Christopher Lay: Candidate For Northbrook Trustee

NORTHBROOK, IL — Ahead of the April 6 consolidated municipal elections, Northbrook Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.

Six candidates are vying for three four-year trustee seats on the Northbrook Village Board on Election Day. They are incumbents Muriel J. Collison and Daniel H. Pepoon, and challengers Robert Burns, Joy Ebhomielen, Christopher Lay and Ana Mendez McGuinnes. Current Trustee Kathryn L. Ciesla is running for Village President, leaving her seat up for grabs, with Sandra E. Frum set to retire. She will be challenged by Eugene Marks for president.

Ciesla, Collison, Ebhomielen and Pepoon have received the backing of the Northbrook Caucus of 2021. Burns, Lay, Marks and McGuinnes are being endorsed by United4Northbrook.

Northbrook Patch is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.

Christopher Lay

Age (as of Election Day)

62

Town/City of Residence

Northbrook

Office Sought

Village board or city council

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race)

United4Northbrook

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

I have a Bachelor of Music Degree (BM) in music performance from DePaul University with high honor and a Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law, cum laude.

Occupation

I am an attorney and have been practicing for 13 years. My practice focuses on intellectual property litigation. I also have conducted a number of pro bono Section 1983 civil rights cases in the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Northern District of Illinois, and Central District of Illinois for detainees whose civil rights have been violated by corrections officers and staff.

Campaign website

www.united4nortbrook.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.

The single most pressing issue facing the Village Board is its current upside-down organizational chart. The current Board, comprised largely of incumbents who have never been challenged in an election, believes incorrectly that it sits at the top of the chart. They are wrong. Northbrook residents and voters occupy the top of the chart, and Board lies underneath them as the steward and representative of residents and their interests. All the current problems in Northbrook have arisen because the current Board proclaims, deals, mandates, acquires, and gambles in ways completely divorced from the guidance and interests of the residents who elected them. Fix the chart by replacing the incumbents and the ship will be righted. We will return fiscal responsibility, transparency, and accountability to Northbrook governance.

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?

United4Northbrook stands for diversity and inclusion, rejects racism and bias of all forms, and will work to promote civility and understanding between residents of all economic, racial, educational, and age-based groups.
The George Floyd video was sickening, and anyone viewing it necessarily feels anger and the need to react. Black Lives Matter was an organic reaction to that incident and others. On the other hand, I am against demonizing all police as a consequence of individual bad actors. In my pro bono cases on behalf of detainees at Cook County Jail, all of whom have been black or Hispanic, we have encountered individual corrections officers who acted wrongfully. But we don’t eliminate corrections officers because of a few bad ones. Here in Northbrook, we should not defund the police because of bad actors elsewhere. This is an ongoing, complex issue, but the way forward is to work with the police, not against them.

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

The current Board pays lip service to diversity but has little to show for it. Indeed, it has at times disrespected entire groups, such as the Asian community, during contentious issues appearing before it. Racial equality begins with respect. United4Northbrook will treat everyone with mutual respect and consideration, regardless of race.

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?

The speed at which vaccines were developed was remarkable and unprecedented. But the distribution of them has been sporadic at best. The State of Illinois and Village of Northbrook could do much better in providing up-to-date information on where and how to get the vaccine. The question whether non-essential businesses should be limited is itself problematic, as the definition of “non-essential” is vague at best and designates winners and losers, often based on political clout. All businesses and jobs are important and should be treated with respect and provided with the help they need to recover as quickly as possible.
In my experience, restaurants in Northbrook are handling the indoor/outdoor seating, number of tables, protection of employees, and cleanliness issues in excellent fashion. Regarding mask mandates, what does this mean? At present, people should and do wear masks indoors in stores, shops, malls, and the like. A stringent mandate requiring more is unnecessary at present.

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?

State and local distribution of the vaccine has been subpar. Governments tend to be more inefficient than the private sector in handling distribution of anything, e.g., mail and packages. The vaccine is no different. Local governments should work with experts from the private sector to figure out quickly how best to obtain the most effective rollout.

