Candidates Strut Their Stuff at Community Forum

Who can residents choose in the April 5 election to be Niles' next leaders?

A battery of candidates lined up at a community forum Thursday at Culver School and tried to give voters a better sense of their qualifications and ideas.

The forum, hosted by the Niles Journal & Topics newspapers, offered candidates an opportunity to promote themselves in, respectively, the races for Niles Village Board, Niles Library Board and Niles Park District Board.

Four candidates for the village board—Rosemary Palicki, Christopher Hanusiak, Jim Hynes and Mary Marusek—answered questions from the public.

Opening statements:

• Mary Marusek: Urged the Niles Board to have open budget meetings. "We've entered a period of change in Niles, but it has been slow and incomplete."
• Jim Hynes (running for re-election; Hynes was appointed but not yet elected): Emphasized the "Best Place to Raise a Family" award and the current trustees' work on the comprehensive plan. "We have worked very well together as part of a bigger team: the Niles Board of Trustees."
• Chris Hanusiak (running for re-election; Hanusiak was appointed but not yet elected): Pointed to the current board's work on frugal budgets and stringent ethics policies. "I want to run on my record: a record of accomplishment, not of vague promises about our village's uncertain future.
• Rosemary Palicki: Criticized the mayor for disallowing public comments at a handful of meetings in the past six months. "My candidacy is about openness, honesty and integrity."

What is the village doing well, and what improvements need to be made?

• Mary Marusek: "It's not always easy for people to get out and attend evening meetings. I would like to be able to get information through residents through other sources." She also emphasized open meetings, open appointments and ethics.
• Jim Hynes: "Everything in the village runs pretty well, but everything can always be improved." Hynes would like to see new and more revenues that don't directly impact residents' pocketbooks.
• Chris Hanusiak: "The biggest thing I think we're doing well is our comprehensive plan where we're looking at the future of the village of Niles. We need to keep planning, not short-term but long-term."
• Rosemary Palicki: "I think the current board and mayor have tried very hard to keep taxes down. But I think we have to look more closely at what our taxes are going to and how efficiently they're being used." Palicki  would like to see village meetings broadcast.

Have you received political contributions from village employees or unions representing them?

• Mary Marusek: No, but shares with Rosemary Palicki.
• Jim Hynes: No. but shares expenses with the United for Better Government Party. 
• Chris Hanusiak: No, but shares expenses with the United for Better Government Party.
• Rosemary Palicki: No, but shares with Mary Marusek.

What areas of the budget need closer scrutiny?

• Mary Marusek: Pointed to Niles Family Services, the free bus, services enjoyed by non-residents, and revenues that don't' directly affect taxpayers' pockets.
• Jim Hynes: "The whole process needs to involve the board earlier. We want to see a balanced budget. We want to see how you're balancing the budget. Then the trustees can decide if there's a program that we don't want to fund." He also pointed to Niles Family Services. 
• Chris Hanusiak: "We're scrutinizing the entire budget now, and in public whereas before it was closed session, closed doors. What we see is what the public is seeing." Hanusiak wants to investigate new revenue streams that don't involve taxing residents. 
• Rosemary Palicki: "A major concern in the budget is the funding of the police and fire pensions." Palicki also wants to examine the development of shopping centers and the free bus.

Why haven't the trustees contributed to the employee pension plans over the past 10 years?

• Mary Marusek: "Starting in 2004, there were really problems with not funding." Marusek emphasized openness and honesty with residents and said she wants to discuss decisions with residents.
• Jim Hynes: Pointed to his brief 18 months on the board. "This year we've made a decent step. Next year we're going to have to make a bigger step."
• Chris Hanusiak: Also pointed to his brief time on the board. "Once we find out what the actuaries are—what we need to pay in—we plan on putting that in every year. We owe it to the firemen and the policemen."
• Rosemary Palicki: "There were two fiscal years where the village of Niles didn't make any contributions to the police and fire pension funds. The state of Illinois has done the same thing, but we have to be better than the state of Illinois. These people are saving lives and we cannot skimp in any form."

