Committee (CIDC) is hosting the 1st Annual King Day Celebration in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This event begins at 3pm until 5pm, on Sunday, February 22nd and is hosted at the Evangel Church in Hanover Park (5700 Bartels Rd).

This event is FREE and is for everyone in celebration of Dr. King's dream of diversity, peace and love. We have a full schedule of choirs, praise dance teams, as well as a diverse panel of Pastors, speaking to our theme, 'The Power of One: Commitment, Challenge, and Change'. The MC for the event is a Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Hewitt Associates and will have some inspiring words to share. There will be refreshments immediately following the program .

Assistance to Homeowners

I wanted to send along a few resources for homeowners who are finding it challenging to keep up with their mortgage obligations. The foreclosure crisis impacts the values of the surrounding neighborhood. I want to share these resources that could be especially helpful to our neighbors who are struggling during these difficult economic times.

1) Remember to always contact your lending institution to see if you can adjust your loan or restructure your obligation. Many lenders will allow borrowers to rework their loan to fit challenged budgets.

2) There are counseling services available through Housing and Urban Development (HUD). They can help you weigh options.

3) For those of you on the DuPage side of Hanover Park, don't forget about the DuPage Homeownership Center at www.dohc.org or (630) 260-2500.

4) Also, the Attorney General's office has resources that can be accessed at www.illiniosattorneygeneral.gov or at the Homeowner's Helpline 1-866-544-7151 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday.

5) The DuPage County Treasurer's Office offers some services at www.dupageco.org/treasurer or (630) 407-5900 for information on tax relief programs for DuPage seniors.

6) Check out the DuPage County Community Resource Information System (CRIS); which is a clearinghouse for information on a wide range of services in DuPage. Their website is www.dupagecris.org.

7) Cook County homeowners, senior citizen, and home improvement tax exemption options are available at http://www.cookcountytreasurer.com/services.aspx?ntopicid=24

This is by no means an exhaustive list of options for homeowners. This list is intended to be a starting point for those seeking help.

Mayor Craig and Eira Corral Speak to Streamwood HS Students

Mayor Craig and Village Clerk Candidate Eira Corral of Hanover Park speak before a Multi-Cultural and Marketing Class at Streamwood High School during Junior Achievement Day. The Mayor spoke about Green Technology, the need for creative thinking in a new technology field, and the job opportunities that will be created as a result. Ms. Corral spoke about her experience growing up in a bi-lingual family and the struggles she had to overcome to be accepted as her family pursued the dream of all Americans. Today, as she works for the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute, she is very articulate in expressing the experiences she had to overcome as she earned her Degree from DePaul University and her current position. The students were most impressed with her commitment, dedication, and understanding of their needs and aspirations.

Elgin Community College Job Fair

This is an opportunity for our business community and for job seekers that I wanted to pass along. This is a notice from Elgin Community College

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The Office of Career Services at Elgin Community College invites you to attend our annual ECC Job Fair on Thursday, April 2, 2009, 3-6pm, on the ECC campus.

Attendees can:

• meet a large number of talented job applicants quickly and inexpensively
• promote their company
• network with other employers
• develop contacts with future graduates.
  

Apply by Friday, February 27, 2009 to be included in advance promotions.
For questions or to request a registration form call 847.214.7399 or email
kmeisinger@elgin.edu.

Career Services looks forward to providing your organization with a great Job Fair experience!

Elgin Community College is a member of the Streamwood Chamber of Commerce.

Making Public Safety Our Priority

I wanted to share the following post from the Hanover Park Progress blog:

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http://www.hanoverparkprogress.com/blog/index.cfm?Fuseaction=ViewBlog&BlogTopicID=4560

Making Public Safety Our Priority HANOVER PARK, IL--"It is the goal of Hanover Park Progress to reallocate resources to provide more police officers. This is the number one issue facing Hanover Park," commented Village President Rod Craig. "This is a matter of leadership, good policy, and political will, and this is an issue that, once elected, the members of Hanover Park Progress will address strategically." Hanover Park Progress has made public safety its number one issue this election. The leadership of the Hanover Park Police Department has indicated that police officer staffing levels are below acceptable levels. The Police Department leadership has asked for 61 total officers, and there are presently 54 officers in the Department. Bringing all needed officers to the streets of Hanover Park is not something that can happen over night, but adding officers strategically is something that is realistic and possible. Hanover Park Progress has defined the following in their party platform: Improve Public Safety Provide adequate police staffing that brings Hanover Park Police staffing levels up to level of neighboring communities Support the efforts of Mayor Craig's Crime Prevention Advisory Board Support the enforcement of the new housing (rental residential) ordinances Support continued progress of CERT Team Emphasize community policing efforts by re-establishing the Neighborhood Watch Program, block leaders, "Officer Friendly" program & DARE program in our schools "Every resident has the right to feel safe in their homes, in the streets of our town, and in the businesses of Hanover Park," said Ed Zimel, Candidate for Village Trustee. "This is not an extraordinary request of our Village government. This is something that Hanover Park Progress will make a reality." The members of Hanover Park Progress believe the need of more police officers are paramount to providing a high quality of life. Evaluating the Village budget line by line, is the first step toward reaching this goal. Accurate budgeting and establishment of goals can reallocate funds to address public safety concerns. Redirecting funds provides a strategy to bring in more officers without raising taxes. "If we were on the Village Board, we would weigh all new budget expenditures against the need for more police officers," noted Bill Cannon, Candidate for Village Trustee. "Supporting our police is a matter of priorities. Some other needs may have to wait." "Our police officers do a great job. They work hard, and they put their lives on the line to protect us. We owe it to them to give them the support they need," commented Eira Corral, candidate for Village Clerk. "Our officers are stretched. At times, there is only one officer on duty for our entire Village. Our officers deserve better than this." Hanover Park Progress has made public safety their top priority. It is time to fully support for our police and fire departments and establish stronger community policing. It is time for progress in Hanover Park.

