Wendy Dunnington: Candidate For Arlington Heights Trustee

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Ahead of the April 6 consolidated municipal elections, Arlington Heights Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

Six candidates are vying for four four-year trustee seats on the Arlington Heights Village Board on Election Day. They include two incumbents (Richard Baldino and Jim Tinaglia) and four challengers (Jim Bertucci, Will Beiersdorf, Wendy Dunnington and Nicolle Grasse).

Arlington Heights Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Wendy Dunnington

Age (as of Election Day)

48

Town/City of Residence

Arlington Heights

Office Sought

Village board or city council

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race)

Independent

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

no

Education

Bachelor of Science in Finance, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Occupation

I have been a long time stay at home mom. In December, I started working part time in District 25 as a Classroom Assistant and Guest Teacher.
Before I stayed home to raise my family in Arlington Heights, I worked as a credit analyst in commercial banking and then worked at the national office of the Alzheimer’s Association as an auditor and financial analyst. I managed the $26 million Direct Marketing budget which raised money for Alzheimer’s care and research.

Campaign website

wendyfortrustee.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

none

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Water and Sewer Infrastructure
I’m concerned about the water main breaks in Arlington Heights. In the 2021 budget, the Village reported that “Water main breaks are used as an indicator of system condition. According to the American Water Works Association, water utilities should strive for between 25 and 30 water main breaks per 100 miles of water main per year. Over the last six years, the Village is averaging 88 breaks per 100 miles of water main.” The village has been working on solutions on preventive measures to extend the existing life of our water mains. Additional investment in our water infrastructure is going to be important so we don’t waste clean drinking water and we protect public health. Arlington Heights will not be an attractive community if we have underlying infrastructure problems and homeowners with flooded basements. I believe this important investment will create jobs and fuel our economy because infrastructure projects are good for the community.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

Yes, I support Black Lives Matter. The largely peaceful demonstrations in 2020 put a spotlight on systemic racism and fueled important conversations that continue to be necessary in our country.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

No, with the recent racist graffiti and vandalism in Arlington Heights, the Village Board did not come out strongly enough to condemn it. I support a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission to work to make Arlington Heights a more welcoming community.
In addition, the Village should establish a Supplier Diversity Program. The program would track the purchases the Village makes from women and minority owned businesses and set an annual goal for purchasing from those businesses. This program will help fight inequality, systemic racism and sexism, and generational wealth gaps.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?

I support the Illinois Restore plan, although it’s important to recognize that we are not all in the same situation in regards to the pandemic. Some were fortunate enough to be able to easily transition to working at home and some businesses had record sales during the pandemic. Unfortunately, many others lost their jobs and their healthcare, businesses were forced to close or reduce hours, kids vying for sports and music scholarships couldn’t play and childcare was a big issue for families. The pandemic revealed many inequities including the need for paid sick leave and a living wage for essential workers. I also support a mask mandate, when you wear a mask you are respecting your neighbors, as well as our healthcare community.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?

So far, the vaccine distribution has been challenging. Seniors were prioritized to receive the vaccine, but some of the technology required for the on-line sign ups is difficult for users. I helped my parents navigate the appointment process and I’m concerned for seniors who don’t have someone to assist them. Through the Senior Center and the Village Nursing Services, Arlington Heights should be reaching out to seniors to help them schedule vaccine appointments.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I’m running for Village Trustee because we need to have new voices on the Arlington Heights Village Board. I bring a different set of experiences than the other candidates in this race. Not only do I have experience in finance and budget management, but I have volunteered hands-on in our local schools, my church and numerous nonprofits for the last 14 years.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

The majority of the Village Board failed the community by opting out of the Cook County $15 minimum wage and 5 days of paid sick leave ordinance in 2017. According to the Pew Research Center, 67% of Americans support a $15 minimum wage.
In addition, the majority of the Board failed the community when they did not initially approve marijuana sales in 2019. Although the board later approved a pilot program with Verilife, the Village lost out on sales tax revenue and the likely interest of other marijuana businesses considering opening a new business in the Northwest suburbs.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

The Village of Arlington Heights uses the State of Illinois building codes. Since the state legislative process often moves slowly, this is where Arlington Heights can step in and make a big difference for climate change by updating their building codes with green building codes.
When approving new construction projects and the renovation of certain existing buildings, Arlington Heights should provide incentives for businesses and developers that employ sustainable design practices to promote energy conservation. Important green building codes and infrastructure could include:
Green roofs
Reuse of materials and use of recycled materials
Using WaterSense labeled plumbing fixtures
Installing a greywater or stormwater harvesting system
Installing automatic lighting controls
Using on-site renewable energy
Native landscaping

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I served on the Church Council of First United Methodist Church of Arlington Heights (FUMCAH) for a total of 8 years when I represented the Missions Committee and the Preschool Board. As a current member of the FUMCAH Missions Committee for ten years and the chairperson for four years, we fundraise for local organizations including Journeys The Road Home, WINGS, Viator House of Hospitality and Faith Community Homes. I developed an annual Trivia Night fundraiser and Iaunched a 3 year, $30,000 campaign for Imagine No Malaria. I also managed a mission trip for a team of 10 people to La Victoire, Haiti in 2018. As a member of the First United Methodist Preschool & We-e Care Program Board for five years and the chairperson for three years, I oversaw the pre-school budget, managed school fundraisers and completed a yearly performance review of the Preschool Director.
Last year I was a member of the JDRF Illinois One Dream Gala Committee. I assisted with the planning, promoting and hosting of a virtual gala fundraiser in December 2020 which raised $9 million dollars to find a cure for type 1 diabetes. I also served on the JDRF One Walk Family Team Committee for four years where I stewarded walk teams to raise money for the annual JDRF One Walk fundraiser. Our family team personally raised over $71,000 by fundraising and participating in the JDRF One Walk for six years.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

My term in office would be a success if Arlington Heights added green building codes to the existing Village codes and established a Supplier Diversity Program.

Why should voters trust you?

I’m running for Village Trustee to continue my service to the community. I do not have a business that will benefit from my service on the Village Board.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

The Village currently has an AA1 rating from Moody’s Investors Service so the Village has overall done a very good job in managing our finances. Based on the 2019 budget, I would note that we are losing population and our rising median age (45) means our population is growing older in Arlington Heights.
To avoid increasing property taxes, I would focus on additional revenue by seeking out new technology, marijuana and environmentally friendly businesses. I would also support building additional homes in the medium dollar range ($340,300) which will result in increased property tax income from the new homes and keep Arlington Heights a younger, family friendly community. If budget cuts are needed, I would look at the number of Arlington Heights Village employees in comparison to other local communities. Eighty percent of the Village budget pays for salaries and benefits. In 2021, 31% of employees are eligible to retire and in 2022, it's 34%. We’ll need to carefully evaluate if all positions need to be filled or if we can find some savings in this area.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was:

I’m a Gen Xer - "Be true to yourself and you will never fall." Beastie Boys

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

If the racetrack does not continue to operate in Arlington Heights, I would advocate for the property to become a music venue similar to Ravinia Festival in Highland Park. That would allow the property to continue to generate income for the village and it would employ a large number of workers (including young people just entering the workforce). In addition, a music venue would attract visitors to our area and add to the music scene already developed in our downtown by the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, Hey Nonny, Big Shots, Sounds of Summer and Frontier Days. The property would be easily accessible by train, the expressway and a trolley from downtown. A beautiful venue with open space and native plants would be an exciting addition to our Village for people of all ages.