Jeffery D. Schielke: 2025 candidate for Batavia mayor

Bio

Office Sought: Batavia mayor

City: Batavia

Age: 76

Occupation: Batavia mayor

Previous offices held: Batavia mayor since 1981

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? Also, what makes you the best candidate for the position?

Have several community related projects that are in process which I would like to see completed. Including further restoration of our downtown business district, upgrading of the Fox River banks through our community, revitalization of several industrial plants in our northern industrial area on the northeast side of town, seeking to see the further expansion of the Fermilab complex located on our east side, and working to deal with increasing traffic conditions along Kirk Road, Randall Road and Fabyan Parkway.

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

Being a target of criminal activity cause by nonresidents who sense that our community is an up-and-coming residential community which becomes a target for burglaries, identity thefts, and smash-and-grab attacks by nonresidents. Need to have a highly involved police force with support of technologies that assist in keeping the bad guys wanting to stay away.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Our city finances are in good shape. We have done careful spending in our budget and we have been able to greatly increase our retail sales tax volumes with new businesses moving in.

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?

We have commenced a professional study on the need for upgraded law enforcement facilities which is now ongoing with no conclusions at this time. We are also studying the needs for enhancements along the Fox River and how they might be funded going forward.

We have taken a number of active steps to build up our water, sewer and electric systems in the past 10 years. Much progress has been made with support of state and federal monies.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

I have always maintained a very active communications agenda with our city council who have the power to make all the serious decisions in city government under current Illinois law. All aldermen know that they can contact me at any time to discuss any matter of concern to them. We also have a very strong city administrator who is on top of city business matters each and every day.

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

I am seeking to increase our relationships of communications with all other local governments on an ongoing, preplanned schedule so that all other local governments including the school district, park district, library district, township board and county board elected representatives all know what is currently taking place in town or what might be taking place in coming months.

The Kane County Forest Preserve District is currently assembling a very large tract of existing farmland west of Batavia that all local governments need to know about and have review power of their positions in this matter.