Bolingbrook Election 2013 Candidate: Maripat Oliver

Campaign information 

• E-mail: Maripatoliver@aol.com
• Phone: 630 863 3770
• Address: 527 Cottonwood Circle, Bolingbrook 

Personal information 

• Age: 46 
• Family (name, relationship and age): Paul, Husband of 25 years. Catherine, 23-year-old daughter, working on her teaching degree, Hannah, 18-year-old daughter, senior at Bolingbrook High School. Natalie, 13-year-old, daughter in seventh grade at Brooks Middle School. David, 12-year-old son, in sixth grade at Brooks Middle School. Zachary- 8-year-old son in third grade at Independence School. 
• Occupation: Director Of Sales for Best Western 
• Political party affiliation, If any: Republican 

Applicable experience qualifying you for the position: 

My experience serving on the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Post Adoption Advisory Board. I was appointed by our previous Governor to the Children and Family Services Review Board. My activities in the Community that keep me connected to the people that I will be serving. 

Candidate question

Why are you running for this office?   

My experience serving on the DCFS Boards and being a foster/adoptive parent, has given me a very broad view of people in need and how they came to be in need. I understand the need for our Youth Services that help the at risk kids in our community and WHY disbanding these services would actually hurt the community at large. The need for job fairs and getting people back to work and giving them the feeling of accomplishment, as well as helping people in the rears on their utility bills so that they can maintain the basics in life.  I am running for Trustee so that I can be a positive part of the services that are currently being offered and the ones that will be implemented in the future.    

What will be your most important priority if you get elected? 

Youth Services is where my heart lies. I have been in foster care and my brother aged out of the Foster Care System at 18 yr old. In my adult years I have become a foster parent and have adopted three children. I know the IMPORTANCE of giving kids positive experiences and a place to feel that they belong with strong role models. The Township offers many services to the children in low income homes in DuPage Township. In addition the Township also partners with other organizations that provide services to at risk children in DuPage Township, to help them continue their programs. We need to remember that it is more cost effective to put a child on the right path for a productive future then to pay $140,000 to arrest/trail and incarcerate a juvenile for 1 year. I will work to see the current services continue and to see where we can expand services. 

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Growing up I could have been a client of the Township, I remember what it feels like to be in need. My early life experiences have shaped my worldview and the path I have chosen to take with my life. My adult life has been in service to others, especially the children in the care of the IL Department of Children and Family Services, by serving on boards, being a foster parent and adopting three children through foster care. My work will always be to see that everyone has the opportunities to make a better life for themselves and their families. I am committed to programs that offer a hand up to those that find they need it. 

How long have you lived in your community and/or been active in local issues?

My family and I have lived in Bolingbrook for 18 years. We are active members of  St Francis Church.  Our children have been in the local sports through the Park District, we are currently active in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for our sons. I have always been interested in my community and have enjoyed watching it grow and blossom over the last 18 years, attending community wide events. I ran for State Representative in the 85th District in 2010. My involvement in local issues has been ongoing and has grown as my family has gotten older. 

What's your favorite thing about DuPage Township? 

The safety net that they provide to the people of the community. People have a place to go to and seek help for a variety of life's issues that they maybe facing. 

What are the biggest challenges facing DuPage Township, and how would you address them?

The Township faces the same issues that we are dealing with in our homes. Trying to do more on less! The Township has successfully continued to provide services without raising the tax levy in the past four years. All of the services continued to be maintained on 1% of your tax dollars. As our Senior population grows we need to have a strong involvement in programs offered at the Levy Center to ensure that they continue to stay active. The food pantry continues to serve more people each year. It is a vital resource in our community and we need to ensure that the amount of food that we have meets the needs of the residents. There are many services that we are providing through the Township, the challenge is to maintain and increase what we are doing to a  larger population each year, all without increasing the tax levy, that would put a  burden on the families that we are serving. This is the biggest challenge as I see it. I will bring the same no nonsense budgeting that I currently use with my own family of seven.