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Village Free Press Candidate Questionnaire 2019

Maywood Trustees
Please submit answers (attached in a MS Word file or in the body of the email) to
thevillagefreepress@gmail.com by no later than at any time on Feb. 21).

Name: Nathaniel George Booker


Age: 34
Preferred contact: nathaniel@nathanielgeorgebooker.com
Previous political experience:
➢ President, Young Democrats of Proviso
➢ JB for Governor Community Liaison, Proviso Township Democratic Organization
➢ Proviso Ambassador, Cook County Democratic Party

Previous community experience:


➢ Village of Maywood’s Economic Development Commission, Commissioner
➢ School D89’s Education Foundation, Board Treasurer
➢ U.S. Representative Danny K. Davis, Workforce Empowerment Committee, Member
➢ Proviso Youth Mentoring, Board President
➢ Bellwood Chamber of Commerce, Board Assistant Treasurer
➢ Proviso Township Democratic Organization, President for Young Democrats of Proviso
➢ Illinois Economic Development Association, Committee Leader for Young Professionals
➢ Proviso Partners for Health (PP4H), Member
➢ Proviso High School D209’s Parent & Community Engagement Committee, Member
➢ Neighbors of Maywood Community Organization (NOMCO), Member
➢ Maywood Park District, Recruitment Leader for 2018 Winfield Scott Park Build
➢ 2018 Maywood Youth Summer Activity Guide, Creator & Publisher

Occupation: Chief Engagement Officer, Astute Culture Consulting (www.astuteculture.com)

Education:
➢ Elementary & Middle School: SD88 Thurgood Marshall Math & Science Academy
➢ Proviso Township High School District 209 – Proviso West High School
➢ Triton College
➢ Tennessee State University Nashville, Tennessee (Bachelor of Science in Psychology)
➢ Franklin Covey Certified Facilitator
o Ultimate Competitive Advantage 23 Instructor Lead Leadership Workshops
➢ American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI)
o Certified Hospitality Trainer (CHT)
➢ Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Illinois – Economic Development Course Certification

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Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability. Full disclosure: parts, or
all, of your answers are likely be published:

Infrastructure

• In January 2018, the board voted unanimously to establish a commission of experts and
community stakeholders that would explore the feasibility of the village tapping into a
water source in Maywood that officials say runs directly underneath the Prairie Path and
flows through to DuPage County. If such a measure is implemented, Maywood would no
longer be reliant on Melrose Park for transmitting water — a service for which the
village pays Melrose Park $1.8 million a year, according to an estimate by Maywood
Village Manager Willie Norfleet. Since its creation, however, there is no evidence that the
committee has met. Do you agree with the committee’s formation? If so, how will you
ensure that the committee actually meets regularly and do what it was created to do?

When researching water cost for communities that receive water from the City of Chicago,
reaching out to Dupage County and learning about their water cost immediately made me
understand researching further feasibility of tapping into their water source was unnecessary and
so was this commission.

I agree there should be an Infrastructure Commission. A commission that focuses on water,


sewage, roads, alleys, sidewalks, power, etc. Our water issues do not end or begin at the cost of
Melrose Park billing. Bellwood, Stone Park, and Northlake all use Melrose Park for water
transmission. The unfortunate part is according an October 2017, 3-part investigation on water
from the Tribune, Northlake residents pay $43.30 vs. Maywood residents $72.61 for the same per
5,000 gallons of water provided by the City of Chicago and Melrose Park. When calculating 28
communities that use City of Chicago water in Dupage County the average water cost is $51.40
for the same 5,000 gallons. Our water issues fall on infrastructure maintenance and investment.
As mentioned on the 2018 WGN special report the State of Illinois standard average of water
loss for a community from leaky pipes and faulty water meters is 12% vs. Maywood’s 49%
(Tribune reported 38%). While there has been some focus on our infrastructure we must
acknowledge our true issue is leaky pipes and faulty meters not Melrose Park billing. We must
come to the table with the best minds in not only Maywood, but the State of Illinois and beyond
to address the fact that the Village of Maywood cost of water ranks 156 out of 162 communities
who reported their water cost to the Tribune. The fact that the board is not addressing this on a
community and state-wide stakeholder collaborative scale is unacceptable.

