Meet Crystal Lake City Council Candidate Ian Philpot

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — Four candidates are running for three open seats on the Crystal Lake City Council this election. Patch.com sent out questionnaires to all candidates.

Here are the responses for Ian Philpot:

Age (as of Election Day)

36

Town/City of Residence

Crystal Lake

Office Sought

Village board or city council

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race)

N/A

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Northern Illinois University - 2010

Occupation

Director of Marketing at CPGIO

Campaign website

https://www.facebook.com/ianph...

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

City of Crystal Lake City Councilmember - appointed April 2020-present
City of Crystal Lake Planning & Zoning Commissioner - appointed October 2018-April 2020

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most important issue facing the council is how to support people and businesses throughout the remainder of the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, the city council has approved the use of funds to support businesses for sanitation equipment, signs, and to cover operating expenses. The city has been reaching out to the McHenry County Department of Health to do whatever it can to help distribute vaccines. I will continue to work to make sure that the City of Crystal Lake seeks out new ways to support residents and local businesses as we get through this pandemic together.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I believe that the core of Black Lives Matter is about a group of people being treated unjustly by law enforcement, and I support any cause that so clearly impedes on the freedom and wellbeing of others. The demonstrations that were held locally were a masterclass in civil activism. I participated in one of the demonstrations, and I saw firsthand the peacefulness between the demonstrators and local law enforcement.
Furthermore, I’m thankful for the proactive policies that Chief Black has implemented at the Crystal Lake Police Department. When the BLM demonstrators presented the city with a list of requests around proposed changes to policy and departmental transparency, it came to light that Crystal Lake was already doing most of those things, and Chief Black put in extra work to get the city in compliance with that list. I could not be more proud of CLPD or its leadership.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?

It's easy to be critical of the early response to the pandemic. I am disappointed that there wasn't more leadership on a national level or a driving force to provide guidance. At the local level, it was devastating for businesses to be forced to cease operating, especially when some big-box competitors were able to stay open.

I am encouraged to see financial relief packages passed, and I'm proud of Crystal Lake for creating programs to help businesses with signage, sanitization stations, and more. I was glad to see the Restore Illinois plan because, while I didn't agree with the regions that McHenry County was placed into, it gave us guidelines and a path forward.

The data shows that masks prevent the spread of COVID-19. The state and county mask mandates create requirements that apply to residents of Crystal Lake, so I do not believe that another local mask mandate is required.

Additionally, starting last summer, I have made a comment during Crystal Lake’s council meetings to encourage people who aren’t able to safely social distance to please wear a mask.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?

From what I’ve seen and heard, the MCDH has done the best they can with the resources given to them by the state. I think the state left McHenry County lower on the priority list than it should, and I am hopeful that MCDH is given its fair share of vaccines soon.

I know the City of Crystal Lake has offered to help with MCDH with vaccine distribution, and I sincerely hope that the county is able to find Crystal Lake as a reliable partner.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

There are two key differences between myself and the other candidates running for city council. First, I am the fourth generation of my family to grow up and raise their kids in Crystal Lake. I understand the importance of this city to its residents, and I have a personal interest in ensuring that Crystal Lake remains a great place to live for generations to come. Second, I am willing to ask questions and be a dissenter when necessary. Over the last year that I’ve been on city council, I have asked for more items to be removed from the consent agenda and have voted “no” on more agenda items than any other councilmember. I don’t mind speaking up to question a process or challenge something that’s been status quo in the past.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

N/A

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I am passionate about making Crystal Lake’s residents more sustainable. Between the challenges of the pandemic and what we recently saw happen in Texas when their power grid went out from a winter storm, I think it is critical that Crystal Lake find ways to make its residents self-sustaining — whether that’s with easier access to solar panels, allowing backyard hens, or any number of other opportunities.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I started getting involved with the city in the summer of 2017 when I joined a group of people with stormwater issues to ask the city for some help after a series of “one hundred year” floods. I spoke at a couple of council meetings, and the city council and staff quickly came up with action plans to address the needs of the community. I then decided that I would make it a routine to attend council meetings to stay informed with what is going on with the city, and I have been at nearly every meeting for the last four years (including during the 18 months that I served on the Planning and Zoning Commission).

Also, I was appointed to city council right last April, and I was dropped into budget conversations as the city was preparing for its next fiscal year. As new information came in about large shutdowns and layoffs, the city budget was revised twice in expectation of a down economy. Thankfully, the budget adjustments were effective to the point that the city is operating well within it’s budget. This has allowed the city to do incredible things like waive liquor license fees from restaurants that lost business during the pandemic.

And finally, my appointment to council happened just one month prior to the sudden passing of Mayor Shepley, and I was suddenly responsible for helping to choose his replacement. I believe that the other councilmembers would all be capable of the duties of acting mayor, but I wanted to make sure that the new acting mayor would appoint a replacement to their council seat so that the people of Crystal Lake had a full 7-person council representing them instead of working with just 6 members for a year until the special election.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

My term in office will be a success if Crystal Lake is able to thrive as we come out of the pandemic. It's critical that the city stay on top of its finances, that we continue to find ways to support local businesses, and that we support local vaccine distribution.

Why should voters trust you?

I am a Crystal Laker with the goal of wanting to keep the city a great place to live for years to come. I am the fourth generation of my family to grow up in this community, and I’m raising the fifth. In fact, all four generations attended Crystal Lake Central High School (or Crystal Lake Community High School for my grandmother and great-grandfather). It was really something special to get to walk through the halls between classes and be able to look at the pictures of my family members hanging on the walls.

My family’s local involvement goes back 70 years to when my great-grandfather (Mickey Sund) was on the Crystal Lake Park Board. My grandmother (Pat Philpot) served on the District 155 School Board for 10 years and also served on Crystal Lake’s police pension board. My grandparents’ business was a member of the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce. My great-grandfather, grandfather (Clarence Philpot), and father (Mark Philpot) all coached park district baseball teams.

I am truly a product of this community, and I want nothing more than to see it thrive both now and in the future.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

My views on government spending are simple: 1) spend less than you bring in, and 2) focus spending on the safety and wellbeing of the city’s residents. If one of those principles had been violated, then I'd have a problem. Thankfully, I haven't seen clear evidence of it.

I believe that Crystal Lake is managing its revenues carefully. The audits of the city budget come back clean, so I have not seen anything that would be of concern. In the nearly 4 years that I've been attending city council meetings, I have only heard concerns from the public a handful of times, and a majority of those concerns are easily explained away.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No

The best advice ever shared with me was:

For about two years, Ralph Dawson (the late councilmember whose seat I was appointed to) allowed me to take him out to lunch now and again. He was a wise mentor. He was intentional with his guidance and encouragement, and I looked up to him for the example he set. Mr. Dawson gave me lots of advice, but the best advice he ever gave me was: “Take in all the information you can and make up your own mind. Don’t let anyone else tell you how to think.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I spend the majority of my free time playing with my kids and renovating our house with my wife, Erin. We are Christians and attend Willow Creek in Crystal Lake. We enjoy walking in our neighborhood, playing sports, and having strong opinions about the best place to get ice cream/frozen custard in town. In the remainder of my free time, I enjoy reading, writing, and playing guitar.