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

United4Northbrook will be transparent, exercise fiscal prudence, focus on the wants and needs of Northbrook residents and businesses, seek to attract new businesses and jobs, implement practical Green measures, initiate new arts initiatives, and curb the recent spike in crime.
In stark contrast, the incumbents are secretive, fail to exercise due diligence or seek residents’ input before squandering millions of dollars, such as on the Grainger space, antagonize current and prospective businesses, dabble in Green initiatives without actually accomplishing anything, fumble opportunities such as revitalizing Northbrook Court and downtown, and ignore the current sharp rise in crime. Just look at the empty Grainger lot, mess at Green Acres, and calamity at Northbrook Court. Your eyes don’t lie.

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

The current Village Board forged a seven-person mandate on affordable housing without sufficiently informing Northbrook residents about the consequences of implementing it. The incumbents will vehemently deny this statement; but ask via scientific poll how many Northbrook residents understand the meaning of Accessory Dwelling Units (“ADUs”). If the answer is more than 3%, I would be shocked.
Lopping off the Macy’s end of Northbrook Court and leaving a giant crater is emblematic of the current Board’s misadventures; Grainger is another; Green Acres is yet another. Northbrook residents deserve better, and for the first time in years have an opportunity to vote for a complete change in direction.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

We will place the interests of Northbrook residents and businesses first. We will actively seek input from residents on all major issues confronting the Village. We will work with businesses and developers with a positive approach of accommodation, but always with the view that businesses and developers must acknowledge and address the concerns of residents and seek favorable outcomes for everyone.

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

I believe my experience in entering law school in my forties gave me a well-rounded understanding of time management and balancing my priorities. I worked hard at my studies at Loyola in the night school, my music business during the day, being a devoted husband to my wife Julie, and hands-on father to our son, Cecil, who was three when law school began. I feel a great sense of commitment to our community, a place where Julie and I raised our son. I want every family to feel safe as their kids play outside and enjoy their neighborhood as we do when we take our yellow lab, Collins, for walks.

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

We want to refocus affordable housing on Northbrook seniors and residents with disabilities, using Crestwood as a fine example. Bringing in more jobs and businesses would be a milestone. Correcting the failures of the current Board regarding Northbrook Court, the Grainger space, and the failed Green Acres development would be a substantial accomplishment, leading to a more vibrant community, more jobs, more restaurants, a higher tax base, and a better quality of life. Finally, we want Northbrook residents and businesses to once again feel safe. The recent violent crime at Northbrook Court, bank robberies, car break-ins, and store theft are not acceptable, and we will work with police and other agencies to curb this new trend before it becomes permanently entrenched.

Why should voters trust you?

Trust must be earned. Those who know me believe that I am trustworthy, and I will work hard to earn the trust of Northbrook residents and businesses. One reason residents who don’t yet know me should trust me is that I will admit when I make a mistake; I’ve made them before and will do so again. That said, I try my best to learn from them. I will also strive for total transparency so that people will feel comfortable in the belief that I’m not hiding anything.

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

The Village Board should treat taxpayers’ money prudently and with the discipline one would exercise with one’s own money. Our team will never gamble with taxpayer funds as the incumbents did in 2018 with the purchase of the Grainger property for $8.3 million. One current Board member stated publicly that the purchase was a gamble. The Board also mentioned publicly that it had no plan for Grainger at the time it made the purchase. And worse, there was no public debate or opportunity for residents to voice their opinion. Three years later, Grainger is an empty parking lot that generates zero tax dollars.
Our approach will be different; spend money where essential services are concerned, seek public input on matters involving large sums of money – especially discretionary spending – and work to keep property taxes as low as possible. Importantly, the days of closed-door decisions involved multi-million-dollar gambles will be over.

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

None.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Hard to say, because I have received great advice from many fine people. I just read one bit of advice that made me happy: When you have got a thing where you want it it is a good thing to leave it where it is.

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

I think that I’m a good listener and am trying to get better at it every day. I will listen to any Northbrook resident about any concern they have and will treat them with respect, even if my views are different. My colleagues on the United4Northbrook are all the same in this regard, and this is a primary reason we are running. The status quo of secrecy practiced by the incumbents, such as commonplace closed sessions, veiled agendas, suppression of information, and the like, coupled with abject disrespect for Northbrook residents and businesses who disagree with them, must end. We United4Northbrook candidates will be open to the public, share information, respect diverse views, and represent the entire community.