• How do you propose that the village fund much-needed infrastructure projects, such as
long overdue roadway and alley improvements, that are not eligible for alternative forms
of revenue, such as TIF funding; and county, state and/or federal grants?

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We have many opportunities to explore. Special Service Areas (SSA) funding is a resource when
looking at infrastructure improvements for business and residential development. We can also
look at our finances and see what we are using our Illinois Motor Fuel Tax (MTF) share for vs.
what we should be using it for. When looking at the organization West Cook Municipal
Conference (WCMC), I see various board members and chairs from communities in Proviso
representing their residents, but I don’t see Maywood. We must look at what options exist in
Cook County and state wide for funding opportunities. The same way we talk about business
growth and development, infrastructure investment must be at the forefront of conversations.
There are resources on a state level such as Introspect Illinois that could assist in driving the
conversations towards a community that has the infrastructure in place to scale up on community
economic development and business prosperity.

One solution that can be investigated is the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA)
State Revolving Fund (SRF). The SRF includes two loan programs: The Water Pollution Control
Loan Program (WPCLP) which funds both wastewater and storm water projects, and the Public
Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP) for drinking water projects. Eligible projects include new
drinking water or wastewater infrastructure construction; upgrading or rehabilitating existing
infrastructure; storm water-related projects that benefit water quality; and a variety of other
projects that protect or improve the quality of Illinois’s rivers, streams, and lakes. IEPA loans
fund water quality & infrastructure projects at 1.84% interest for 20 years as a standard, but
Maywood qualifies for 30 years vs. 20, based on being a low-income community. Ideas like
these are something I would give to the Infrastructure Commission to qualify. Once the
commission along with the village administration researched and created a strategic plan for
execution then it would be a brought to the board for consideration.

Revenue

• For the last several years, the board has approved 3 to 4 percent annual levy increases —
despite staff recommending increases that are higher — in an effort to address residents’
property tax burden. A major result of these minimal levy increases, however, has been
that the village has forgone potentially millions of dollars in much-needed annual tax
revenue over that time period. That translates into the village having to make emergency
purchases, such as the acquisition of a nearly $1 million aerial ladder truck for the fire
department, by taking out loans that only add to the village’s debt load. How would you
balance the need to collect tax revenue with legitimate concerns about residents’ property
tax burden?

When it is the recommendation of staff to increase a levy or anything that can potentially cost a
tax paying community member more, as a board we must remember that many of our current
administrative leaders do not live in Maywood. At times, this is a financial focused
recommendation, not necessarily a community tax payer driven recommendation. The reality is
clear when looking at our property tax composite rate. We are the highest of the 14 communities
that represent Proviso Township and according to the Cook County Clerk’s office for their 2017
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assessment we are ranked 122 out of 134 communities reported. We are in the bottom 10% for
having some of highest property tax composite rates in Cook County and that must be addressed.

As a homeowner, I can say I have felt the increase in property taxes personally and know there is
no more money a resident can put into this community until we begin to feel and see the results
of that investment. Before discussing any financial increases that would affect residents and/or
businesses we need to open the Finance Commission to be more than just the current Board of
Trustees (board). The board voted on establishing the Finance Commission, but then elected to
only have board members on the commission. That commission did not have one report filed
with the village clerk’s office for 2018. We must look at our current spending practices and see
where we can be fiscally responsible and stable. We owe this to the positive heartbeat of our
residents and businesses. We also must look at how we run Maywood. It is essential that we step
into the day of modern technological advances and see where we can fiscally work smarter not
harder. Together we can formulate a responsible plan the community can agree to that
acknowledges our obligated expenses while not doing short sighted slashes to our discretionary
spending that will leave generations of long term felt pains.

