Naperville is for Families
In the years that I have lived here, one thing has remained the same: Naperville is consistently rated the best place in America to raise a family. It’s not just our beautiful parks, our charming downtown, or our healthy economy that win us accolades – it is our values. We must value our environment, our quality of life, and our diverse citizenry.
Community Development
Being the best means that we must keep setting our standards higher. My community development priorities include:
Renewable Energy
I support planning for future renewable energy sources for our city, a decision that has both economic and environmental benefits. As coal becomes less cost-effective and more inefficient, we should plan for the eventual transition away from our current Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) contract. The best place in America to raise a family should use clean, modern, and economically-viable energy sources.
Improving Quality of Life
Extending the Riverwalk
I support extending the Riverwalk from Hillside Road to the Edward Hospital Campus. A Heroes’ Path dedicated to our first responders and essential workers would be an important way to honor those who cared for the community in a time of need. I envision this Heroes’ Path featuring artifacts that recognize the contributions of medical personnel, grocery store workers, police officers, and others who served on the front lines of the pandemic.
Improving Quality of Life
Ensuring our kids are Safe
I will ensure our kids are safe when crossing streets and going to neighborhood parks. Our city recently published a well-researched study on traffic and speeding. Now that we have the data, I want us to aggressively tackle this issue.
Equipment and Training for First Responders
I will provide our police and fire departments with modernized equipment and training to make sure our officers and firefighters are equipped, protected, accountable, and functioning at their best ability. The Naperville Fire Department recently implemented staff scheduling changes to best respond to resident phone calls while also providing some firefighters the opportunity to work 8-hour rather than 24-hour shifts. These changes improve performance and response times without incurring additional costs. Continuing with similar implementations will help keep our community safe.