Name: Michelle S Kembitzky
POSITION FOR WHICH YOU ARE A CANDIDATE:
West Dundee Trustee
Why are you seeking this position?
I have been a resident of West Dundee since 1991. When my kids started school in 1995 I volunteered in the classroom and in various leadership roles with the PTC. I assisted with fundraising for the Little League, chaired the annual Cookie sales for the Girl Scout Council, was Treasurer for the Athletic Boosters as well as various travel softball teams. As a member of Bethlehem, I was Sunday School Superintendent, Chaired the Board of Ed, taught VBS & Sunday school. I’ve volunteered for years with the Village’s Heritage Fest, Halloween Party & Dickens in Dundee. Bottom line, I’m invested in this Village that I call home and would like to continue to use my time and talents to help it prosper and build on our momentum.
What experience and background do you have which qualifies you for this position?
I am a CPA with broad auditing background. I have multiple years’ experience in cost control as Controller/CFO for several mid-size banks and as the Director of Finance & Accounting for Pulaski County (AR). More recently, my role as Manager, Internal Control/Compliance enables me to provide additional insight in ways to change processes to strengthen controls which is often difficult for organizations like the Village of West Dundee with limited staff size. Finally, as an incumbent, I have a working knowledge of the Village, its operations and finances. Over the last few years, we have many achievements to be proud of in West Dundee, and need to keep the vision and momentum going.
What will be your greatest challenge if elected?
One of the greatest challenges facing the Village is the balance of resident service expectations versus the decline in available revenue. Sales tax collections for all funds in 2018 are down nearly 50% from 2008 due to closure of several major retailers. As revenue declined, the Village actively reduced expenses, cutting positions and discretionary spending. Further cuts would reduce the level of services our residents have come to expect. We also need to continue to invest in our streets and equipment. New revenue through growth in residential, industrial & commercial development is needed to make up the shortfall in sales tax revenue and fund capital improvements. Growth must be planned to prevent the loss of the community we share.
Will you attend the March 14th West Dundee Candidate Forum? Yes, I will attend the forum
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