Plane Consulting

Name: James Woodke

Age: 65

Education: Graduated Northern Illinois University with a B S. In Economics.

Occupation: Retired American Airlines Pilot. Retired in the Dreamliner - Boeing 787.

Previous elected or appointed public office: Town of Salem - 2016 Incorporation Committee - To explore the Costs and Benefits of becoming a Village. My specialty was to identify ways to become a Village, and the expenses associated with it. I was also on the Antioch, IL Emergency Management Agency for 20 years as the Damage Assessment Coordinator.

  1.) Why am I the best candidate for village trustee?

 My experiences in life and work have provided me with a varied background. I managed a multi-million escrow account for an international company.

 I've taught hundreds of Aviation students around the country and at 2 Universities how to fly aircraft and related ground school courses. I enjoy being an educator and working with people. I am currently on the Faculty of the International Critical Incident Stress Foundation and teaching Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) Courses. I have over 30 years of experience in CISM.

 With an Airline Transport Pilot Certificate issued by the Federal Aviation Administration comes tremendous responsibility. Not only because I'm flying hundreds of people across the ocean and providing the highest level of safety. I was also responsible for working with many other people and departments to make a very complex operation to work smoothly. My aviation career lasted over 42 years.

 

2.) What do I see as the chief issues faced by the Village Board and how I would address them if elected?

  Financial - Every public sector organization must be fiscally responsible. The governing body must be responsible and be accountable to the public. I would try to bring Common Sense and Integrity to make sure the tough decisions are made to benefit the entire community. We cannot continue to see nearly 10% increases in the Villages portion of the Property Taxes.

 Planning for the Future - The Village of Salem Lakes is not a small town anymore. It is made up of parts or all the following - Camp Lake, Lake Shangrila, Salem, Silver Lake, Trevor, Wilmot. Each part of the Village is unique and has its own priorities. We need to have a plan that addresses growth and expansion for the entire community. Change is unavoidable, if we actively plan for the future, we can manage how our community grows.

 Reputation - I'm referring to the Village Board and the Departments they manage. I think it's safe to say that many people in and outside our community don't have a favorable opinion of the Village management. I know people who won't apply for employment openings within the Village because of what they've heard about working conditions. People ask me why do you want to be part of that "Circus"? My answer is that I care. I will bring my management skills, financial skills and people skills to promote the Village in a positive light. How? By using Common Sense, Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility to address every topic in a way that represents all the Village Residents.