--- Stan Zoller
Candidate's name:
Lawrence Steingold
Candidate for:
Village Board Trustee
How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove?
30 years
Please provide brief background
information.
I live in Buffalo Grove with my wife
Eva, our three daughters, and dog Gizmo. I have a degree in Biochemistry
(Indiana U.), master’s in chemistry (Washington U., in St. Louis), and Law
Degree (Chicago Kent College of Law). I have been a practicing attorney for
close to 16 years, Prior to law school, I was a nuclear chemist. Currently, as
an attorney, I negotiate and deal with retail property development on a daily
basis, including leases and build out of properties. In my free time, I tutor
high school students in Chemistry, Physics, Math, Biology, ACT and SAT.
Have you served on a village committee or
commission before? If yes, which one and how long did you serve?
I have served on the Zoning Board of
Appeals for about 2-3 years.
What other civic
activities, if any, have you been involved with?
I served on the Board of Directors
for the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, along with the Board of Directors for
JCYS. In addition, I was the past president of my local synagogue.
Why are you running for a Village Board
position?
I am running for Trustee to bring
experience, knowledge, and direction to the Board. I have experience and
direction on retail economic development. I believe that spending millions of
dollars to redesign a flood plain does not make economic sense, so keep the
golf course green. Finally, I have the legal experience and knowledge on how to
effectuate the economic development the village needs.
In general, what do you see as the most pressing
issues facing Buffalo Grove?
The most pressing issue currently is
the village's future economic development. I anticipate the increase in tax
revenue with help ease the property tax burden. The village has a plan but
needs a trustee with experience and direction on how to place the plan in
action. I believe my experience in retail development can help the village.
There has been considerable discussion for years
about economic development in the village. What kind of economic development
(retail, commercial, industrial) do you think should be a priority and
why?
The recent trend around the country
is towards mixed use development. Mall foot traffic is substantially down for a
number of reasons (internet sales and mixed-use developments). As an attorney,
I work for retail development and negotiate against property management. I hope
to bring experience, knowledge, and direction on dealing with the three vacant
property sites to the Trustees.
Which business development plan do you think
should be a priority? Lake-Cook Road corridor, Dundee Road, Milwaukee Avenue or
the Prairie View concept?
The initial focus should be the
Lake-Cook Road corridor. This can set precedence for the remaining locations.
We need to negotiate from the strongest position and use the momentum of one
location to influence the others. Granted each location has its own issues, the
overall direction of economic growth starts at the center of our village, Town
Center.
How do you think the village should encourage
redevelopment of existing retail areas that are struggling?
As an attorney, I have knowledge of
the legal resources available for redevelopment, including business district
redevelopment laws. We should consider using the taxation power, and even
eminent domain. When negotiating with property management and owners, the
village must negotiate from a position of strength. Once you reduce your
options, you negotiate from a weaker position.
Should the village limit development to preserve
green space?
I am against any development on the
BG golf course. The cost to redirect the flood plain is too substantial. The
potential benefit is minimal compared to the costs involved.
Some of our volunteer groups (commissions,
committees) have seen shrinking membership. What would you do to engage the
community on a broader scale? What would you do to encourage broader
demographic participation?
Inclusion and diversity is an
absolute necessity for our village to run. I believe we should start with the
high schools and become more cooperative with the schools and entice students
and their families to become involved.
There is a proposal to add a "Community
Engagement Director" to the village staff. Do you think it is needed?
Explain why or why not.
The village must consider the
salary, description of job, and expected results. There is a purpose and
benefit of a community engagement director but needs to be defined and within a
reasonable budget.
Do you think the Village communicates well with
residents? If not, how can it be improved?
I believe we should have a broader
use of social media can help communicate more information with residents.
Final thoughts -- Add any information or
comments about your candidacy.
I am running because, after 30
years, I want to see economic growth in our village. When I went to Stevenson
('92), Town Center was still Town Center. I am running to use my knowledge,
experience, direction, and love for Buffalo Grove to build a community my
children to call home.
No comments:
Post a Comment