Current mayor Steve Chirico recently announced that he would not be seeking a third term. Dr. Benjamin M. (Benny) White is a retired Lieutenant Colonel who served 22 years in the Army as a Field Artillery Officer, leading and mentoring soldiers throughout his military career before retiring from active duty in 2008. The way to reach coming generations is through education. Previously, he had been appointed to the District 204 Board of Education in 2012, was elected to the post in 2013 and served on the board until 2017. He received his doctorate in Values Driven Leadership from Benedictine University. A: I would love for us to work on initiatives to improve the ratio of our affordable or workforce attainable housing, whatever [word] we want to use. Naperville Councilman Benny White has announced he's running for mayor in the 2023 election. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google In 2012, Dr. White was appointed to the Indian Prairie School District 204 Board of Education and later was elected to the board in 2013, where he served as Board Secretary. Thats always at the forefront of my decision making. Well, part of sustaining a community is we have to start working with our youth, and getting them involved in government as much as possible so that they understand how all this all works. Graduated from Neuqua Valley and Yale University. Although we are adding eight employees this year, as our needs change and as our employees retire or transition to different jobs, it's always worthwhile to reassess our staffing needs. This wasnt the first place where I experienced racism, but I was the first African-American chosen to be a fire and police commissioner here in Naperville, he said. If you have a story idea,we want to hear from you. The Daily Herald Editorial Board Updated 3/5/2023 11:12 AM. Im totally convinced that as soon as the community thinks its reached its goal and stopped working, thats exactly when we start to go the negative way. In response to this, some 70% percentage of our police officers have so far undergone CIT (Crisis Intervention Team) training and all are trained in Mental Health Awareness. A: A city the size of Naperville is always in the midst of significant infrastructure projects, some of which are very visible to the residents, like the road and sidewalk improvement, and some are less visible but just as vital. As a 2-term city council member, I've been able to cultivate close working relationships with these representativeswho . Privacy Policy and The Consolidated Municipal Election will be held April 4, 2023. A: I have three priorities. Its a commitment to protecting the ideals of the people I serve, fostering excellence in the people I lead and completing the mission no matter the obstacles. So thats a challenge for us to sustain those types of rankings and ratings that Id mentioned before. However, that does not mean Naperville is immune to the ills and bias of discrimination. I have been on the board of fire and police. Do we see that as an issue here in the community right now? My wife, Kim, is truly the unsung hero of my career, taking care of our family while I served our country., For 22 years of that career I was in the Army, starting as a cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and retiring in 2008 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. And lets deal with these issues in the most constructive way that will help hopefully correct and expose and potentially educate the offenders while simultaneously acknowledging the offended.. Our residents are our stakeholders! Councilman Benny White is the council liaison to Naperville Community Television, Channel 17. We have the best professionals when it comes to policing. White, who has a wife and two children, previously served on the city's board of fire and police commissioners. Mental HealthUnfortunately, we cannot mention policing without also noting how mental health issues underpin about half of local emergency response incidents. Service on Council, IPSD204 Board White is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army, having served 22 years before retiring from active duty in 2008. We talk a lot about engaging our young people, our most valuable resource. We talked about sustainability. So thats a great thing. If thats the case, will we need all the parking that we have right now? NAPERVILLE IL: A Virtual Meet and Greet event was organized on Sunday, January 31, 2021, to support the re-election of Dr. Benny White to the Naperville City Council.In 2017, he became the first person of color to have been elected to serve on the Naperville City Council. For more on the 2023 mayoral election, click here. "As national politics devolves into partisanship, we need a mayor who leads confidently by putting people and principles over politics and can engage and energize our youth," he said. We have done a great job of keeping up with fire and police pensions. Over the years, Dr. White's leadership skills and strong commitment to teaching and learning helped to develop future leaders. This Q&A is a part of Central Times 2023 mayoral election coverage. We need to get in front of this by researching how they affect residents and city resources, and the demands they will place on our budget. Investing in our IT structure is crucial to keep our data safe and our systems up-to-date. One of our challenges that Im seeing, however, is that we are finding that there are a lot of people who are not going into policing or being a firefighter, and its happening across the country, its not a Naperville specific thing. He also earned a Master of Science in Kinesiology from Indiana University and a MBA from Webster University. Elected officials need to understand their voices are louder than most, and that their words matter, he said. In eight years. He did not offer an opinion on fellow Councilman Kevin Coynes call for Stava-Murray to resign her position other than to say he disagreed with her statement that the citys history of white supremacist policies is ongoing, which she made on her Facebook page in response to a comment someone posted. By assuring students their waste is definitely recycled and teaching them about the plastics that can and cant be recycled, the community and Earth could feel the benefits. Thats what Ive been doing. You can find a collection of city information relevant to everyone in Naperville, from new residents to long-time community members. Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or board)? Even my doctorate is in values driven leadership. Finally, good governance. Click here to sign up for the NAPERVLLE, Ill. (WLS) -- Councilman Benny White conceded the Naperville mayor race to businessman Scott Wehrli Tuesday night. Q: There is minimal affordable housing in Naperville. Im the son of a police officer. But it takes an overall type approach to keeping the community thriving. Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job? Facing tomorrow's challengesOne particular challenge we will face in the coming years is adapting to changes coming due to the sustainability movement. He also runs cross country. He said they chose to settle in Naperville because of its "nationally recognized schools, park district programs and libraries.". I would look at the different departments within our city government to ensure they are using best practices in order to run as efficiently as possible. Q: What do you consider the primary responsibility of the community's "chairman of the board"? We had a goal of getting it to 25%, and I believe its at 27%. Im ready to get to work and so I ask for your vote to be your next mayor. I want us to be able to take advantage of the new technology for our future, so that it will allow us to continue to thrive and go forward. We've made it through the pandemic crisis and are recovering well. Click here for live election results White could have been the. Benny White is running for Mayor in the 2023 Naperville Consolidated Election. By Suzanne Baker Naperville Sun Mar 30, 2023 at 2:37 pm Expand Naperville mayoral candidates Scott Wehrli, Tiffany Stephens and Benny White participated in a forum held March 15 by the. He also was appointed by Chirico in 2015 to the citys Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, where he served for two years. Click here to download our new app for iOS and Android! In addition to my degree from West Point, I earned two Masters degrees, including an MBA, and a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration) in Values-Driven Leadership. In our 17 years here, I have actively contributed to our robust community life by serving on the board of fire and police commissioners as well as on the school board and on the city council. Isabelle Nobrega, Naperville North High School senior. In 2015, Mayor Chirico appointed Dr. White to the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners, where he proudly served for two years. Benny White: 13,265 votes Scott Wehrli: 15,634 votes Tiffany Stephens: 638 votes NAPERVILLE CITY COUNCIL Nag Jaiswal: 9,055 votes Rebecca Malotke-Meslin: 8,325 votes Josh McBroom: 12,512. Among the people to speak on the issue at Tuesdays meeting was Walter Johnson, an African-American who has lived in Naperville for 42 years. Both men hope to succeed Mayor Steve Chirico, who announced in July he would not seek reelection to the top job in the fourth largest city in Illinois. Your email address will not be published. I found the right girl for me in high school and Ive held onto her for 41 years and counting! Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years? Dr. White first was elected to the City Council in 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. The issue that arises from this is misinformation, and the decisions that result from it. None will be resolved in the near future, but they represent a core duty of government: planning for a tomorrow that may look quite different from today. Outside of writing, Jay is involved in numerous clubs at Central. Click here to sign up for the Well its a lot easier to say were more partisan, because what weve been used to in the last few years for most of the time is one party. White, who retired from the Army in 2008, works as a junior ROTC instructor at Joliet West High School. A West Point graduate, Benny has served his country and held public office as an Indian Prairie District 204 School Board member before joining the Naperville City Council. Decisions about what we do when our current IMEA (Illinois Municipal Energy Association) contract expires have to be made soon, requiring intergovernmental cooperation and discussion about energy sources. All of this combines to make me the most qualified candidate. But now that weve grown in so many ways to a much more diverse community, youre getting different thoughts that come to fruition as well. In 2012 I was asked to join the District 204 School Board when a vacancy occurred. Benny White for Naperville. He has the experience, leadership skills, strength, and vision to lead our great city forward as our newly elected mayor. Over the years, Dr. White's leadership skills and strong commitment to teaching and learning helped to develop future . Our kids both felt the sting of racism in schools in Naperville.. And it will make me a more informed mayor for Naperville! With that experience, I understand the intricacies of inter governmental relationships. City Council member Benny White and Liquor Commission member. Scott Wehrli, a lifelong Naperville resident with deep family roots in the community, edged two-term city councilman Benny White in Tuesday's race to replace Mayor Steve Chirico, who chose. Weve paid down our debt. Spending resources on