Adam Stolberg: Highland Park City Council Candidate Profile

HIGHLAND PARK, IL — Ahead of the April 4 municipal elections, Highland Park Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates for City Council.

There are five candidates running for three open seats on the Highland Park City Council. Incumbents Tony Blumberg and Adam Stolberg are seeking reelection. A trio of newcomers — Jeff Hoobler, Kelly Nichols and Yumi Ross — are in the running for a first term as a councilmember.

Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Adam Stolberg

Age:
51

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?
No. My wife was a former President and Board Member of NSSD 112

Education:
BS in Agricultural Economics University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Occupation:
Co-Founder and CEO of Advantage Management, Inc. 23 years.
Executive Director of the Submersible Wastewater Pump Association 13 years

Campaign Website:
www.friendsofadamstolberg.com

Precious or Current elected or appointed office:
City Council person City of Highland Park

The most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them
While our city focuses on four core priorities Public Safety, Infrastructure Investment, Community Vibrancy and Fiscal Stability I believe Community Vibrancy to be our most pressing issue. It can be enhanced by a combination of responsible residential and commercial development. We have seen our vacancies in our downtown decrease by over 50% post COVID. We have changed our zoning code to allow for additional development and we have many incentives for both landlords and tenants. However we can and must do more. Some of the responsibility must fall to the building owners to offer fair rent, attractive options for new and lease extensions and reasonable build out allowances. As a city, we need to work in partnership with our local landlords and businesses. We must continue to offer incentives like façade grants, sales tax rebates, lower permit fees and easier application processes. I believe my experiences on the Council have already started to point us in the right direction. I will go into more detail further in this interview.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Quite simply, my experience. My combination of real estate management experience along with my time served as a member and past Chairman of the Plan and Design Commission and on the City Council the pat six years.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.
I will continue top be a listener and a leader. My primary expertise in in real estate and finance. I will continue to work with stake holders, City staff, developers and our sister governments to ensure we continue enhancing our vibrancy, while being fiscally responsible in planning for today an our future. We must continue to invest in our aging infrastructure, create new incentives for young families to move to Highland Park as well as opportunities for our seniors to age in place. We must address the severe need for affordable housing, help support existing businesses and attract new businesses.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
I have been a driving force in changing our zoning to reflect the needs of our City for today and in the future. The Pedestrian Oriented Shopping Overlay, or POSO, has been in place in downtown for many years. Its primary focus, at the time it was enacted, was to create sales tax generating businesses in the downtown, which also led to prohibition of banks popping up on every corner. In eliminating this antiquated district, we have filled two large, prime locations in Highland Park with a large real estate brokerage and a successful pediatric practice. While these entities may not generate sales tax, they fill to large spaces on the corner of Central and First Street and in Port Clinton. These two businesses bring people from outside our City to do business with them and then to eat, shop and play in our community,

I have worked extensively with Albion Company to ensure their projects were good for Highland Park. Albion I (formerly the Karger Center) built the single most inclusionary units on site of any development as well as paid over $500,000 into our inclusionary housing trust fund. Albion was so successful, that the built Albion II and demolished the old Saks building that was a vacant eye sore for over a decade. This project was built by selling them the air rites for $1,000,000, a concept I helped create. And when it came time to build, they wanted to add over 6000 square feet of retail/commercial space on their ground floor. This additional space would have added to the already large vacancies in downtown and further burdened our local businesses and landlords. As liaison to the Plan and Design Commission, I worked with them to find a better concept. Something unique and destined for success for both the developer and Highland Park. Today, that retail space is now brand-new walk-up townhomes right in the heart of downtown. I will continue to use my experience to come up with outside the box solutions that benefit everyone.

When I was elected six years ago, I never dreamt my responsibilities would include dealing with a tragedy like the 4th of July shooting. I am so proud of our community, our staff and our first responders. I had the opportunity to attend a United States Senate hearing in Washington DC to continue to advocate for stricter gun laws. I have worked diligently to ensure support systems are in place and will continue to be in place for years to come for those who lost loved ones, those who were physically injured and those emotionally scarred by this horrific event.