Finance

• What are some of your ideas for addressing Maywood’s annual deficit? It’s low credit
rating?

To address our financial opportunities, we must address community economic development and
business prosperity as one issue. Of the 14 communities that make up Proviso Township,
Maywood ranks at the bottom for education, percentage living in poverty, unemployment, living
on public assistance, homeownership, and much more that affects our community’s sustainability
and prosperity. When addressing our deficit, we must address the developmental needs of our
residents. When you take care of the residents, they will make a positive impact on our
financials. Fair principles and smart human investment will help everyone win.

I look forward to having more than just elected officials on our Finance Commission. Allowing
financial professionals to collaborate and provide recommendations towards a healthy and
sustainable financial future is something we must embrace. Revitalizing our Youth Commission
to engage community economic development from cradle to adulthood is something I take pride
in knowing will help shift our community narrative and financial well-being.

Trust

• What are your thoughts on the level of trust that residents have in village officials to
responsibly serve their interests? Do you think that trust between residents and village
officials needs to be improved? If so, how would you work to help improve it?

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Transparency and accountability is what our community needs. How can you trust a board that
rarely speaks during public comment at board meetings? How can you trust a board that does not
chair, co-chair and/or event attend any commission meetings designed to move our community
forward? No one is perfect, but our board knows that there is opportunity to chose to do better.
We must start by working on our communication practices to residents. For the month of
February 2019 when looking at our Facebook for the village we only have discussion on a
laundry mat opening and the Proviso East vs. West game. Our website is in dire need of
updating. There are meetings, notices, positive community narrative, and many more things that
can be shared by our administration and elected officials, but we fall short. Our village officials
can also become more visible in the community not just during election season. As an active
member of many organizations within the community, I personally witnessed minimal trustee
visibility when it comes to being actively engaged in community economic development and
prosperity initiatives. As trustee, we must be more visible for things that may not have our name
on the flyer and may not be a campaigning photo opportunity.

Our village officials can also require each department to create a monthly/quarterly report for our
residents. An ongoing temperature check of our finances, public works, community
development, public safety, and commissions is the type of transparency this community needs,
desires, and deserves.

• The population of Maywood has changed rather dramatically in the last 10 years, with
the village having experienced a significant infusion of Hispanic residents. For instance,
the student population of both Districts 89 and 209 are more than 50 percent Hispanic.
Do you believe that this growing demographic is adequately represented in the village? If
not, what are some of your ideas for reaching out to the Hispanic community in
Maywood?

I think the Proviso Township High School District 209 has done a great job in sharing their One
Proviso vision. We must also share that vision of One Maywood! A Maywood in which all
cultures are celebrated. The Youth Commission has been inactive for years and I think that would
be a great opportunity to collaborate from cradle to adulthood. We have the old masonic temple
which is now the multi-purpose building that could be the multi-cultural community center. The
building is drastically under-utilized. The building has four levels, yet we are only using one,
leaving many opportunities for collaborating initiatives as non-starters. The village library and
park district could become more creative in their educational and recreational inclusive efforts,
but as a community when they promote them we must support them. The same way we can have
Black History Month programming and Christmas/Holiday programming we should look into
supporting programming that reflects the multi-cultural and evolving community we are.

Business & Economic Development

• What is your position on the issuance of Class M liquor licenses for businesses that may
want to bring video gambling into Maywood?
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According to a 2018 Herald report, the state gets 25 percent of video gambling revenue and the
local government gets 5 percent. Video gambling is most popular in restaurants, bars, and
lounges. A community that saw machine profits of more than $3.6 million generated received
$169,844 for their share. We must explore all possibilities, but I think the holiday classic, “It’s a
Wonderful Life”, perfectly showcases how a small town can change for the worse when
occurrences of negative activities come to the forefront of the community’s narrative. A
community’s character and culture can be forever changed when choices are purely financial
driven with no vision and mission.