anything outside of our guiding principles could potentially increase the city's debt. If we want them to live in Naperville after high school or college, we need their input in the kinds of decisions that Naperville makes about our policies and our development. Weve in fact increased our reserves. We raised two children in Naperville who are now finding their own success as adults. This is his second year on staff. Are there any large scale corridors or areas of improvement you would like to see through if elected mayor? NAPERVILLE, IL Two Naperville political figures have thrown their hats into the ring in the race to become the city's mayor. Published: February 02, 2023 at 2:00 PM CST. I count myself very lucky. Q: What is your vision for Downtown Naperville? Expand Naperville City Councilman Benny White does not pay property taxes on his home in the Kinloch neighborhood because he receives a disabled veterans' homestead exemption, a benefit given. When it comes to opportunity, we have to look at housing choices, and know what kind of housing we have. Through my experience, Ive become well-versed in governing: responding to the needs of the community and using the resources of government to find solutions. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Im writing this to express my opinion on sustainable practices at my school, Naperville North High School, and how I believe schools everywhere should choose to implement ecologically friendly methods as well as be more informative on environmental issues. I received an appointment to West Point in 1983 and graduated in 1987. That unpredictable event produced effects that we continue to adapt to. People need to be able to trust their government officials. So you need to find a happy medium and study it and figure out whats the right answer for that as well. Currently, White serves as the director of the JROTC program at Joliet West High School. A: Naperville's bicentennial is coming up in 2031, only eight years away. Thank you for supporting our journalism. Its just a different perspective that many of us probably just dont get or quite understand. To be clear, I do not believe Naperville is a community with white supremacist policies, White said. He earned a doctorate in business administration from Benedictine University. And thats primarily because theres a better ratio of commercial development in the 203 area. She faces two opponents, Scott Wehrli and Benny White. I say that because when we talk about diversity, we talk about diversity of thought. And theres different parts of Chicago that are just different from each other. To believe so would be a fallacy.. Newsletter, Paddock Publications, Inc. is an Employee-Owned Company. While major, it's necessary so that they will be up to the P25 standard (P25 radios transmit both data and voice). One that benefits from having excellent city staff, but demands an experienced leader who can bring together the right minds to help find a way forward. Environmental Sustainability in Naperville, Services and Resources for People with Disabilities, Commander Dan Shanower September 11 Memorial. When we are approached with important issues, especially those dealing with race, we need to reach out to others, reach out to people you trust, people who have influence, people in authority. We anticipate a significant number of retirees in the next few years and may be able to save in our overall salary budget as younger employees join our workforce. We have a state-imposed requirement to have at least 10% of our housing stock qualify as affordable. One we dont take lightly: duty.Its a revered concept because its one of theSeven Core Values that the Army instills in everyonewho wears the uniform: Loyalty, Duty, Respect,Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and PersonalCourage. Your email address will not be published. Incumbent Benjamin White, one of 11 candidates running for four 4-year terms on Naperville City Council, responds to the Daily Herald candidate questionnaire for the April 6, 2021, local. Another set of projects that may not be visible to the public but are important are the upgrades to data storage and expansion, ACI Implementation (for IT security), and GIS Infrastructure Migration. The Mayoral Candidate Forum includes introductions and closing remarks by all three. A lot of this comes down to sustainability. Politics & Government Naperville 2021 Election: City Council, School Board Races Naperville voters will head to the polls April 6 to choose members for village council and local school boards.. Required fields are marked *. It's a skill I learned and practiced through my studies at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and subsequently during my 22 years spent on active duty with what is arguably the best and most extensive education on leadership in the world: the United States Military. The placement of this interview on our website does not represent an endorsement of the candidate. 1,520 likes. By: Liz Spencer, NCTV17 On a testing day, there may be 800 people to show up, who want to compete for the few slots that were available to serve in Naperville. Benny White, the first African-American elected to the Naperville City Council, said Tuesday he does not believe -- as state Rep. Anne Stava-Murray has said -- that Naperville has white supremacist policies. He is calm, he doesnt overreact, he is a true leader. Weve actually reduced it by 33%. Report Type Reporting Period Filed . This is a win-win for everyone. , To our community serving Napervilles residents for over 10 years in elected office, in addition to being part of several boards and commissions. Chair: 924 W. 75th St. Suite 120-201 Naperville, IL 60565-6193: Reports. Q: What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should leaders respond to it?
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