Libertyville Village Board: Patrick Scheibler Candidate Questionnaire
LIBERTYVILLE, IL — There are five candidates vying for three open trustee seats on the Libertyville Village Board this spring. The local spring election will be held on April 1. More information on voting and registering to vote can be found here. Patch.com will be publishing candidate questionnaires leading up to the election for candidates who respond to our questions. Below is the candidate questionnaire for Patrick Scheibler, a candidate for the Libertyville Village Board:Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/patri...Age (as of Election Day): 57Town/City of Residence: LibertyvilleDoes anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for:My sister, Kathleen O’Connors, is Township Supervisor which is a different government entity but thought it would be good to be transparent. Education:Bachelors Degree from Illinois State University Occupation. Please include years of experience: Pharmaceutical Sales Director 35 yearsPrevious or Current Elected or Appointed Office: N/AThe most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them: The most serious issue is maintaining a balance of thoughtful growth and neighborhood integrity. I grew up in this town, chose to raise my own children here, and it’s a point of pride that so many people who also grew up in Libertyville are able to make this their home and raise their own families here. It’s rewarding to see that the generation that came before mine is also able to retire here, both for financial reasons and from a housing option perspective.The concern is that unchecked housing growth and density will adversely affect the character of the community. To address this, the village should be proactive to ensure that growth is managed thoughtfully. This includes implementing policies that promote sustainable development and maintaining the unique character of the neighborhoods. Engaging with the community to gather input and feedback on development plans is crucial. Additionally, the board should consider creating incentives for developers to build diverse housing options.What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?The critical differences between me and other candidates seeking this post lie in my extensive experience and unique approach to leadership. Over my 35-year career, I have focused on leading teams, working towards common goals, and persuading and influencing others toward specific objectives and a shared vision. This journey has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of team dynamics, strategic planning, and effective communication.Additionally, I have been trained on and have trained others in various leadership styles. I have found the most value in the Situational Leadership and Servant Leader models. These models have equipped me with the ability to understand that everyone requires a unique leadership approach if I am to lead them effectively. This adaptability and commitment to personalized leadership sets me apart from the other candidates.If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?The most obvious failing of the current board is the failure to move the Liberty Theatre project forward. Not only does this anchor point of the north side of downtown remain vacant and a blight on the community, but it has become a political tug of war among members of the Village Board. During a key Theatre vote of the board this past year, political gamesmanship was employed for reasons that did nothing to move the matter forward and has no place in small town government in my opinion.The other deficit in this Liberty Theatre matter is the inability of anyone to make a meaningful connection with the property owner. My career has been focused on connecting with challenging and elusive individuals, working with them to identify common ground and ultimately achieving mutually beneficial agreements and commitments. I’m very confident I can do this with the Liberty Theatre property owner and will take this project very seriously since the Theatre holds a very special place in my heart having grown up right down the street from this wonderful Libertyville icon!Describe the other issues that define your campaign platformHaving grown up and spent nearly my whole life in town, I have a strong interest in supporting thoughtful growth while maintaining the small-town character that makes Libertyville such an amazing place to live and raise families of every variety! This involves being ever mindful about what the “right” thing is to do on every issue, whether it’s a housing development plan, business expansion and recruitment, infrastructure improvements, or even the local environment. This is not to say that new ideas from those that have only recently come to the village aren’t worthy of consideration, but it’s critical that we continue to balance new ideas with what’s in the best interest of the legacy of this community.One very specific platform issue that I’m passionate about involves public safety. There’s been a significant increase in vehicle red light running and routine violations of vehicles failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks. I’m not a proponent of red-light cameras, but I would like to see signage on main thoroughfares indicating that Libertyville is a safe driving community and takes red light running very seriously. The village also needs to monitor crosswalks more closely with dedicated police and safety officers so that we’re known as a pedestrian-friendly village, particularly on Milwaukee Ave and Rt. 176.Another very important issue to me that will offer an immediate visual and environmental impact is the eradication of the invasive species “Buckthorn” which