The Wednesday Journal sent questionnaires to each person running for public office in 2025. The Journal’s questions are in bold and the candidate’s responses are below.
Political experience
Served on the Oak Park Liquor Commission
Community experience
Pro bono (free) work performed by my law firm over the years for people unable to pay for legal services necessary to effectuate important changes in their lives.
What are the greatest challenges facing the Oak Park Public Library?
(1) better governance – repairing the relationship between the library and the community to clarify previous board decisions by the board;; (2) amend bylaws and/or policies to allow periodic informal meetings between the board and the executive director to substitute for formal evaluations; (3) revise the employee grievance policy to emphasize that employee complaints are resolved by human resources and the decision by the executive director is final with no recourse to the board; (4) revise the bylaws to allow agenda items to be raised by board members and not solely at the discretion of the board chairperson; (5) investigate new funding sources including the potential of establishing a library foundation and (6) review and revise plans to ensure safety for the public and staff.
In the face of national attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, how will you protect and enforce DEI at the library?
Oak Park is a blue community where the overwhelming majority of Oak Parkers agree with the principles underlying DEI. Theoretically DEI was infused into all OPPL policies by the previous DEI director whose principles are assumedly enforced through constant vigilance by the staff and the board. Whether a separate DEI department and DEI director is necessary should be a decision best left to the new executive director who should be selected after the new board of trustees has been elected.
When a new executive director is hired, how will you help ensure a smooth transition and strong leadership?
I assume that the new executive director will hold meetings with the staff to facilitate an appreciation of the current internal issues facing the library. But there should also be an open meeting with the community to allow the new executive director to understand and appreciate the problems of communication stemming from previous decisions by the former board.
What is your take on the library as a third space, or place outside home and work that allows locals to connect with their community?
I fully endorse any means to encourage the library to be a viable third space as a forum for group-led events to connect and interact with people and groups in the community. The library should play a role in facilitating and celebrating efforts to bring people and groups together.
What should the policy be on banning books at the OPPL?
OPPL’s policy should be to resist any attempt by any person or group, private or otherwise, to restrict in any way, shape or form access to information and/or books at OPPL. All opinions and viewpoints should be accessible at the Oak Park Public Library. Period.
Please add final thoughts not covered in this questionnaire. These responses may appear online.
All of the candidates appear to agree that the library is a cherished part of the community, that it should reach out to everyone especially the vulnerable and underserved, and oppose censorship. I agree.
But changes need to be made, especially in the area of due process which, as retired attorney who practiced for 45 years, I am uniquely qualified to serve. My campaign is based on remedying the fundamental unfairness of certain decison-making by the current board, two members of which are running for re-election, and reform for the procedure evaluating the executive director. Also, the process and criteria for what issues come before the board should not be the exclusive province of the board chairperson. Such issues require changes to the bylaws, which have not been revised since 2018 and are required to be reviewed annually.
