Kenneth R. Gaunter Jr

8/4/2019 Kenneth R. Gaunter Jr.

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P LE AS E B E AWARE T HA T T HIS Q UE ST IO NN AIR E W ill B E P UB LIS HE D.

e News-Herald Date questionnaire completed: 6ec+' l~ ~O/ IElection Questionnaire

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cation:School/city/state Years Degree-Subject or Certifkate

High School ),\'lAcl\!.oVl H'Qh Sc.-hoDI S~t-, \'"170 c....o\Ie-~e-1"'">\ t v 1 Aol':50V\ Oh:~ i:W "e .- 1~7'4 fi-etP Ce".'~Se,sollegeraduatether

Note: Only list schools from which you've graduated and/or earned degrees. Please indicate if currently attending.)Note: If you've completed a certificate program, please list in "Other" row and indicate certificate obtained.)ould you be elected, what are three specific areas you'd like to change, address, improve or further research, and howpecHicallywouldyougoabout~?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

hether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you? __ ~~ ~~~~~ __(~ ~J o toc-v~~+)-L. _


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(Page 1 of2)Should you he elected, what are three specific areas you'd like to change, address,improve orfurther research, and how specifically would you go about it?(1.) If elected as Madison Township Trustee, I would like to see the relationship improve between MadisonTownship government and Madison Village government. Over the last few years, there has been a lack ofcommunication and cooperation between the two governmental entities. Both entities must do a better job ofworking together for the good of the entire community. When I was Madison Township Administrator in the1980's, the two Madison governments worked much closer and harmoniously together than they do today. Madisonis not so big that the two governments cannot work together once again as we did in the ]980's. A sharing of ideas,resources and working together to make the community of Madison function as one with common goals is extremelyimportant if Madison is to move forward and prosper. I believe I have an excellent understanding of the issues that,at times, separate these two governmental bodies. We need to find consensus on these issues, and I believe I am theperson who can assist in doing that. T would have regular face to face ongoing dialogue with village officialsdiscussing our common problems and issues. The olive branch needs to be extended to the village, and I believe itneeds to come from the Township Trustees. I know I have the governmental experience required to start a newspirit of cooperation between these two government bodies.(2.) Another area of vital importance that I want to address if ejected as a Madison Township Trustee is theexpansion of much needed sanitary sewers along the Route 20 (North Ridge Rd) business corridor. There is morethan enough land already zoned for commercial business and light manufacturing along this corridor. However,there are little, if no, sanitary sewers to support business development along the Route 20 corridor. Ifwe are toimprove the community of Madison and boost its tax base, we must have some economic development. For toomany years, individuals have been elected to office in Madison Township, including my opponent, who havepurposely "sat on their hands" and done nothing to move Madison Township forward economically. Someoneneeds to look to the future for the good of the entire community of Madison, and not worry about the next election.I am not afraid to take on this challenge and have extensive experience in water and sanitary sewer improvementprojects. During my 20 Y z years as Lake County Administrator, I had direct oversight with the Lake CountyDepartment of Utilities Engineering Division. 1met with the Engineering Division on a regular monthly basisdiscussing the various water and sewer projects they were working on across Lake County. I have a very goodunderstanding of what it takes to move those infrastructure projects forward and the pitfalls that can periodicallycome up. Because of my knowledge of the Madison community, I was regularly involved in and consulted withregarding water and sanitary sewer projects that affected Madison Township and Madison Village. If elected asTownship Trustee, I will have ongoing dialogue with the engineering staff I worked with in the Utilities Department.I know who to talk with, and I understand the procedures it takes to make these infrastructure projects come to life.T will work closely once again with the Utilities Department, as I did as County Administrator, to find ways to makethese much-needed projects come to life.(3.) Another area I believe needs to be looked at more closely, and improved, is the five community parks inMadison Township. Those parks are Madison Township Park, Tuttle Park, Stanton Park, Unionville Park and theInline Skate Park on Hubbard Road. These parks are all in very nice locations but are not kept up nor are they in thebest of condition. When I was Madison Township Administrator in the 1980's, we did not have an abundance ofrevenue to keep the parks in top shape. At that time, we only had three parks: Township Park, Tuttle Park andUnionville Park. Since then, the Trustees have added two more parks with very little, if any, increase in operatingrevenue to maintain them. The few park improvements that have been done are poorly maintained, if at all, and theparks are progressively falling into even more disrepair. As I stated earlier, during my years as TownshipAdministrator, the township revenues were tight for these parks, but we still worked hard to keep them attractive,clean and maintained. Today, that is not the case, and no attention is paid to detail or maintaining the little thingsthat make a difference. In my opinion this lack of attention to detail in the parks is because no one at theadministrative level appears to care, nor are they being held accountable.


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(Page 20f2)If elected, accountability would be priority number one. As a Township Trustee, I would hold the appropriateindividuals at the administrative level accountable for this lack of daily maintenance and attention to detail. Theparks can be kept clean, neat and attractive with the limited revenues currently in place. I would also propose to myfellow Trustees to consider reinstituting some form of the "Madison Township Parks Advisory Board". In itsprevious existence, this board was a nine-member board which the township had in the 1950's, 60's and early 70's.It was the Advisory Board's job to oversee the parks, their maintenance and advise the Board of Township Trusteeson capital improvement projects and other issues that needed attended to. The Trustees, for various reasons,disbanded the advisory board in the mid to late 1970's. I would propose to reinstitute the advisory board with fewermembers, most likely five members, rather than the previous nine. Another possible option would be to establish afoundation board, similar to the one Lake Health Inc. has, which functions as a fundraisinglphilanthropic arm for thehospital system. This Parks Foundation Board could be similar and would help raise money through differentcommunity events for capital improvement projects in the parks. The board could also assist in the acquisition ofgrant money for capital improvements.

Whether for past accomplishments orfuture goals, why should voters elect you?The residents of Madison Township and Madison Village need to look at my extensive experience in localgovernment: 35 Y z years of full time experience in county and township government. My opponent only has 12years of part time experience, and this lack of experience shows by many of the decisions he has made as a Trustee.In 1974, immediately out of high school, I started as a road department laborer working for the Lake CountyEngineer's Department. In 1982, I then went on to become Administrator of Madison Township and, in 1989,became Lake County Administrator until I retired on November 1,2009. I started my career working at one ofthelowest level jobs in local government and worked my way up the ladder. I can relate well to the person working inthe trenches or with the executive in the board room. I have a thorough understanding of how local governmentfunctions and what it takes to accomplish goals and fmd consensus among people. I have a long track record andreputation for getting things done. Be it a road improvement project, new building construction/renovation, streetlighting district, public safety improvements or new water and sewer lines, I have been directly involved "hands on"in making those projects happen. I have a great respect for what has made the Madison community the wonderfulplace it is. However, I believe Madison needs leaders who look to the future with vision and fresh new ideas.Today, we face some of the most difficult economic times since the "Great Depression" ofthe 1930's. Now, morethan ever, Madison needs strong experienced leadership to guide the community. I defmitely have the knowledge,experience and leadership qualities the Madison community needs for these difficult times.

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Kenneth R. Gaunter Jr