Engy Sutherland, Elmhurst Ward 1 Candidate

ELMHURST, IL — Engy Sutherland is one of two candidates for the Ward 1 seat on the Elmhurst City Council.

Here are her responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Engy Sutherland

Age:
39

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No. But my husband’s grandfather was the Governor of North Dakota from 1985-1992.

Education:

Bachelors of Science in Actuarial Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Occupation:

Senior Actuary & Managing Director at the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association

Campaign website or social media page:

Website: www.EngyForAlderman.org
Instagram: @engyforalderman
Facebook: facebook.com/EngyforAlderman
Email: engy@engyforalderman.org

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

CPS Local School Council 2016-2020

The single most pressing issue facing our city is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Currently, the 2023 Budget is operating on a deficit. The City’s annual expenditures exceed our budgeted revenue. While a reserve will be able to make up the shortfall for this year, if we continue to use our reserves to cover budget shortfalls we will deplete our reserves by 2024. This has downstream impacts as we are at risk of not being able to make our debt payments and, lead to a downgrade in our S&P rating, and make it more costly for us to obtain debt in the future. While the current city council approved a flat tax levy, I intend to ensure that we have a responsible and balanced budget with adequate reserves in the general fund balance to be financially stable.

What type of residential and commercial development would you like to see in Elmhurst?

I would like to see balanced development that fits the needs of our residents, now and the future. Elmhurst is notable for the number of residents that move back to Elmhurst after growing up here, the number of residents that live here their entire lives, and the number of residents that move here from other towns. People are moving in at various stages of their lives, and staying here. We need to think progressively about what our needs will be and what the future will hold, which includes the kinds of housing developments that we may need as our kids grow up and move out of the house, or when we move back to Elmhurst to help with our grandchildren, or as young professionals looking for an alternative to living in Chicago.

How would you like to see downtown develop? Do you support more condos and apartments?

The downtown area is a unique and charming part of our city and part of Ward 1. People flock to downtown for an array of reasons, such as: dining and entertainment, shopping, essential health services, access to the Metra station (the third busiest in the Metra system), and more. This is a selling point for both residents and visitors alike. I support a balance of developing downtown that fits the needs of our residents, today and tomorrow, but also to bring in visitors and tourists from other areas. This grows our tax base, keeps businesses open and afloat, lowers the vacancy rate, and keeps our downtown charming and vibrant.

Any new residential developments that add population density need to consider whether the school district can take in additional students. The city would also need to conduct traffic studies and explore other avenues to alleviate traffic and parking congestion, add more bike lanes, and increase public transportation options. In addition, the developments should allow for ample green space and sunlight, as it’s beneficial for our overall health and quality of life.

Apartments and condos in general are great options for people who are looking to live in Elmhurst and enjoy everything downtown has to offer, but are not interested in a single family home. Even current residents may be interested in an apartment or condo down the road, and I support keeping our residents in Elmhurst at every stage of life.

The city is facing a multimillion shortfall in stormwater debt for stormwater projects that have been completed. How should the city close it?

When the stormwater projects were approved, the council did not consider a long term revenue stream to fund it, and since then the current city council made little progress. Some aldermen are considering selling green space near the site of the old Elmhurst hospital - against residents' wishes. In order to close the gap I would first like to see what other city-owned parcels that can be sold instead of the green space that the residents enjoy. In addition, I would like to see the results of the stormwater fee study and the various ways it can be structured so it’s equitable across residents. Going forward, a reliable revenue stream should be included in the plan whenever a General Obligation bond is issued, in order to be responsible with our debt, and to continue to receive a high S&P Rating of AAA.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

My background and qualifications differentiate me among the other candidates seeking this post. As a professional, fully credentialed actuary with over 15 years of experience, I am uniquely skilled at looking at our available data, digesting any demographic, regulatory, or policy changes, and then projecting forward the funding needed to execute plans to meet our strategic objectives. I’ve worked in forecasting, trend projections, financial planning, and policy and legislative analysis. This ties directly to the role of Alderman, where our responsibilities include managing our city’s priorities, setting policy, and approving a budget to fund it all, one year into the future and beyond.

