Steve Wiedmeyer: 2023 candidate for Pingree Grove Village President

Bio

Town: Pingree Grove

Age on Election Day: 56

Occupation: Landscaping

Employer: Self-employed

Previous offices held: Current Pingree Grove Village President 2015-present; Pingree Grove Village Trustee 1996-2015

Q&A

Q: What do you consider the primary responsibility of the community's "chairman of the board"?

A: My primary responsibility has always been to represent Pingree Grove in the most positive ways possible. I will educate anyone about where we've been and where we are headed. I have cultivated great working relationships with the many new businesses and commercial property owners and developers. I am always accessible to them and am in regular contact to keep them informed on the progress the village has made. I strive to ensure that the decisions we make today, will still have a positive impact for generations to come.

Q: What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should leaders respond to it?

A: Being one of the lowest taxing communities in the county, we constantly explore other revenue sources to ensure the village operates at the highest standards possible. Our department heads are extremely budget conscious and any major capital expenditures are, and will continue to be, discussed on several levels. In the coming years we expect to see further commercial growth on several potential sites. This will greatly ensure the future of the village. As a board. we will work closely with the developers to assist them with the process and bring the best developments for our residents.

Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?

A: Pingree Grove's finances are extremely strong. We are a budget conscious village board. Our finance department, while not very big, is very professional and efficient. There is good communication between departments as to the needs for the village. The village has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association after our annual audit of the finances for the past 14 years. This is something every resident of Pingree Grove can truly be proud of.

Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?

A: We will continue to run all daily operations of the village at the levels we currently run. This includes police, public works, sewer, water, administration and finance. As the village grows, we will be increasing the number of employees in all of these departments.

Funding our capital improvement fund is always a priority and I see that continuing in the future. This fund is used for major expenses and/or purchases throughout the year.

Future road resurfacing projects should also be considered a priority. All of our roads in the village have been graded as to their condition. This was done through a grant from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning. This has become an invaluable tool for the village to assist in determining which roads become a priority for resurfacing.

Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?

A: All departments follow their budgets closely. Any spending in addition to or above spending limits set by the budget must get village board approval. This might happen in an unexpected failure of equipment or vehicle. There really is no wasteful spending at this time.

Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

A: The village's wastewater treatment expansion is by far the most important infrastructure project in the near future. We will be doubling our capacity of our treatment plant. This will provide the necessary capacity for any future growth, both residential and commercial, for years to come. We are funding this with a low interest loan from the IEPA and we are also approved for $5 million of principal forgiveness from them.

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: Experience. I have been in my position for almost 8 years. Prior to that I was the senior trustee for many years. The village has made tremendous progress over the last decade. Our population has more than doubled since the 2010 census. Commercial growth appears to get closer and closer. My relationships with current and future business owners will be valuable as we move into that next phase of growth.

We have built a 30,000-square-foot municipal building which has greatly improved village operations. Myself and our public works director began researching the project in 2010 and the building was opened in 2019.

I have owned my own business for 35-plus years. I understand how to manage employees. Our current staff knows I have certain expectations of them. And they also know I will not micromanage them as they work to meet these expectations or as they perform their daily tasks.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

A: My idea is to continue steering the village in a positive direction as we approach the next crucial phase of growth. There has been some opinions that we should not allow any more residential units to be built. But at the same time, people want to see commercial growth.

I have never had unrealistic expectations on this. Our population is not yet where we need it to be to achieve this growth. I believe in the upcoming years, we will see interest in bringing these types of developments to Pingree Grove and having a village president that supports this growth will be imperative.