Judy Sollinger: 'Time to Start Moving Forward Again'

Editor's note: This is the third in Patch's series of Oswego election campaign question and answer forums. Each candidate in each race across town will have the opportunity to answer the same set of questions as his/her opponents. Their answers will be provided here unedited. Patch Local Editor Steven Jack met with village presidential candidate and Trustee Judy Sollinger last month at

Name: Judy Sollinger
Age:  67
Family: Two children, five grandchildren
Education: Attended classes at Aurora University and Waubonsee Community College
Years in town: 42

Patch: What made you decide to run for office?

Sollinger: I decided we were moving in the wrong direction. There's a lot of negativity on the present board, and I think we need to change that. They say 'no' to everything. It is taking years to get anything approved.

CVS was brought before the village almost three years ago. They still don't have preliminary approval for what they want to do at Route 71 and Plainfield Road. It's the right rezoned zoning for the property in conformance with our comprehensive plan, and they would not approve a preliminary plat subject to engineering, which we have done forever.

Everything is voted down. It's gotten to the point where everything is 'no.' If we do have developers that come forward, if they've got a proposal we're not willing to work with them. I feel that's wrong for our community. We've got to start moving forward again.

Patch: What do you love about Oswego?

Sollinger: I think I love the hometown feel, the charm and the character. Obviously, it's changed a lot since we've moved here but the downtown still has that same feel like it did 40 years ago. A lot has changed, but it still has that hometown feel and that's what I love.

Patch: What's one thing you would change about Oswego?

Sollinger: I want to have the downtown be a more pedestrian-friendly walking community. I want more down here for families who come down.

We have the river and the park by the river, which we're making good use of now, but I think if we could incorporate it even more into our downtown plan we approved in 2009 we could make things even better.

Patch: What are the three most important issues facing Oswego? What are your plans concerning those issues?

Sollinger: I think the economy has had a major impact on Oswego and the communities around us. I think we can help that by working with developers to bring businesses downtown mainly, and if we do bring things downtown it will help the economy because it will bring  jobs here, bring revenue and extend the tax base.

I think it all comes down to the economy, job market and revenue. And I do think by being a little more business friendly and trying to work on ways to bring businesses to town, be that with a TIF district or some other avenue for encouraging development, that that will help with all three of those issues.

Patch: How do you plan to reach out to other public entities in town to ensure the needs of all residents are met?

Sollinger: I think the intergovernmental meetings are a good start to that. I do think we need to handle them a little differently.

Right now it's more of a patting everyone on the back with what we're doing. I guess I would like to see a little more teamwork as far as working together. I like what we do with the school district now.

I would also like to see us videotape our meetings. Oswego East High School has a television studio that I'm so impressed with. I went out there met with them and I think the students would love to do that. At the time we looked at, I think both bodies thought it would cost too much. I don't think that's true, and I think we need to look at that a little more.

I think we have a good relationship with all the local bodies; we just need to get a little more involved with each of them.

Patch: How will you work to change the tone of the Oswego Village Board and its meetings?

Sollinger: I plan to ask for a little more discussion and find out why people are voting the way they are voting. I think it's important that all trustees be heard.

I like the idea of public input. I think I would limit it to less back and forth than we've had sometimes. I'm not going to limit it to two minutes or three minutes; I would never do that. But I think if an issue is getting out of hand, we need to stop it and move on.

Do you support the use of a Tax Increment Financing District to attract new business and development to downtown? If so, what should be the village’s specific responsibility within that TIF. If not, what other means do you support to attract new business and development to the downtown?

I definitely believe that properly administered Tax Increment Financing Districts can be one of the best funding mechanisms available to municipalities, specifically for infrastructure improvements to encourage business and commercial development.

However, I cannot say that I would automatically support the use of a TIF District to attract new business and development to our downtown without having the input of the other taxing bodies, and not without having specific information regarding the type of funding options being proposed and the long range effect it would have on the Village as well as knowing that the TIF District is being properly administered.

What are your specific ideas for the types of development on the former Alexander Lumber site?

Even though there were still a number of funding and other issues to be addressed, I liked the idea that was previously proposed for the Alexander Lumber site.

I would like to encouragesome type of mixed used, pedestrian-friendly development, with sufficient parking, retail,service establishments, varied restaurants and entertainment venues and possibly residential living units. The site’s proximity to the park makes it a great location for multiple uses.

In the face of rising taxes from other local taxing bodies, what more can the village do to lessen the burden on taxpayers?

The Village can work to bring business and commercial development to our area to broaden our tax base. While we have no control over the taxes assessed by the other taxing bodies, I believe we all need to work together to encourage our various boards to remain fiscally responsible and continue to offer the services mandated by law.