Meet Mokena Park District Board Candidate: Israel Smith

MOKENA, IL — Israel Smith is one of four candidates running for three open positions on the Mokena Community Park District Board of Commissioners. Smith works in real estate, and has previously as a township committeeman and is involved in the Mokena Lions Club.

Smith recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and his answers can be found below:

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, please email andrea.earnest@patch.com.

Name: Israel J. Smith

Age (as of Election Day):

41

Town/City of Residence:

Mokena

Office Sought:

Park board

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education:

Bachelors of Business Administration from Robert Morris University (2010)
Certified Illinois Assessing Officer (2015)

Occupation:

Real estate analyst - 10 years
Real Estate Broker - 15 years

Campaign website: Can be found here.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Rich Township Committeeman (2013-2015)

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

The Park Board has 2 large projects in the works totaling an estimated budget of $2.26 million. This is for the new Whisper Creek Park and a new maintenance facility located at Main Park adjacent to the current facility. It is essential that these projects are completed on budget and on time. I have been following the planning and development process of both of these projects and as commissioner I will be actively involved to be sure that we do everything possible to keep this project on time and on budget.

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 am a strong advocate for free speech and peaceful public demonstration but I believe the effectiveness of the message or cause is lessened when property is destroyed and people are hurt in the process.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

I believe that the Park District has and continues to work toward equality and providing the best possible service to all residents and guests and I will work to continue that as Commissioner. I would always be willing to listen if someone felt the Park District was lacking in this regard.

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?

With the Mokena Park District my focus, I believe that they have handled the response well. It appears that they have followed the recommended guidelines in an attempt to keep people safe. I hope that we can get back to full capacity as soon as it is safe and allowable. I commend the District on their creativity during the pandemic and I hope to continue some of those events after the pandemic is well behind us.

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?

I would be 100 percent on board with offering Park District facilities to be vaccination centers or doing whatever else we could to support the effort. I hope all of our local government bodies would do everything we can to get shots to those who want them as quickly as possible.

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

I am the only candidate who has presented new ideas that can be done immediately to improve the Park District. I am running independent from a slate and am the only non-incumbent running for Park District, so I bring a fresh perspective and a willingness to ask and answer tough questions when it comes to Park District issues. I have been the only candidate active on local social media pages presenting and elaborating on my ideas. I promise to engage and inform the public as a Mokena Park Board Commissioner.

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

I will start by saying that I LOVE our parks and the services that we offer. If I had to address a failure of the current board it would be that they have failed to recognize the importance of transparency and open communication with the public. I am running with a promise of an excess of communication. I am also disappointed to see that the Yunker Farm buildings that are listed on the National Register or Historic Places are falling into disrepair to the point that they won't allow people in the house. These buildings should be treasured and used to educate people on farming and the history of our community.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

1. Communication. I will work towards recording and making available to the public video of every park board meeting through public access, YouTube or Facebook live. There is no cost to post to YouTube and the Park District already has a YouTube channel that we could post to. I will be the first Commissioner to have a non-political Facebook page to inform the public on upcoming meetings, meeting agendas, meeting minutes, or anything related to the workings of the Board and park district.

2. I am working with community members to form a foundation that will raise private funds that will be used exclusively for maintenance and upkeep of the historic farm buildings as well as fund educational programs. This is something that I am very excited about and will be doing whether I win or lose on April 6th.

3. Responsible growth. I want to get us on a realistic timeline to begin development of the Yunker Farm land along Schoolhouse Road. It is going to be a huge expense and a massive undertaking but we have a master plan that was a major undertaking by the Park District a few years back. We should be setting timeframes and goals as well as working on ideas of what to put on that site. The farm sits at the center of downtown and when it is developed it should be something that draws people to the parks but also brings people to enjoy our downtown.

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

As a real estate analyst I have been valuing and analyzing real estate for the past 15 years. I am very comfortable reviewing budgets, schedules, and asking tough questions.

I am involved in the community as a Director of Marketing and Communications for the Mokena Lions Club. I have had the honor of being Chairman of the annual Pancake Breakfast that we host with the Fire District as well as a co-chair of the Easter Egg Hunt at Main Park. As a leader with the Lions it has allowed me to work with businesses, residents and community leaders to bring people together to help those in need as well as organizing events that are fun and beneficial for the community.

With my professional experience along with community involvement I will be a knowledgeable advocate for the people of the Mokena Park District and those we serve.

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

1. Accomplishing my goal of televised or recorded Park Board Meetings and expanding communication to the public.

2. The forming of the Yunker Farm Foundation to fund the maintenance and upkeep of the historic site.

3. An on time, on (or below) budget completion of Whisper Creek and the new $1.5 million dollar maintenance facility.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me because I want to communicate and shine more light on the Park District. I want residents to have easy access to see everything that the Park District is doing. I promise an excess of communication from the Park District Board.

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

Some of the past struggles and issues the board has had were based on ineffective and poor financial planning. I believe that they have worked to improve that but this is again a reason to increase transparency by the board. I think we are in a better place than we have been but we can continue to improve.

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:

Don't be afraid to ask for what you want, you just might get it.

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

I am going on 15 years of marriage to my amazing wife, Mairim, and we have an 8-year-old son, Grant, who is in the dual language program at Mokena Elementary School. I ride a motorcycle and have ridden as far west as Colorado and as far east as Lake Placid, New York. I am a proud Mokena Lion because I love being able to help those in need locally and I am excited to bring that idea of community service to the Mokena Park Board.