In addition, I have a long and storied background in leadership and community service. I am an alumna of the Illinois Women’s Institute for Leadership Training Academy, an intensive year-long training program for women in leadership, founded by Loretta Durbin, Senator Dick Durbin's wife. I have led Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion efforts while recruiting actuaries into my profession on behalf of my employer, ensuring that we are looking at incoming actuaries with broad experience and perspective. I served 4 years on the Local School Council, the school-level version of the school board in the city of Chicago, where we were also responsible for our schools annual budget, continuous improvement work plan, and selection of the principal.

I’ve tutored in math and taught financial literacy to students in Chicago, I’m the Girl Scout Troop 56554 Co-Leader and treasurer, and I’m a cofounder of ROSE 205 - Respect Our Students and Educators, an organization to advocate for safe and inclusive schools in District 205.

While I spent the majority of my life in Chicago and the surrounding area, I believe I am the only candidate to have had the privilege and perspective to have lived in various neighborhoods and cities throughout Illinois, in other states, and in other countries. When looking for a home, people generally have options, and my husband and I considered our options when we chose Elmhurst to raise our young children. Our youngest child started Kindergarten at Hawthorne this year - we are here for the long haul.

And finally, as a first-generation American (my parents immigrated from Egypt to the US via Canada), I would be the first millennial and woman of color to join Elmhurst City Council. This provides a fresh perspective and new energy to our local government, as well as representation to our changing demographics.

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

In addition to my professional qualifications, education, and community service background mentioned above, I’m a parent of two young children. Anyone with kids will tell you that the role is more than just being a parent, you’re a cook, a nurse, a chauffeur, a tutor, a kisser of boo-boos, and a cheerleader. I wear many hats as I balance my home and work and social life and children’s extracurriculars. And when I was younger, I was never just a student, I was an honors’ student with a load of AP classes, a soccer player, a mathlete, the yearbook copy editor, Vice President of the Senior Class Council, and member of the speech team. As for handling the job, this is another hat I will wear and balance, as I have my entire life, and I’m ready and eager to do it.

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

Accomplishments that would make my term in office a success include 1) increased engagement with residents which allows me to bring new ideas to the table - through the referral process - that benefit Ward 1 residents, 2) a fiscally sound and balanced budget that reflects our collective priorities and vision, and 3) diversified tax revenue streams from other sources to encourage less reliance on property taxes.

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

No. I am committed to the role. I believe the residents deserve a fully engaged alderman, and I will not run for a different office while elected to this position.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

In college, I was struggling with one of my major classes. My dad, who was a professor of electrical engineering, drove down to Champaign to help me. I was feeling frustrated with the content and didn’t feel I could do well in it. He asked me one question “Can you read and understand a sentence? Just one sentence.” I told him yes, I can read. Then he said “if you can understand one sentence, you can learn anything.” He moved to the US in his 30s, and almost immediately took advantage of our public library to read, in English. He read books about the Civil War, the founding fathers, even books by Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens. That shifted my mindset, and I think about this anytime I come across something challenging, foreign, or complex. Everything can be broken down into small, sizable chunks, and all you have to do to start is to read.

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

Before kids, my husband and I loved to travel to various cities in the US. This allows us to explore a new town, soak in the culture, try their local cuisine, drink their favorite coffee, and feel like we are one of the locals. We would go on bike rides, walks, boats, to explore the lovely city we are visiting. Cities have such a personality, a charisma, and it’s a reflection of the town’s residents and what they have to offer to visitors and to each other. I believe Elmhurst is as charming as any of the cities my husband and I visited in our 20s, making it a welcoming town for all of us, visitors and students and families. This is the vision I have for Elmhurst: A truly welcoming and inclusive place for everyone to live, study, work, and enjoy, at every stage of our lives.