While I believe the M liquor licenses is something to consider for a dine in sit-down restaurant
with its own area similar to the Broadview Family Restaurant or venues such as the American
Legion which serves as a bar and lounge on Madison St., I do not agree with blanketed approval.
Convenience stores, fast food, nail salons, laundry mats and other locations such as these are not
locations I would particularly see as good locations to place these machines. What we don’t
want is an oversaturated market nor do we want a community with unnecessary lingering at
quick service and go establishments. If it aligns with our vision and community narrative, I
would be open to the possibility.

• In October 2018, the board voted 5 to 2 in favor of a resolution in support of granting


National Cycle Inc. a Cook County Sustainable Emergency Relief Class 6b property tax
incentive that company officials estimated could translate into around $1.4 million in tax
savings over 10 years— despite the very vocal objections to the tax break made by
Manager Willie Norfleet, who said that the company’s savings would potentially mean
higher tax bills for residents. How do you manage the need to provide property tax relief
for businesses with the need to make sure that already overburdened homeowners are not
bearing even more of the property tax burden than they need to?

Incentives to attractive and/or retain businesses has become a competitive advantage in the U.S..
We can look to how Amazon had a country wide competition of communities to put together
their best incentive package to have their new HQ2 location built. We can also look right at the
North Riverside vs. Berwyn incentive packages for Tony’s Fresh Market grocery store. The
grocery store was already open and operating in North Riverside, but largely based on elected
officials and village administration decisions, the store chose to move one light across the street
to Berwyn.

I have sat in board meetings and listened to the owner of National Cycle Inc. as he celebrated
being in Maywood since 1937. He spoke on how he had moved/expanded his facilities within
Maywood three times over the last 83 years without ever requesting incentives before. We must
not only focus on bringing new businesses to Maywood, but also retaining the businesses we
already have. We don’t want to become North Riverside losing a tax base to our next-door
neighbor. The reality is National Cycle Inc. could have just as easily chosen to move to a
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Bellwood industrial location, but for the 4th time they are growing they didn’t just “Think”
Maywood, they Chose Maywood.

We must focus on repairing our relationship with our current businesses while at the same time
developing a marketing campaign of not only “Think Maywood”, but “Choose Maywood”. We
must engage in opportunities with entities such as Introspect Illinois, Illinois Chamber of
Commerce, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and other organizations designed to enhance
the business health of communities. We must have a seat at business growth driven tables, our
land availability must advertise and marketed in all positive ways possible. We cannot look at
communities around us utilizing advertising and marketing tools throughout the state and
beyond, not using those same resources, and more then say we are doing the best we can.
Bringing our best and brightest to the Economic Development and Finance Commissions will
lend to positive economic growth.

• What is your understanding of Maywood’s reputation in certain industry circles (i.e.,


retail, manufacturing, etc.) as a place to do business? Do you think Maywood can
improve its reputation and, if so, how?

When speaking to business owners the reputation is property taxes are too high, it’s too much red
tape to have a business in Maywood, incentives to remain are not readily available, and
community beautification to attract other businesses and customers from surrounding
communities is not at the forefront. Maywood’s Community Development Department must
develop a plan and marketing campaign to attract new businesses while nurturing the businesses
that are already here. Once we have revitalized our commissions, I know this is reputation and
narrative can swiftly be turned around.

We must explore innovative human service programs that make our community not only shovel
ready, but also Work Ready. When we address community economic development opportunities
in our education, unemployment, and workforce development efforts we can also add to a
positive narrative. A narrative that is not only marketing having the facilities and land to come to
Maywood, but also the trained, certified, and Work Ready human capital.

Governance

• What is your understanding of the role and functions of the Maywood Board of Trustees?

The Village of Maywood is represented by a governing board consisting of a Village President


and six Village Trustees. The President and Trustees are elected to four-year terms. The Village
President is the presiding officer of Village Board meetings. The Village Board is the governing
body of the Village and exercises all powers entrusted to it under Illinois statutes. These include
police powers related to the health, safety and welfare of the community.

