Meet the Lisle Park District Board Candidates: Donald Cook

Editor's note: Candidate responses have been left unedited as they were sent in by the candidates.

Name
Donald Cook

Occupation          
I am currently a seasonal employee at The Morton Arboretum, working with the construction crew.

After more than 30 years at Lisle Woodridge Fire District, I retired with the rank of Bureau Chief of Maintenance.

How long have you lived in Lisle?           

Resident of Lisle for over 58 years.

Why are you running for a board position?

I believe I have been doing a good job. We have maintained a balanced budget since 2005 even in these difficult economic times.  My motivation was to serve the community without a personal agenda and that hasn’t changed. I want to continue on the Board to help provide the community with the best services possible within an environment of fiscal restraint.

I also want to continue overseeing the current projects, such as Woodglenn Park, 1925 Ohio St., East Branch DuPage River Bike Trail, College Road Park Bridge replacement, and the Canoe Launch in Community Park.

Explain your involvement in other boards, organizations, activities, if any (incumbents please state number of years you’ve served in your current position):

I have served on the Park District Board for almost 13 years.  I also have been elected by fellow commissioners as President of the Board for the last 9 plus years. Other boards, organizations and  activities I am involved in are:

Board of Trustee, Lisle Woodridge Firefighters Pension Fund. Appointed April 2004, Reelected April 2006 and April, 2009.

Member, Lisle Heritage Society

Member, Meadows Homeowner Association

Member, National Harley Owners Group

Member, National Recreation and Park Association

Member, Wind & Fire a Firefighter/Harley Davidson Organization

Member, International Association of Fire Chiefs

Member, Lisle Woodridge Firefighters Local 2986

What are the challenges facing the Park District? What are the needs of the residents?

The current challenges of the District include continuing to provide quality services to the community without raising taxes.  These services include maintaining our open spaces as well as programs.  Our community is diverse and, as such, have a variety of needs.  We have used the 2010 Community Survey to inform staff about where our services have deficiencies.  The residents most particularly need a well-informed Park board with vision and fiscal responsibility.

What actions should the board look to take on these matters?

We diligently respond to residents’ concerns. We have maintained a balanced budget since 2005.  We have operated under the state’s tax cap restrictions without accumulating any deficit spending.

How do you react to petitions for subdivisions to leave the park district?

I  welcome the opportunity to dialogue about their concerns.

How do you think the park district fits into Lisle’s community at large?

The Park District provides a place for the community’s collective health, economic development, physical fitness, and social interaction.  The Park District facilities encourage people to come to Lisle and therefore contribute to Lisle’s economic vitality.  

Our park district provides an ecological solution for a longtime flooding problem while providing ball parks and soccer fields.  It has been a model of intergovernmental cooperation since it was created, trading green space maintenance in exchange for indoor programming facility use.   In fact, it was this cooperation that caused some school and village property to be erroneously included in Park property figures.  Those figures were corrected in 2005 to accurately reflect Park District holdings. 

Additionally, the quality of the parks and park facilities do contribute to real estate values.  While the Park District cannot control the organization of taxing bodies, it cooperates with three school districts and two village agencies, in addition to DuPage County, while serving a population of over 33,000.