How would you communicate with constituents to understand their needs and represent their interests?

• Mary Marusek: "It's been a very closed government. I really would like to see everyone use the library as a resource for public information." Marusek wants to see a clearly presented budget on file at the library. 
• Jim Hynes: "As a village government, we need to explore different and more ways to get information out to the residents. Part of it is online, part of it is channel 6 on Comcast. Part of it is finding out what media people want to get their information from."
• Chris Hanusiak: "I truly believe that our constituents are getting more and more involved in what we do." Hanusiak referenced the workshops at the senior center about the comprehensive plan.
• Rosemary Palicki: "The board meetings are not as open as they should be. In order to get people to come and speak up, they have to feel they're going to be heard. Broadcast meetings." Palicki said she would hold open office hours at Village Hall.

What ideas do you have to improve appearance of weathered areas?

• Mary Marusek: "I would like to see a focusing of the comprehensive plan on specific areas." She favored identifying and targeting which particular areas to beautify.
• Jim Hynes: Wants more funding for the beautification committee. "There's not much you can do with an empty lot that's owned by someone. But we just need to keep trying."
• Chris Hanusiak: "We continue to go forward with the Milwaukee Avenue  beautification." Hanusiak said the project is on schedule for 2013.
• Rosemary Palicki: Pointed to the Niles Beautification Committee and the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. "I would want to get input from both committees. We would utilize the information collected from them, and then make decisions going forward."

Would you do anything about the tentative move of W.W. Grainger from the large industrial area they occupy in the community?

• Mary Marusek: "The concern about Granger is that this is a major employer in Niles—a very important business. We need to make sure we keep these kinds of companies and the industrial area very strong."
• Jim Hynes: "Grainger unfortunately is moving out, leaving a huge footprint. Our economic development people in the village have been trying to develop more businesses to go in there."
• Chris Hanusiak: "Our community development team has been working with other businesses and developers to redevelop that area." Hanusiak emphasized that the village is at 96 percent occupancy of its retail areas.
• Rosemary Palicki: She suggested studies to assess the feasibility of developing Grainger's spot as a small retail area and making it a train stop for the Metra. "Could that be possible? I don't know. But I think it's something to pursue."

Jo LoVerde and Al Weel, who are also running for the village board on the United for Better Government ticket, were not present because of prior commitments.

Residents heard from hopefuls for the library and park district boards. 

Library board:

• Doug Bressler: "I want to help make the library a place where people feel welcome and a place where programs can be offered for all generations to enjoy. The library is an important pillar in our community, and I want to be part of that process."
• Danette Matyas: "Technology is always changing for the better. If elected, I would like to expand the computer section for the seniors and offer after school programs for our children. Let's keep our children off the street and in the library." 

Barbara Nakanishi is running for re-election to the library board but could not attend due to a prior commitment. 

Park district board: 

• Jeff Sok: "Neighboring communities in the past 10 years have gotten six OSLAD (Open Space Land Acquisition and Development) grants. Niles got zero. I would like to change the old way of thinking the commissioners have right now. We need someone to get money from the state of Illinois for this park district."
• Dennis O'Donovan: "I'm running for the Park District, because I feel I can bring my experience and knowledge. When I take my kids to the park and watch them play, I look around the park and see ways to improve and update the park." O'Donovan wants to explore installing walking paths for seniors, dog parks and a skate park. 
• Elane Heinen (running for re-election): "I hope to see the budget meetings open to all people. Times are changing; people want more activities. We must go out for more grants for different equipment."
• Joe Romano (running for re-election): Pointed to his experience as a police officer and his children's involvement in park activities. "It's because of these experiences my interest in becoming more involved and making sure the district continues in the right direction started." Romano wants to explore the addition of a skatepark and a multi-use facility.
• Ray Czarnik (running for re-election): "Why make a change? We keep true, realistic budgets. We hold our employees accountable. We spend your tax dollars wisely. We reduce expenditures when needed without compromising the product. Sounds to me like it's not broke, and it doesn't need to be fixed."