Hanover Park Award Winners and Volunteers

I wanted to share the following press release.

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Press Release from the Village of Hanover Park
4 February 2009

Village of Hanover Park
Honors Award Winners and Volunteers

On Friday, January 30, 2009 the Village of Hanover Park held its annual Awards Night. Mayor Rod Craig presented awards and recognized a host of Village volunteers and others who serve the Hanover Park community.

Among the awards presented were the Citizen of the Year, 2008 Humanitarian Award, Youth of the Year Scholarship, Business of the Year, Educator of the Year, Service to Youth Award. Also recognized were Village Committee members, Public Safety Volunteers, the 2008 Appearance Award winners, and the businesses who have contributed to the Village’s Corporate Partnership Program.

Service to Youth Award (pictured left to right – Mayor Rod Craig and Ray Kiel)
The Service to Youth Award was presented to Mr. Ray Kiel. Mr. Kiel has been involved with the Hanover Park Little League program since 1995 and the Scouting program since 1994. He managed and coached nine league championship teams and three big league championship teams. He serves on the Hanover Park Little League Board of Directors. Mr. Kiel was instrumental in the success of the 50th Anniversary parade.

Humanitarian Award (unable to attend event)
Each year, the Village of Hanover Park presents the Hanover Park Humanitarian Award to an individual or group who has served the community through humanitarian efforts. This year the award went to Pastor Jennie Swanson. Pastor Swanson is the Pastor at Living Christ Lutheran Church. She is also the Chaplin for the Hanover Park Fire Department. Under her leadership the community outreach center that provides a library and computer lab and hosts classes for “English as a Second Language” was created. Mayor Craig stated, “Pastor Swanson is a dedicated and gifted public servant.” “She is a friend to all and promotes multicultural fellowship through her work.”


Educator of the Year (pictured left to right – Mayor Rod Craig, Judy Ciaglo) Judy Ciaglo was presented with the Educator of the Year award for her work at Greenbrook Elementary School. Ms. Ciaglo is one of those special teachers who is always willing to go the extra mile for her students and colleagues. She will do whatever it takes to help her students’ achieve. She has been a teacher in Keeneyville District 20 for 17 years and holds a Masters Degree in Education from St. Xavier College in Illinois.










Youth of the Year
This program is designed to recognize and encourage excellence in the young people of Hanover Park. Each year students are judged on heroism, community service, service to school, personal achievement and family commitment. And, each year a high school senior is selected as the Hanover Park “Youth of the Year”. This year’s winner is Deval Patel and the runner up is Sandeep Sandhu. Both are seniors at Glenbard North High School.


Business of the Year (pictured l-r – Mayor Rod Craig, Paula Wegner and Patrick Kaveney of First Eagle Bank)
The “Mayor’s Choice Business Award” program was developed by the Village’s CONECT Committee to recognize outstanding achievement in the business community within the Village. The winner of the 2008 Mayor’s Choice Business Award is First Eagle Bank. Established in Hanover Park in 1994, First Eagle has seen steady growth. The bank is very involved in community programs and activities. Its vision is to make a positive difference in people’s lives, the community and each other.


Citizen of the Year (pictured l-r John Holdeman and Mayor Rod Craig)
Mayor Craig announced Mr. John Holdeman as the 2008 Citizen of the Year. Mr. Holderman is the owner of Prairie Station Pub in Hanover Park. He also coordinated the Classic Car Show in celebration of the Village’s 50th Anniversary. He contributed proceeds from the Car Show to DuCap, an organization formed to help the youth of Hanover Park. Mr. Holdeman is active in the “Toys for Tots” program, the Streamwood DARE program and Smyrna Church.


For further information on the award winners and the Awards night event, please contact (630)372-4210.

Support for Wind Turbine Alliance from T. Boone Pickens

As a note of special interest to those who are tracking our "Wind Turbine Alliance" initiative, it comes with great pleasure to have the support of someone so influentual as T Boone Pickens.

Our initiative started as a collaboration between the Keeneyville School District and Mayor Rod Craig to seek an alternatives to building a turbine behind Greenbrook School next to the landfill. We embarked on a plan to build an Alliance with the School Districts that touch Hanover Park. The plan was finalized with support from Representative Crespo by introducing HB6660.

It's a brand new year and a brand new day for Illinois. We have a new governor, new president of the State Senate, and a new president of the United States. All of these individuals are supportive of Wind Turbine Initiatives. Wind energy curtails our dependence on foreign oil, supports sustainable energy products, creates new jobs, and saves tax payers dollars. These are exciting times and I couldn't be more proud of this effort and the people of Hanover Park who have been supportive. When I shared my vision in the Village Hi-Lighter many months ago, I heard from many of you, so thank you very much.

The residents of Hanover Park should be proud. Proud of the School Districts who are supporting the plan and proud of being apart of this grass roots effort.

Thank you, T Boone Pickens for acknowledging Mr. Gary Ofisher, Keeneyville School District 20 and all those who are working to acknowledge this plan.

We are on our way...

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Politics & Governmen Presentations & Slid wind energy turbine

Wind Turbine News

Here are a few recent articles to pass along on the state-wide efforts to bring clean, sustainable, cheap energy generated via wind turbines to Illinois:

Help Wanted for Green Jobs from CBS News

Wind Farm Developers Pursue Site West of City from the State Journal Register (Springfield)

DeKalb County wind farm would bring 133 turbines from Valley Free Press (Sandwich)

Wind farms take shape in Illinois fields from the State Journal Register (Springfield)