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Candidates for the April 6, 2021 Election Village of North Riverside
Early Voting - March 16 - April 5 2021
Richard S. Wagner for Village Trustee
(Scroll Down for Solutions)
Born and raised in nearby Elmwood Park, Richard and his wife settled on North Riverside in 2013 when they bought their first home here.
Eager to get to know the Village & get involved, Richard founded the North Riverside Open Forum, which has become a tremendous community resource for fellow residents seeking product and services referrals, as well as discussion of Village issues.
Currently a Storage Administrator for the VA at Hines Hospital, Richard has been involved with a career in Information Technologies for several years.
The Wagners' look forward to welcoming their first child to this great community in the upcoming weeks; and hope to make a stronger North Riverside for their family.
Solutions
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A PEOPLE BEFORE POLITICS Administration will listen to Residents and outreach will be substantial to get public input: including town hall meetings, questionnaires, and polling.
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An Emergency Management Team (with an incident command center) should be established, including protocols, contingency plans, a chain of command, and an action plan. Large commercial sites like the Mall must play an integral part on that team and in that planning. All businesses must know what part they play and must commit resources to the effort. Cooperation and communication are the keys to success in this area.
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I envision a beautification process along Cermak, west of First Avenue. Improving curb appeal, storefronts, and green space along the way west out of town is something that can be done to improve the overall atmosphere. I can see a small promenade area being created near the mall, with green space in the center.
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In founding the North Riverside Open Forum, I realize that social media is an important way for Residents to reach out to Officials. I know the Village uses Everbridge to communicate with Residents, but I have heard complaints regarding some residents not receiving notifications from the service. Any issues with this service should be looked into and resolved moving forward. The Village has made board meetings available via Zoom for residents to attend remotely, which is a great idea. I think the communication process with this can be improved so Residents get alerted prior to meetings and have correct login information prior to five minutes before a meeting.
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I believe there is no debate concerning the looming debt disaster, and we need to be honest with ourselves regarding it. VIP/United Party financial mismanagement has put the Village in a deep hole; to the tune of over $117 million in long term debt. IT’S A FACT. Too late to go back, we can only move forward. In a transparent manner People Before Politics will open the process and open the books. We will start with a “Zero Based Budgeting” process, where every program and expense will be scrutinized; and all programs and services will be prioritized.
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