The Riverside Community Caucus on Monday night announced its slate for the April 2011 consolidated elections, naming two incumbent trustees and a former member of the village’s parks and recreation board as its candidates.

Trustees Jean Sussman and Ben Sells, whom the caucus slated in 2007, will run for their second terms in office. John Scully has chosen not to seek reelection after serving two terms on the board.

Meanwhile, Joseph Ballerine is the caucus’ third candidate. A longtime volunteer and co-founder with Sells of the Riverside Friends of the Fourth, Ballerine is a former chairman of the Riverside Parks and Recreation Board, which was dissolved by village trustees in September.

While the September vote “probably pushed me over the edge,” said Ballerine, he insisted he is “not an agenda candidate.”

“This is something I’ve been thinking about for the last few years,” Ballerine said. “I think the time is right. My goal is not to go in there and fight, but to foster an environment where we can have respectful and meaningful debate.”

Ballerine is not new to the village board. He served two years as a trustee, appointed by then-President Paul Stack. He’s been especially visible within recreation circles as a former president, board member and coach for Riverside Little League and his many years on the village’s recreation board.

Prior to being elected to the village board in 2007, Sussman was chairwoman of the Riverside Zoning Board of Appeals and served on the village’s Plan Commission. As a trustee she’s been an organizer of the Riverside Arts Fair and is the board’s liaison for zoning and planning.

Sussman has Ph.D. in agricultural and applied economics and is retired after serving as a director for Quaker Oats and Pepsi Co. Sussman was believed to be on the fence with respect to running for a second term. She said she wanted to run for re-election because “there’s unfinished work on planning, the budget, the future and making sure the village’s organization is strong for the future.”

“I look forward to open board communication about present issues and about planning for the future,” Sussman said.

As the board’s liaison to the park board, Sells advocated against dissolving the recreation board.

With Ballerine, he started the petition drive that put an advisory referendum on the November ballot regarding the rec board, and he worked with Ballerine and others to create the Riverside Friends of the Fourth after the village cut funding for its traditional July 4 celebration two years ago.

Sells has also worked to help organize a pair of downtown beautification efforts with the Landscape Advisory Commission.

By BOB UPHUES
Editor : Riverside Brookfield Landmark
http://www.rblandmark.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=6704&TM=76515.55

Here is a summary of the following candidates:

Joe Ballerine, a 21 year resident of Riverside, seeks a Trustee Village Board Position in 2011. Joe and Donna Ballerine have raised two sons ages 22 and 18 in Riverside. He is owner of J. Anthony Designs. Joe holds a Bachelor in Business from Western Illinois University. Joe has previous government experience serving Riverside Township during a two and one half year term as Village Trustee appointed by then Village President, Paul Stack. His broad-based community involvement includes being a former Deacon and Elder of Riverside Presbyterian Church, former board member of Riverside Little League, Baseball coach for boy and girl baseball, former Chairman of Riverside Recreation Board, former member of Riverside Recreation Board, and co founder and current member of Friends of the Fourth. Patriots Park is witness to Joe’s planning and advocacy for the importance of Riverside’s beauty. Joe’s advocacy for a thriving Riverside Parks and Recreation presence displays his commitment towards drawing families to Riverside to renew the social fabric of our Village. One of Joe’s objectives as trustee is to sustain an open, independent, community-wide approach to solving the challenges facing Riverside.

Ben Sells, a 23 year resident of Riverside, feels it is an honor and pleasure to serve his fellow neighbors and residents. He is seeking reelection as a Riverside Village Trustee in 2011. Ben holds a Juris Doctorate from IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law. He is owner and operator of Fairwind Sail Charters Inc. for the past 13 years. Ben’s business and advisory experience, advocacy for Riverside residents, and long record of active support and organization of numerous volunteer efforts have shaped Riverside for the better. While serving as Trustee, Ben co-founded Riverside Friends of the Fourth, Riverside Springs Ahead Community Work Day, and the Save Riverside’s Parks and Recreation Board petition drive. It is this kind of passionate involvement, coupled with his experience on the Village Board that will guide Ben to seek the best solutions for Riverside in the challenges that lie ahead.

