Nineteen Naperville residents are vying for eight open positions on the City Council on April 7. Some are former council members, others currently serve on boards and commissions in the city and the broader community. Some are newcomers to the political game.
The Sun posed three questions of the contenders, asking each to provide answers within a week via email. This is the third report of their responses, some have been edited for length.
Question: Suppose you’re visiting a community that has never heard of Naperville. What are the first three things you would tell people about your hometown?
Becky Anderson
Naperville is a city that has great schools in District 203 and 204, making a great place to raise a family. It also is a safe and welcoming place, a community of volunteers but also one with an award-winning fire and police department.
Naperville is a city with a rich history, and that shows with the amenities that we offer: the Riverwalk, Centennial Beach, Naper Settlement, our parks, Park District and downtown.
Naperville is a great place to do business – for both the independent entrepreneur or for larger companies both corporate and privately owned.
Rebecca Boyd-Obarski
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Great neighborhoods – residents are involved in the community through their neighborhoods. We shop and dine locally and enjoy abundant amenities, from our signature Riverwalk and numerous summer festivals to our popular municipal band and visiting symphony concerts.
Superior public safety – Naperville has been consistently recognized as among the safest communities in the country. We have award winning fire & police departments, successful community policing and a secure community for residents and businesses.
Excellent schools – there is a community wide commitment to public education, parental involvement is expected, and support for our youth comes from all sectors of our community.
Judy Brodhead
I would say Naperville is big but friendly, suburban but sophisticated, and open to innovation but respectful of its history.
John Colletti
Naperville is a great place to raise a family, surrounded by great neighbors, with a mix of excellent public and private schools, numerous parks and recreational activities including bike trails and a vibrant Riverwalk in a downtown area offering ample dining and retail options.
Naperville offers excellent public safety through well-trained police, fire and public works department personnel.
Naperville is conveniently located with access to three major highways, I-55, I-88 and I-355. Additionally, commuter rail service provides rapid access to Chicago. Amtrak service is also available in town.
Kevin Coyne
I would tell people about our safe communities and top-notch schools. I would tell them about our thriving business community, great restaurants and beautiful Riverwalk. Most importantly, I would tell people about our small town, community-minded community.
Bill Eagan
We are a city of 150,000 people that maintains the small-town feel and standards. We are a community committed to community service. The amenities like our Riverwalk and trails are second to none.
Wayne Floegel
Naperville is like winning the lottery. Best schools, best park district and best downtown; what else can you ask for?
Dick Furstenau
Naperville has been a safe community in which to live and raise a family. It has excellent schools which provide a balance between education and extracurricular activities. The downtown area has a fine college with a wonderful performing arts center, numerous shops, restaurants, bookstores, ice cream parlors and a most popular beautiful riverwalk.
Kevin Gallaher
Naperville residents are incredibly friendly.
Naperville has a charming downtown with a beautiful Riverwalk.
Naperville preserves the past while planning for the future.
Patty Gustin
Naperville is a community of stability, service and diversity. Your investment in Naperville is stable (and growing). We have award winning schools (and) police and fire departments; a renowned college; proximity to Chicago and convenient rail and roadway systems … and unmatched amenities like the Riverwalk, our places of worship, the Carillon, Naper Settlement, the Children’s Museum, and festivals that keep Naperville both a free-standing home-town and destination for visitors. The can-do service and volunteerism … is something that cannot be explained, but only experienced … Naperville is a place for all peoples of all cultures.
Bob Hajek
I would tell them about our schools, our amenities and the great people that reside in Naperville.
Paul Hinterlong
(The) top three things that folks love about Naperville, they are its downtown, our top-ranked schools and that it’s the best place to raise your children.
John Krummen
The first best thing of the Naperville community is clearly the people of Naperville.
The second best thing of the Naperville community is the volunteer spirit of the community.
The third best thing of the Naperville community is that it is a very fun and exciting place to live.
Nancy Marinello
First, Naperville has consistently been named by Money Magazine as one of the best places to live in Illinois.
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Second, according to an August 11, 2014, press release from the City of Naperville, SKF choose Naperville “to access Illinois’ highly educated workforce, proximity to local world class research universities, dedication to entrepreneurship and competitive cost structure”.
Finally, the Naperville Public Library and Naperville Park District provide educational and recreational opportunities for all.
Joe McElroy
Naperville is an affluent community of approximately 145,000 people that saw rapid growth during the last few decades because of its abundance of high-tech jobs, excellent schools and proximity to Chicago via I-88 and Metra. The city’s crown jewel is its downtown Riverwalk, which helped revive the downtown.
Now almost built out, the city faces new challenges to keep neighborhoods desirable and help redevelop aging commercial areas. People tend to be highly involved and love living here, because the quality of life is very high.
H. Tom O’Hale
The three things that I would talk about when describing Naperville are the vitality of downtown area, the Riverwalk and the quality of its libraries. The mix of old and new in downtown Naperville make it the perfect spot for families to wander, shop and enjoy a dinner or a treat. The Riverwalk, as it winds from the Centennial Beach through the downtown and beyond, is unmatched by any other city center. … The libraries are superb. They offer something for every family member and are a hub of activity year round.
Steve Peterson
I like to point out the unique amenities and services that display Naperville’s commitment to our history and strong community. … The Riverwalk/Century Walk demonstrate our strong commitment to the arts, enjoying outdoor space and community. This unique amenity includes Rotary Hill, the Carillon, and Naperville Settlement along with space dedicated to the Naperville Homestead. … Safety Town illustrates our commitment to the children in Naperville. Exposing them to rules of the road, time with police and fire staff to help them understand they are safe and looked after by the entire town.
Lastly, you can’t beat our schools. I am a product of District 203, and we should all be proud of both the academic and athletic achievements within the districts.
Steve Purduski
I would tell them that the most outstanding thing about Naperville is that the citizens take an active pride in their community, much more so than other communities I have observed, and this leads to:
A school system that is well above average, and that where you would want your children to attend school, and also one that does a great job in accommodating both special needs and top students.
A population that has been gaining in diversity, and though we have our differences, one where people are able to meet, discuss, and respect each others’ opinions, and do so actively. People know and appreciate their neighbors and neighborhoods!
Services and amenities that make Naperville a very attractive place to live – outstanding public safety, a tremendous park district and library system, and the crown jewel of them all – the Riverwalk and downtown.
David Wentz
Naperville is a very family friendly and very engaged community with a great schools a really low crime rate and people who care about each other.
Naperville has beautiful parks and open space including the River Walk, Springbrook and McDowell Woods.
Naperville is a world-class place to start and build a business.