--- Stan Zoller
Candidate's name:
Rachel Hausman Masse
Candidate for:
Village Board Trustee
How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove?
32 years
Please provide brief background information.
I was raised in Buffalo Grove, I
went to Willow, Ivy Hall, Twin and SHS class of 2004. I've worked in Real
Estate at a local Buffalo Grove office for the last ten years. My husband and I
own a home in Buffalo Grove and he is a science teacher at Twin Groves Middle
School.
Have you served on a village committee or
commission before? If yes, which one and how long did you serve?
No.
What other civic activities, if any, have you
been involved with?
I'm involved with JCC parent-family
mitzvah projects where money is raised and donated to various charities.
Why are you running for a Village Board
position?
I am running for village trustee
because I have decided to raise my family in Buffalo Grove and want to help
continue to grow the community and protect our green spaces.
In general, what do you
see as the most pressing issues facing Buffalo Grove?
We need to redevelop town center and
the many vacant retail spaces throughout Buffalo Grove. Additionally, our
community has wonderful green spaces that need to be properly preserved and
protected.
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?
Retail needs to be a priority
because we need to start attracting more businesses and restaurants to help
contribute to lower the tax burden on our residents, as well as to provide a
space for community members to use within our own city limits.
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 Lake Cook corridor should be a
priority.
How do you think the village should encourage
redevelopment of existing retail areas that are struggling?
I think the village can encourage
redevelopment by creating partnerships with the current owners and teaming with
fellow trustees to develop an incentivized plan to promote community growth.
Should the village limit development to preserve
green space?
Yes, the village should protect
green spaces, specifically the Buffalo Grove Golf Course and all of its public
parks.
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?
The community needs to be
communicating better a whole by utilizing more social media, and by targeting a
younger audience within the community. With a disconnected community, we need
to listen to the needs of our diverse demographic to establish community events
that everyone can connect with.
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.
It is needed to ensure the voices of
our people are represented in cultural and social engagements. It would be
prudent for our village to make sure this position is filled by someone who is
competent in cultural diversity and can communicate the needs of our community
back to the village.
Do you think the Village communicates well with
residents? If not, how can it be improved?
No. Our village needs to engage with
the people who live here and start using communication outlets that reach more
residents in a modern, more effective manner.
Final thoughts -- Add any information or
comments about your candidacy.
I think our village would benefit
with me as a trustee because I work with hundreds of families and residents on
a daily basis, and also have an active young family in Buffalo Grove. I grew up
in this town and want to see it prosper and grow to attract more families and
Stevenson alumni to live here again.
No comments:
Post a Comment