LFP candidates eager to please at forum

Published 9:59 pm Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Candidates running for Lake Forest Park City Council alternatively promised to not raise property taxes, to preserve trees, accused the city of generating revenue with traffic cameras and said citizens should decide what city services should be cut.

The candidates in races for four seats on the council answered questions from the audience at a forum held Oct. 13 at Third Place Commons in Lake Forest Park.

Tom French, vying for Position 7, did not attend the forum, as he tended to the death of his father.

City finances: Raise taxes or cut services?

Councilwoman Sandy Koppenol said the results of a telephone survey showed that 67 percent of Lake Forest Park residents are satisfied with the current level of city services. Koppenol is running for Position 1 and currently serves on Position 3.

The city needs to keep its current level of services because they are a part of what makes Lake Forest Park unique, she said.

Koppenol said she empathizes with residents confronted with money woes as she was laid off earlier this year.

Her opponent, Councilman Alan Kiest, said his aim on the council is to serve as a neighbor.

Kiest said it is his responsibility to serve residents and not the other way around.

“I’ll deliver the core services while trimming non-core services,” he said.

Kiest said he initiated the city’s reserve fund, and when the economy went into a “tailspin” the city had approximately $2 million in reserves to cushion the fall.

Jean Thomas, running for Position 3, said the city’s fiscal responsibility has to be balanced by the needs of the residents.

Thomas said the city needs to learn a different way of conducting business. She said she does not support raising taxes.

“I’m adamantly opposed to a levy lid lift or raising property taxes,” she said.

The city needs to take a more innovative approach to the budget instead of cutting staff, which could look like temporary cuts in pay, benefits and hours, Thomas said.

“I don’t know any group of residents who wouldn’t agree with that,” she said.

Thomas’ opponent, John Wright, said the city is faced with “serious financial issues.”

Wright said there is a way to balance the city’s budget without raising property taxes.

“The recession is not the time to raise property taxes,” he said. “I’ll do everything I possibly can to not raise your taxes.”

Wright said not all of the city’s revenue sources have been explored. The best way to balance the city’s budget is by funding the essentials first, he said.

Running unopposed for Position 5, Councilman Don Fiene said citizens should expect a combination of fixes to balance the budget.

Fiene said in the short term, citizens could expect blended cuts in services and a slight increase in taxes. In the long run, the city needs to fine-tune its business model.

“We need to redesign and re-engineer the city and how it does its business,” he said.

French’s opponent, Robert E. Lee, said the city has cut services down to the muscle, and he fears the city will cut down to the bone shortly.

Lee said residents should decide what should be cut, not the council.

“We should put it in your hands,” he said.

Traffic cameras

The candidates agreed pedestrian safety is a high priority but had differing points of view about traffic cameras installed near Brookside and Lake Forest Park elementary schools.

In 2008, the council approved installing traffic cameras on Northeast 178th Street near Brookside and on 35th Street near Lake Forest Park school.

The cameras record the license plates of drivers going faster than the posted 20 mph between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tickets are a non-criminal offense and do not tarnish the driver’s record. Those caught speeding are issued a $124 fine that would be distributed to the city’s general fund.

Koppenol said this issue is an example of where she and Kiest differ. Koppenol did not vote in favor of the cameras.

“I didn’t believe all options were explored,” she said.

Koppenol said she wants people to obey speed limits, but the council failed to look at all options for traffic calming devices.

Kiest acknowledged there are differing opinions from people living near the camera-enforced zones.

“People don’t appreciate the tickets but they appreciate safety,” he said.

Kiest said the council can work to redraft the ordinance, tweak the hours when the cameras are on, and maybe use flashing lights to alert drivers when the cameras are on.

Thomas said the cameras are an example of why the city needs better communication and transparency.

“It’s hard for residents to believe the issue was primarily safety; it’s a closed campus and children are not on the street during the bulk of time the cameras are on,” she said. “We need a lot more common sense.”

Wright said the city acted with limited information.

“This has turned into a revenue generator for the city riding on the backs of citizens,” he said.

Long boarding

The candidates agreed allowing long boarders to ride on the street poses a safety issue. Long boards are longer versions of skateboards.

Last year the council approved a $175 fine if skate boarders ride on streets open to vehicular traffic. After their vote, a group of citizens approached the council to address long boarders.

Lee said the city’s 100-year Legacy Project supports any mode of transportation, but citizens are concerned about safety. “It’s not a quick decision,” he said.

The Enterprise previously reported the Legacy Project is a working plan for the city’s current and future parks and open spaces, green streets and trails to name a few.

Koppenol said her biggest concern is safety. “I’m not, at this point, able to say either way,” she said.

Kiest said the city’s Youth Council could work with city council to find a solution.

“An injury is something we’ll all regret,” he said. “There’s no competition with a 5,000-pound vehicle.”

Qualifications

Lee said he is the stronger candidate because he has consistently been actively involved in city government.

“I have a passion for this city,” he said.

Koppenol said she and Kiest are very different, namely in her support for the Legacy Project. She said there are many community services the city needs to support, including recreational programs for youths and meals for seniors.

“Kiest has proposed cuts to Third Place, the Farmers Market and senior center funding,” she said.

Kiest accused Koppenol of leading an “attack strategy” in her campaign.

“You can tell a lot about a candidate by the way they run their campaign,” he said.

Lee said he brings his teaching career, his service as co-chairman of the Legacy Project and his role as a planning commissioner to the position. Lee said he listens to citizens and would look forward to working with other council members.

“It’s only with collaboration can you get things done,” he said.

Thomas said unlike her opponent she supports preserving trees, maintaining community services and is not limited to one area of expertise.

“I can speak in depth on all issues,” she said.

Thomas said the council could improve on three interrelated issues: increasing transparency, improving communication and improving efficiency.

Wright said he opposes the city’s tree ordinance in its current form because its unbalanced and property owners’ rights are essential.

“The best solutions aren’t the easiest … but they’re worth it in the end,” he said.