Why should voters trust you?
I have been a good listener. I am always available. I work collaboratively with our city staff, residents, businesses and local governmental partners. I am not afraid to listen to all sides, visit development sights or residents’ homes to address issues and concerns. I have been a responsible steward of our public monies and assets. I believe I have earned the trust of our residential and business community and my colleagues by being honest, fair, logical and accessible.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success
I have four goals:

1. To continue to enhance the vibrancy of all of Highland Park’s business districts. I will help create incentives to attract new businesses as well as help our existing businesses. At a recent Council Meeting I asked to investigate ways to offer sales tax rebates to not just businesses whose income is over $1,000,000 but to reduce that threshold to $50,000. We must have more staff involvement with our local businesses in terms of communication and ease of permitting.
2. Continue to help those in need. I have been and will continue to be an advocate for our inclusionary housing program. Inclusivity in Highland Park is critical to our long-term success.
3. I wish to leave Highland Park in better financial shape than when I started. Since I was first elected, we have maintained a Aaa Bond Rating, have passed award-winning balanced budgets and committed over $140 Million to infrastructure improvements. We have fully funded our pension obligation, and by not kicking the can down the road, we have ensure a stronger, more fiscally sound community. At a time when just being in the state of Illinois was a negative effect on a community’s bond rating, we have done all the right things to set Highland Park apart. Our Aaa Bond rating means we can borrow money at a less expensive rate. Replacing aging infrastructure with a 10 year Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) lets us take advantage of State and Federal Grants as well as forward pricing on equipment and vendor contracts. All of this minimizes the burden on future generations of tax payers and also allows us to enhance the quality of life for residents today.
4. I will do everything in my power to ensure our Assault Weapons Ban is upheld to make Highland Park a safer place for us today and our children tomorrow.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?
I have always believed there is a tremendous difference between responsible spending of money vs. wasting money. I have had the opportunity in my business life to create over $100 Million a year in budgets. Nothing breaks on time and it usually gets more expensive, not cheaper to fix something the longer you wait. I have had the opportunity to work with our exceptional City staff and be a part of an award-winning budget process every year. We have sold assets that were beyond their useful life to raise money for future needs. We have spent money responsibly to acquire real estate and equipment that will allow responsible expansion when needed. We have maintained a Aaa Bond rating to ensure when we go to the market to issue bonds our interest costs are as low as possible. Most importantly, we have chosen to invest in people…our City Manager, our Fire and Police Chief and countless others on our staff, fire, police, public work and more. These are the people who keep our city running every day.

What is your view of the city's/village's approach to commercial and residential development?
I believe I have addressed this in my previous comments.

When it comes to development, what are some key areas for improvement or additions you feel are most wanted by residents? What will need to be done to make this happen?
I believe I have also addressed this previously. But in addition, Residents want to see stores occupied. Residents want to be able to age in place. Residents want to be able to afford a safe place to live in Highland Park. Businesses want to be able to look to their local government to help them succeed. Developers need to be able to come to Highland Park with an easier, more efficient permitting process. We have made some good strides and improvements, as I have discussed earlier, but we can and I will do more.

What are your thoughts on the crime rate in your community, and what more can be done to combat crime — especially violent crime — in town?
I believe Highland Park is a safe community. However, we do live in an unsafe world. Highland Park recently adopted a camera system that identifies the license plates of vehicles that are attached to a felony or other violent crime. The camera reads the plate and cross references it in the system so that our Police can be informed if this vehicle (and potential criminals inside it) have entered Highland Park, most times to commit another crime. We can track its location and help prevent future crimes as well as recover stolen vehicles.

Do you support the Illinois assault weapons ban, and do you support the city's local assault weapons ban
1000%!!

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality? If not, what specifically should be done to do so?
I do. I think we can always listen and do more.

Do you support the SAFE-T Act? Why or why not?
The Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity – Today Act is extensive and its reforms impact many aspects of our criminal justice system and crime victims’ rights , and I do support it. I am fully supportive of our Police, who are there risking their lives to protect us. Sometimes they must use force, even deadly force to do so. The SAFE-T act, among many other things, creates new standards and guidelines, accountability, transparency, aid and training when it comes to use of force, de-escalation tactics racial and ethnic sensitivity training and more. When a Law enforcement officer violates this public trust, there are new, enhanced processes for addressing complaints and misconduct. These new measures ensure our Police have our support in defending our freedoms and rights, but are also held accountable so they are not “above the law.” Obviously, the Act could be discussed for much more than a few paragraphs, but this is an area I have chosen to highlight based on what I feel is important.

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:
By my eight-grade basketball coach at Edgewood Jr. High, Jerry Weber. “Don’t say your sorry, just don’t do it again.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?
I love Highland Park. I believe I have been a good public servant and have helped improve many things for today and the future. I would be honored if the residents of Highland Park would allow me to continue for another f0ur years.