4/1/2005 (Downers Grove Reporter Weekend Edition)

Downers Grove is a special place, and the opportunities so many of its residents
take to provide service to others has been one of the village's defining characteristics
for decades. Shaping the future of Downers Grove lies in large measure with the
Village Council, and its members typically reflect the same commitment to civic
pride and community involvement shared by so many of their constituents.....

Newcomer William Waldack is our third choice here. (Marilyn Schnell and Martin Tully
are the endorsed incumbents). He is correct to focus on the need to restore
accountability and effectiveness to village government, and improve the morale
of village employees, by eliminating what he calls power politics at the local level.
We aren't quite as certain that Waldack's stated goal of getting the village" out of
the real estate business"-- a reference to the land acquisition that has led to the
Station Crossing development, the municipal parking deck and the Curtiss
redevelopment proposal now on the table-- can or should be accomplished at
this juncture. But the rest of his campaign platform, including his top issue of
addressing the teardown issue on an even more comprehensive basis,
is solid.

The Downers Grove Professional Firefighters Association endorses Marilyn Schnell, Martin Tully, and William Waldack for village commissioner. "Our organization is committed to providing the best possible service to the residents of Downers Grove. We have endorsed the candidates we feel will help us achieve that goal" said DGPFA President Joel Mains. DGPFA Secretary Rob Pekelder, who moderated a forum held on March 24^th hosted by the village’s firefighters, cited funding for public safety and village infrastructure as issues that most concerned the firefighters. "We look forward to working with the next council on improving or replacing our current firehouses and hopefully putting more firefighters and paramedics on the street."

3/26/2005

A Message from Bill Waldack

It is just about two weeks until the election and while the campaign dynamics have changed, the issues and who can best meet the upcoming challenges that face this village have not. The discussions on the new form of government in light of the resignations of our Village Manager and Deputy Village Manager suggest that your choice for Commissioner is critical.  I have opposed the attempt at a Strong Mayor government from the beginning and I support our Council - Manager form of government. We need to restore morale in our village staff. Professionalism, and not politics, is the first step to effective village management.

In recruiting staff, it is important to develop effective job descriptions, evaluation procedures, and interviewing techniques. In my experience as a corporate manager, I have developed and utilized these skills for many years. I will apply these skills to the village’s current situation to find effective management leadership. .

I have also promised to make the Council position more than a full time job. Other candidates talk about their "mortgage-paying" jobs and the additional time the Council requires. I feel that if I want to truly represent the people of Downers Grove, I must be available before, during, and after the normal business hours. I will attend meetings and events outside the already heavy Council requirements. I have already attended more Village Council, Workshop, and committee meetings, including Budget, Finance, Storm Water, Planning, and Community Dialogues other than the incumbents. I have no conflicts of interest - my only interest is the people of Downers Grove.

I respectfully request your vote on April 5th.

Bill Waldack

Independent and Informed Leadership

with a lawn sign.

Email us at

wwaldack@comcast.net  or call   630-969-9192