Jean Sussman, a 16 year resident of Riverside, seeks reelection as a Riverside Village Trustee for 2011. Jean holds a PHD in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the University of Minnesota. Currently retired, she worked as a Director at Quaker Oats Company and Pepsi Co. Jean’s current or past memberships are Trustee, Village of Riverside; Chair, Riverside Arts Fair; former chair, Riverside Zoning Board of Appeals; former member, Riverside Plan Commission; Member and Co-chair of Committee for Riverside Branch of AAUW; member of board of Directors, Raunder/Pilsen Family YMCA; volunteer, CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). Jean will continue to use her government experience, analytical training, and financial training to address the fiscal challenges for Riverside. Her open minded, independent, and objective approach to problem solving will insure a commitment to finding the best solutions for Riverside and its citizens.

The Caucus has been slating candidates for over 80 years. Its non partisan approach ensures the integral process of identifying and selecting the most qualified and capable people to lead Riverside.

The Riverside Community Caucus Nominating Committee invites you to submit nominations for possible candidates interested in serving as Riverside Village Trustees. The nominee must be a registered voter and a Riverside resident for a minimum of one year. All submissions must be received by September 30th 2010.  Please use our form below to send your nomination.

You can also mail nominations to:

Riverside Caucus Committee Attn: Jenny White P.O. Box 61 Riverside, IL 60546.

Or call Jenny White at 708 447-4663.

Trustee Sussman and I have voted on two budgets prior to 2010. The 2008 and 2009 budgets included structural, sustainable cuts of approximately $350,000 and $420,000 respectively. Between 2007 and 2009, village expenditures increased an average of 2.75 percent per year. By contrast, and contrary to Trustee Shevitz’s assertion that it “maintains services without increasing spending,” Riverside’s 2010 budget increases expenditures 6.5 percent over 2009, eliminates funding for a police officer and a public works employee, substantially raises vehicle sticker fees, and defers over $350,000 in known obligations such as vehicle replacements and pension contributions. Hardly a cause for celebration.

During discussions on the 2008 and 2009 budgets, I repeatedly said that spending reserves and capital funds on daily operations was unsustainable, and I said the same thing about the 2010 budget. Trustee Sussman has been similarly consistent in her own views, and we both clearly voiced our concerns throughout the 2010 budget process. The notion that we waited until the last minute to make our objections known is nonsense.

As for his comment that the 2008 and 2009 budgets “left numerous capital improvement fund projects unfunded,” Trustee Shevitz either does not understand the budget process or he is intentionally attempting to mislead. The Capital Improvement Plan always includes unfunded projects (e.g., renovating the Youth Center) for which everyone knows funding does not currently exist. What the board majority did for 2010 was include funded projects in the CIP only to then refuse to fund them in the actual budget. This is the shell game to which I object. If we are not going to fund a capital project, and are instead going to spend that money on daily operations, why not just say so?

It is also untrue that Trustee Sussman and I are not working with the rest of the village board, although the RCA’s preoccupation with partisan politics does make it difficult at times. Trustee Sussman and I both have long records of working with numerous individuals and groups for the betterment of Riverside, and that will continue. If, however, by “working together” Trustee Shevitz means “taking orders” then he will be disappointed. Riverside deserves a truly deliberative board, not a rubber stamp.

Trustee Shevitz scoffs that Trustee Sussman “perceives” a structural issue with the Village’s deficits, as if that is open to question. Everyone, including his own RCA party, now agrees that Riverside’s deficits result from a structural disconnect between expenditures beyond the village’s control and revenues. Indeed, Trustee Shevitz himself finally acknowledged recently that the challenge facing our village is a lack of revenue.

Lastly, on a personal note, I find Trustee Shevitz’s characterization of Trustee Sussman shameful. Trustee Sussman has served Riverside in countless ways over many years through her volunteerism and public service. She is incapable of hypocrisy or grandstanding, and, having been in more than a few debates with her, I can attest that she is hardly “sheepish.” She has a brilliant, honest, and independent mind and would never hew to a “party line.” The simple fact is that Riverside is a better place because of her.

It is one thing to disagree over policy, quite another to personally attack good people because they refuse to quietly follow a bad course. Such attacks muddy us all and accomplish nothing.
Ben Sells
Riverside
Riverside Landmark 1/12/10