has overrun our public spaces. The state has designated it for removal and the process can be a rewarding, community-building opportunity. Hundreds of residents have committed their support to the process which I have offered to lead in a public/private partnership with the village.What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?I can handle this job because I’ve been consistently very successful in my career which has involved leading teams of colleagues and customers in positions of authority as well as when I had no authority over them. Both have their challenges, especially considering that the world of leadership has moved well beyond the “I say and you do” mentality. Leadership today is about sharing a common vision and working together to achieve that vision. As I’ve stated previously, this is what has led to my career success.On a personal level, I’ve overcome considerable challenges due to my perseverance and drive to demonstrate a strong work and commitment ethic to my children. My most significant challenge was the seven surgeries and ultimate amputation of my lower left leg. Although this was a very difficult time, I recognized then as I do now that I had abundant blessings in my life and still sought to give back to those that are less fortunate. Two months after my amputation I trained to “run” the Libertyville 5K Twilight Shuffle on crutches to raise awareness and funds for “Crutches for Kids”. This organization collects and ships previously used crutches sitting in basements and garages of American households to war-torn countries where children are often critically injured and permanently disabled. These crutches can dramatically change the lives of these children and make them contributing members of their communities. I finished the race in about 45 minutes and raised many thousands of dollars for the organization and shipped about 1,000 pairs of crutches that were collected in the process. I continue to give back in other events such as hemophilia distance bike rides when I’m able.Why should voters trust you?The voters of Libertyville should trust me because I’ve spent a lifetime in this community earning the trust and love of my friends and neighbors. Whenever I must hire a new employee, I lean heavily on the well-known saying that, “past achievements dictate future performance”. My commitment to being a trustworthy neighbor, friend and member of this community is paramount to what I’m all about especially considering that I was raised by a beloved member of the Libertyville Police Department, Lt. Bruce Scheibler. He instilled values in each of his five children (3 of whom still make Libertyville their home) that were centered on honesty, service and a commitment upholding the law…not only because it’s the law, but because it’s the right thing to do for your community.If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?I would be very pleased at the end of my first term if the Liberty Theatre project was complete and thriving once again as an important and beautiful landmark of business excellence to both the property owner and the entire downtown district. This will likely require a dramatically different approach with the owner and identify mutually beneficial goals with an urgency to move forward in a collaborative manner with the property owner as well as the business and residence neighbors in the area.I would also be very happy if Libertyville became a model in the area for what great pedestrian and vehicular safety looked like. This could have far-reaching implications as Libertyville drivers leave our humble town and demonstrate safe practices outside the village limits.A final success would be a functioning and organized collaborative program of invasive buckthorn removal that is driven primarily by village residents and supported by the Parks department. In four years we could reclaim acres and acres of difficult to access green spaces and return them to the native environment they were meant to be.What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?My first comment is that it’s inappropriate for government entities to refer to taxpayer dollars as “revenue”. Revenue, in my professional experience, refers to the money that’s acquired when goods or services are transacted. Taxes are the people’s money that has been entrusted to a government entity to satisfy the needs of the constituency in the most appropriate manner. Government officials should ALWAYS feel pressure to get the very most out of every penny under their purview and should NEVER adopt a “use it or lose it” mindset where “the budget needs to be exhausted." We are expected to exercise outstanding financial stewardship of the people’s money and return or carry forward unspent funds in a given fiscal year. With that said, taxpayer dollars must first be allocated for government salaries and the highest priority projects that sustain or improve the village infrastructure, public welfare and safety. It’s also important to dedicate funds that supports community connectedness. In whatever manner the taxpayer dollars are spent, regular constituency feedback and active constituent participation in the process is critical to ensure that village funds are spent appropriately and in line with the needs and desires of the community. I also believe that the village should engage in shared investment opportunities with local businesses where planned development expects to increase business revenue which will ultimately increase tax dollars to the community.What are your thoughts on the crime rate in your community, and what more can be done to combat crime — especially violent crime — in town?The violent crime rate in Libertyville remains very low and