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The Village Board is responsible for the adoption of an annual budget and associated tax levies,
municipal land use decisions, adoption of ordinances related to the health, safety and welfare of
the community, and other legislative decisions related to the governance and operations of the
Village of Maywood. Trustees are responsible for overseeing the productivity of the village
administration by managing the village manager. Trustees are also responsible for chairing and
working with the various commissions to move Maywood forward.

• Do you think that the current village manager form of government is sufficient? If not,
would you support switching to a full-time mayor form of government?

I do not look at it as if the village manager form of government is sufficient or not, I view it as
does our current Board of Elected Officials provide the necessary direction and accountability
this form of government requires? When I see less that 30% of commissions submitting minutes
consistently to the village clerk’s office and no monthly/quarterly reports submitted to the board I
am extremely concerned. This represents a nearly non-existent level of engagement on the
elected officials part towards commissions and commissioners who have been appointed and
sworn to make recommendations to the board to better the community. When you have no
trackable goals with measurements of success a resident can view for the village manager and/or
any area of his administration, that is a poor reflection of current elected officials not the village
manager form of government.

Once trustee, I look forward to working with the village manager along with his team to identify
ways to make Maywood a more progressive, accountable, and transparent community. With
commissions restored and utilized to their maximum potential and our village manager having
transparent trackable measurements of success for his entire team, I believe only then can we
evaluate the sufficiency or lack there of with our current form of government.

• From what you can tell, is there currently a system in place that effectively evaluates the
performance of village administrators and employees? If not, do you think one needs to
be implemented?

I have requested multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents and held various
conversation with the village on this matter. From what I have reviewed there is no current
trackable system to evaluate our employees’ successes and/or short comings. As an Area Director
for Training & Performance for the largest hotel company in the world it was my job to ensure
the execution of annual performance reviews and mid-year reviews for executive to hourly
employees. These reviews helped establish performance improvement plans for departments and
individuals. It also helped build team moral, increase our employee satisfaction scores, and our
guest satisfaction scores. When you take care of the employees they, take care of the residents. I
will work to establish measurements of success all residents can instantly view without a FOIA.
The board is elected by the people and it is the boards job to ensure the village manager and his
team operates in not only the best interest of the community but operates with the goal of
enhancing the quality of life for all in all choices made.
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• Do you believe that key village committees and commissions, particularly the board’s
finance committee and the village’s water commission and economic development
commission, are active and/or effective enough? If not, how might you help them become
more active and effective?

I have spoken to the Village Board of Trustees (board) and Mayor Perkins regarding the fact that
in 2017, only 3 out of 14 commissions listed on the village website with “active” commissioners
have minutes of meeting more than twice for the entire year recorded with the clerk’s office. We
have nearly the same results for 2018 commission meetings being recorded. I have yet to receive
any monthly, quarterly, and/or annual report from any commission. The boards job is to ensure
meetings are being held regularly by serving as chair of various community initiatives such as:
Quality of Life, Finance, Public Safety, Community Development, etc. It is also the job of the
board to request monthly/quarterly reports as it is all commissioners appointed and sworn duty to
provide recommendations to the board towards community prosperity.

As a commissioner of economic development, I presented to the board and mayor the fact that
the commission I had been appointed to in 2018; had not had recorded meeting minutes with the
village clerk’s office since May of 2016. I have corresponded countless times with the mayor’s
office who is responsible for appointing commissioners. The economic development commission
was established based on the 2014 Comprehensive Plan for Maywood. Since that time there is no
record of a single recommendation from the commission from the board of 7 commissioners. The
Illinois Open Meetings Act allows commissions to schedule a meeting when a quorum of
majority commissioners is established, but the Village of Maywood wrote into their code that
only the commission chair and village administration can schedule a meeting. The economic
development commissions chair has been the chair since the commission was established. Yet
has not held a meeting with minutes filed in the village clerk’s office in more than 2 years. 4
commissioners 2-year appointments expired in 2017. When I brought these issues to the mayor
and the board in 2018, the mayor’s office made the decision to reappoint all 4 commissioners for
another 2 years. I have spoken to various commissioners who would love to get to work on
bettering our community. Unfortunately, the board, mayors office, and the chair of the
commission choose to leave this commission inactive.

