5 questions with the men who want to be mayor

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Elgin Mayoral candidates Dave Kaptain, left, and Ed Schock answer questions from the attendees during the Candidate Forum hosted by the League of Women Voters, held at the Gail Borden Public Library in Elgin on Thursday, March 24, 2011. (Kevin Sherman~For the Courier-News)

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Updated: July 29, 2011 12:20AM

On April 5, Elgin Mayor Ed Schock hopes to be elected to his fourth term, which would make him the person who has held the job the longest in the city’s history.

Schock is running on his record and sees things on the upswing in the City in the Suburbs.

Shock’s opponent is veteran councilman and community activist Dave Kaptain, who claims the city needs to be more transparent in how it does business, more responsible with its spending, and that Elgin needs a new direction.

As the election approaches, The Courier-News asked both men the following questions revolving around issues that have arisen during the campaign and over the last few years.

1. Name the top five donors to your campaign (including all types, from corporate to individual) and how much each has given. If there are more than five who are tied at the maximum, send that list.

2. The Elgin Tower Building is on the city’s logo. Yet the building is in need of significant repair, is largely empty and has financial issues that led to the city meeting with its board of directors. As such, was it a wise move to make this place a symbol for Elgin, and what role, if any, should the city take to keep it operating?

3. There are two large, empty bars downtown (which once held Mad Maggie’s and RoadHouse/Main Event) and vocal downtown residents who don’t seem to like noise beyond elevator music. The commercial space vacancy rate has just about doubled in the last few years and more have left recently. ArtSpace and the efforts of the Downtown Neighborhood Association aside, what can the city do that it already isn’t doing to reinvent its downtown?

4. In early 2009, the city paid a landlord more than $220,000 for a home at 302 W. Chicago St. on the near west side that may have some historic value. It was built in 1846 for two sons of Elgin co-founder Joseph Kimball. The place had been a public nuisance for years and probably should not have had anyone living in it at all prior to its purchase and probably should have been red-tagged. Both of you voted for the purchase. Left on the table last summer was spending more than $450,000 to make the place a ROPE (Resident Officer Program of Elgin) home and a showcase for green technologies. What are your thoughts about what has transpired thus far and where would you like to see this project go?

5. Name an issue facing Elgin that defines the difference between you and your opponent and the approach you see for addressing it.

Ed Schock

1. Top donors:

Harry Meadows: $2,500

Elgin Fruit Market East: $1,500

Elgin Fruit Market West: $1,500

BMD Inc.: $1,000

Kappana Ramanandan: $1,000

Mike Vondra: $1,000

NOTE: To date, more than 100 separate donations have been received.

2. The reason for using the Tower Building as a symbol for Elgin is that it represents an example of an urban building in an urban downtown. It reinforces that Elgin has characteristics and a history that is more identified with a traditional city as opposed to the typical suburb. The Tower Building is not going away and this is not the first time in its history that it has had difficulties. In fact, shortly after its construction in 1929, the bank that built it was a victim of the Depression, but the building survived. I expect the Tower Building to remain a fixture of our downtown and city for years to come.

3. Downtown development always has its ups and downs, but over the last several years there has been far more success than failure. The recession has taken a toll on retailers wherever they are located. We have pursued a strategy of increasing both our daytime downtown population by attracting more jobs and increasing our evening population by adding more residents. Recently the Leath Building was purchased and new technology-related businesses are occupying that space. Similarly, an organization seeking to attract hi-tech startups to the Tower Building is active. Also, 25 attorneys and legal staff have located in downtown.

Finally, the long-vacant building at Spring and Grove has been purchased and rehabbed by an engineering/architecture firm, with the business being located downstairs and an apartment upstairs. As you point out, Artspace construction will begin this summer, adding 55 live/work lofts and up to 85 new people living downtown.

4. The property in question is the oldest surviving residential structure in Elgin, dating back to our founders. It has been a problem for the neighborhood because it had been converted to five apartments. Taking it back to a single-family home will be very positive for that neighborhood. Also, it will be used by the city as a ROPE house. The house had significant structural problems and is now stabilized. Using riverboat money, I believe it is in the best long-term interests of our city and the neighborhoods to go forward with the renovation and save this important part of Elgin’s history and architecture. Our history and our heritage are what distinguishes Elgin from many other communities.

5. The largest issue facing our community is workforce development. We must help our residents acquire the skills necessary to compete for good paying jobs. That is why I have been very active in building a partnership with ECC, U46, D300, the United Way, the chamber of commerce, and the Illinois Department of Employment Security to develop programs that not only prepare our young people for work but also help re-train and improve the skills of those who are currently unemployed.

Dave Kaptain

1. Top donors:

Dave and Sandy Kaptain: $5,000

Edna Krueger: $ 300 Note: She was insistent. Edna was Ed Schock’s predecessor as head of the U46 teachers union.

All others: $100

2. The Tower Building is the most recognizable feature of our downtown and was chosen for the logo for that reason. I have toured the new IT not-for-profit that has opened on the second floor and believe that this type of venture could symbolize a change in the future of the downtown. I supported a short-term loan to pay the utility bills for the building and keep it open for a maximum of 90 to 180 days. The long-term solution should be in the hands of private investors.

3. We have provided millions of dollars in financial incentives to developers, TIF funds for infrastructure upgrades and now fund the Downtown Neighborhood Association to assist in economic development. This is a long-term process. I think we need to provide the time it takes for these initiatives to be successful or fail.

I would suggest one more thing that I believe is essential to the success of the downtown. We need to take some steps to make visitors to our downtown feel safer. I have seen numerous studies and surveys down on the downtown as to why people do not patronize the businesses there in the last 10 years. One of the most common concerns that still has not been adequately addressed is the fact that people do not feel safe in the downtown. It is not important whether this concern is real or perceived; if people do not feel safe, they will not go downtown.

4. I supported the purchase of the property to remove a blight and hazard from the near west neighborhood. I feel that was the correct decision.

We voted to go forward by asking for estimates to provide the required upgrades to make that property a municipal building. I felt that the preliminary estimate was too high, but was willing to see the actual bids. I would not support appropriating funds to restore and convert this building to green technology showcase. I believe the appropriate decision at this point would be to make the building secure and place a plaque on it describing its architectural and historical significance. The land still has value to the neighborhood and could become a small park or tot lot.

5. My opponent does not believe we have a problem with transparency in Elgin’s government, contrary to my belief and that of most of the candidates for city council. I believe in open, transparent government and resident involvement in the decision-making processes. We need to communicate better with our residents.

I would look to the procedures that are in place in communities that have been rated highly as transparent governments, such as Schaumburg, and follow their lead. The city council should discuss issues publicly and each council member should provide an explanation for their votes on controversial issues. The liquor commission should be expanded to include all the members of the city council, and the meetings held on the same night as the city council meeting.

I would like to work with the other council members to put together a limited commissioner form of council. I would suggest each council member become involved in the workings of one city department. The public would contact that individual for questions instead of contacting seven council members. I have been involved in a number of successful city-organized programs in the last 10 years, including the Popcorn and Planning programs (widely heralded as grass-roots government at its best, which were casual functions where people were free to come and go as they please or as their questions are answered), Popcorn and Pedaling programs and most recently the Sustainability Action Plan. These initiatives all saved the taxpayers money and have been accepted by the community because of the involvement of the residents of Elgin.