Park District Candidate Q&A: Leo Vilker

Highland Park Patch: How long have you lived in Highland Park?

Leo Vilker: Since 2007.

HP Patch: What was your first experience with the Park District board?

Vilker: Unfortunately, my first experience with the Park District of Highland Park (PDHP) Board was in August of last year during the pension scandal.

HP Patch: What do you think the Park District's strongest program or facility is?

Vilker: I’m sure the PDHP has a number of strong programs. The only one my family has used is the Hidden Creek Aqua Park, and we were happy.

HP Patch: What do you think is its weakest?

Vilker: The weakest “program” is transparency. At the last two board meetings, I noticed that the amounts of two vendor payouts were omitted. Previously, such amounts were listed. That’s a step back, in my opinion.

HP Patch: What do you think makes you best qualified to be a park board commissioner?

Vilker: Whether I’m best qualified is up to the people to decide. I own a business and have a family. Hopefully, life’s lessons will help me in this endeavor. Fiscal responsibility and transparency are my two biggest concerns. I think there are a lot of people who think the local government overtaxes its citizens and is not acting in accordance with the current economic situation.

HP Patch: The Park District came under fire from the community last August because of the pension scandal. How do you think the board handled that situation? If you were on the board, what would you have done differently?

Vilker: The fact that it took the disclosure by the Tribune to bring the matter into the open is very disconcerting. 

HP Patch: What can the park board do to ensure something like what happened last summer never happens again?

Vilker: Introduce policies that control salaries and bonuses.

HP Patch: The Park District is the only governing body to lower its tax levy this year. What do you think of that decision?

Vilker: As a result of increased scrutiny of the Park District finances, it became known that the PDHP has $24 million in reserves. I may have been the first non-member of the board or nonemployee of the PDHP to discover that fact.

A group of concerned Highland Park residents, including myself, regularly came to the PDHP Board meetings and demanded that the taxes be lowered. Had the group not been as active as it was, the board probably would not have considered this action.

As far as I know, taxes have never been lowered by the PDHP before. I’m proud to have been a part of this unprecedented event. However unprecedented, I believe the board threw a bone to the public: $1.3 million out of $24 million that was collected over the years is a  sign of disregard of the public interests.

If elected, I promise to push for [the] return of this money to the taxpayers. I believe the board acted in [the] public interest when it lowered the levy.

HP Patch: What would you like to see happen with Rosewood Beach?

Vilker: Minimal project in accordance with community wishes.

HP Patch: What would you like to see happen with the Fort Sheridan preserves?

Vilker: Not another golf course. At this point, I don’t have a formed opinion about the  topic.

HP Patch: Some candidates for City Council and mayor have suggested consolidating services between the Park District and the city. How can the city and Park District work together? How often do you think they should?

Vilker: The city and the PDHP should work together to consolidate some departments and eliminate redundancies, if any, and increase productivity. Productivity is a very important factor for American businesses, so it should be for the government. Otherwise, there is a big disconnect. According to the Park District executive director, Liza McElroy, the PDHP has laid off a number of employees. This is a step in the right direction. I hope the end result of this will be a lower budget and a smaller tax bill for the residents of Highland Park.