is comparable to higher net worth communities such as Lake Forest and Lake Bluff and better than other nearby communities. Credit should be given first to the outstanding police department and police officers that protect and defend our community so effectively and admirably. Libertyville is definitely a community where neighbors watch out for each other, their homes and other property. Growing up here, we felt so safe that we rarely locked our doors and, frankly, only did so when we went away for multiple days at a time. Although those days are in the past, the sense of community safety remains very high and the risk of any crime is low. This doesn’t mean that village residents should relax their vigilance because attention to what’s happening around us is what will keep bad actors away. These bad actors need to continue to know that community policing is strong in Libertyville and where neighborhood safety is paramount. The financial commitment to a new state of the art police department will continue to attract top officers to Libertyville and leverage the latest advancements in crime prevention technology.What is your view of the city's/village's approach to commercial and residential development? My perspective is that the village is more reactive than it is proactive about both the commercial and residential development that occurs here. The village Comprehensive Plan provides a vision and priorities for development in both the commercial and residential sectors but the plan lacks a specific strategy for how the vision will be realized and which proposed plan the village is prepared to commit to. With a number of attractive options to choose from in the plan, I’d like to see the village determine the highest priority option and develop a time-bound execution strategy with commitments from developers and funding sources to meet the timeline. These commitments should have annexation language if the developers fail to meet their expectations in order to avoid future issues such as the Liberty Theatre project.In terms of residential development, I agree with the Comprehensive Plan that the character of each area of town needs to be honored and that development within those areas should include specific expectations that match current structure mix. One such example is the east Rockland Road community which has numerous single story family homes. A minimum percentage of homes in this community should remain single story which would offer several advantages such as community integrity and a housing option for smaller families and those choosing homes absent of staircases.When it comes to development, what are some key areas for improvement or additions you feel are most wanted by residents? What will need to be done to make this happen? A few areas for development that I’ve heard from residents include:walkway corridors to the immediate east and west of the downtown Milwaukee Avenue shopping areas which will increase pedestrian safety, provide more attractive landscape-lined paths and allow for alternate entry points for existing businesses as well as another layer of business depth just off the main roadway, one or more small to moderate sized boutique hotels in the downtown corridor which could support out of town visitors, large family gatherings and wedding/reception events. There are existing businesses in the downtown district (banks) which likely no longer require the large geographic footprint they currently reside upon. These businesses could be incentivized to relocate to another attractive part of town to make the premium downtown location available for boutique hotel development.Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?NoThe best advice ever shared with me was: The best advice I was given was to always “think other first”. By putting the needs and desires of others ahead of my own, I am assured that I’m helping to build a successful and fulfilled interdependent community regardless of whether the community is my marriage, my family, neighborhood, hometown or country. If we all “think other first” then we can live in a place where the seemingly impossible is truly possible and where loneliness and isolation are replaced by compassion, camaraderie and companionship.What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?I want the voters to know that I’m running for this office because I love this town and want to represent the interests of ALL of Libertyville’s residents. Our family of seven moved here over 53 years ago into a small, affordable home on Newberry Ave. and that opportunity positively changed the entire trajectory of my life, the lives of my siblings, their children and arguably every generation to follow in our family. No doubt we worked hard, and nothing was handed to our parents or any of us, but this town laid the foundation for what was possible and we took full advantage of that opportunity. I hope those opportunities will continue to be available for aspiring families like ours while maintaining a flourishing and ever-expanding community of possibility for EVERYONE that makes Libertyville their home!The article Libertyville Village Board: Patrick Scheibler Candidate Questionnaire appeared first on Libertyville, IL Patch.
Welcome to Billionaire Club Co LLC, your gateway to a brand-new social media experience! Sign up today and dive into over 10,000 fresh daily articles and videos curated just for your enjoyment. Enjoy the ad free experience, unlimited content interactions, and get that coveted blue check verification—all for just $1 a month!
Account Frozen
Your account is frozen. You can still view content but cannot interact with it.
Please go to your settings to update your account status.
Open Profile Settings