Our commissions are designed to bring the best and brightest that have an investment and care
for our community to the table. Our commissions should be laid out in a way that accounts for
our 6 Board of Trustees (board) to oversight. As a board we must be engaged in our
commissions, we must review productivity, and we must share recommendations with the
community that would contribute to a positive community narrative and enhanced quality of life
for all.

Public Safety

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• Do you believe that Maywood is, generally speaking, a safe community? If so, what are
some things that make this so? If not, what are some ideas you have to make the village
safer?

I believe that we are a community that is safer today than we have been during some rough times
in our memorable past. While we continue to increase our safety, I believe things like
Neighborhood Watch for all precincts, Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) for
elementary & middle school students, along with Police, EMS, & Fire Explorers active in
Proviso East and our park district should be launched. We must establish positive relationships
from early childhood to adulthood.

We also must create a programming that would be a Community Policing Academy. Residents
would learn about the world of public safety and go through various topics regarding our
community and initiatives law enforcement has ongoing towards having lovingly protected
community.

We must also create an initiative that would qualify, and train residents interested in pursuing a
career in law enforcement, emergency medical services, and firefighting. We currently are not
fully staffed with our law enforcement professionals. Many applicants fail the police exam,
leaving them ineligible for employment. If we establish a program that would assist in
preparation prior to the exam we can support residents who desire to protect and serve through
human investment. Establishing this level of community pride through people investment helps
address unemployment and brings more economic prosperity to those living in the community
and working for the community. We may not have many law enforcement living in our
community, but we can work to increase positive engaging interactions with those who are paid
with our tax dollars to protect and serve. These initiatives would add to moving the needle
forward towards a progressive and positive community narrative.

• Do you believe that the village is spending too little, just enough or too much money to
settle police misconduct and workman’s compensation cases? If you believe too much or
too little money, what are some of your ideas for getting those expenditures to a level you
believe is sufficient?

There is no amount of money that would constitute a positive response for misconduct or
workman’s compensation. While working in corporate America, I worked to reduce worker’s
compensation claims along with training management and team members on having a
harassment free workplace and a fair practices environment for employees and guests to all
enjoy. As the lead on worker’s comp reduction our largest property saw a 40% reduction in
claims within one year. When we say we care about things, we can only show that with results
based on measurements of success. This area is just one of many we can address that would work
towards positive financial strength, community narrative, and accountability.

Miscellaneous
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• If elected, what are the three things that you would do as a member of the Maywood
Board of Trustees immediately upon your swearing-in (and ‘immediately’ means within
your first two months as a board member)? Be as specific as possible.

1. Present my plan for accountability and productivity for all Commissions. Each trustee
should be appointed to chair areas of focus that all commissions fall under. Our village
administration needs measurements of success and so does our board of trustees. If you
are not engaging residents, businesses, and village administration in things that move our
community forward you should not be a trustee. Being a trustee means more than being
present for photo ops and two board meetings a month. The commissions and their
productivity fall on the mayor and board of trustees.

2. Evaluate the efficiency and productivity off all village departments and publish an
assessment report. This will be the 1st phase of a plan that allows for trackable
measurements of success for every department. Once this assessment has been completed
as a board it will be our responsibility to hold the village manager accountable toward
positive impact based on trackable results for all departments.

3. Establish a Maywood Alliance Council (MAC). For the 1st time we will have a council
that represents moving our community forward collectively. The MAC will consist of
administration and elected officials that represent Proviso Township, Village of
Maywood, School District 89, School District 209, Triton College, Trade/Vocational
Leaders, Maywood Park District, Maywood Library, appointed commissioners, and
various community stakeholders. We must all collaborate and come together to move our
community forward. Many have operated in their own silos but united we can stand
strong.

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