Joel Frieders​ For Yorkville City Council: Patch Candidate Profile

Name: Joel Frieders

Age: 37

Position Sought: Alderman, Third Ward, United City of Yorkville

Family:

Julie, ageless, perfect. Dylan, 9. Leah & Mason, 7.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Not that I know of.

Education: BS in Political Science from WIU with a minor in Philosophy (2002)

Occupation:

I've helped manage my family's compounding pharmacy in Aurora, The Compounder, since graduating college in 2002, so using my math skills, that's 15 years of capsules, creams, suppositories, and injections.

I started Aurora Bee Company in 2011, and keep bees in and around Aurora, IL.

I've also been working in the field of interpretive dance for the last four or five days.

Why are you running?

Simple answer: My roads still aren't completed in my neighborhood, Whispering Meadows. I can't sell my house and build the ranch that my wife and I dream of, until the roads are finished.

Long answer: I got into city government because I felt a disconnect between myself and those spending my tax dollars. Every time I tried to understand why the city was doing something, I got confused because I didn't understand how things worked or why we couldn't "just fix my damn roads".

While I initially ran for alderman to selfishly fix the roads in my subdivision, and have completely failed at that (seriously, I suck), I learned that city government is all about communication. Communicating what we need absolutely vs. what we merely want is an ever evolving process that impacts the budget, how we go about attracting new residents and businesses, and the services the city provides.

I'd like to think I'm running again, besides trying to fix the roads, because I'd like to continue to help improve that communication between the city and its residents that I didn't feel before I got in office. Maybe when I leave it'll be super obvious to everyone that city hall isn't this dark and mysterious place where people are trying to screw you out of your hard earned money. More importantly, maybe when I leave people will show up to meetings to stay informed and participate rather than merely reacting when something that's been discussed for months or years actually happens.

Government is super slow. If you show up and become a part of the conversation there's a good chance what you think should happen could happen.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Alderman, Third Ward, United City of Yorkville

Campaign Website: NO.

What do you hope to accomplish in office?

I just want to drive on roads that don't ruin my car. I'd like people to show up to meetings and participate. Also, *begin to talk with hands and then paste super generic political text here* I hope to continue to improve relations between the city and the county so that we can more efficiently attack road improvement projects that impact both entities, while simultaneously recognizing that the answer isn't just throwing more money at the issue (because I personally am sick of paying my county taxes).

How would you hold local government employees accountable?

Read the information/packet provided. Ask questions. If I'm not happy with an answer, I work to change it. Repeat.

Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or board)?

If you don't have the money, and don't have an actual plan on where you're going to get that money (be it bond, fees, or actual taxes), don't spend the money.

I understand that not all capital improvement projects are possible without borrowing against projected income or bonding, but when the answer isn't to just NOT fix something, being realistic in where the funds are going to come from is key. I think we've done well by having an appointed finance director in place (his name is Rob Fredrickson and he's awesome) who can be held accountable for how he manages the city's money. If Rob screws up, the mayor fires him dramatically. If an elected official doesn't take Rob's professional recommendations and votes for something unwise, hopefully that elected official doesn't get reelected. Or the rest of the council realizes that Rob knows what he's talking about and the rest of the elected officials vote the right way.

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

I'd like to think that my attention to my marriage over the last 13 years is evidence enough that I can handle the job. In addition, the fact that I have three happy and healthy children is proof that my marriage is strong and more important to me than anything else. Also, I think this question is dumb because it's completely obvious that you don't have to be qualified for squat to get elected to office. That being said, I love tacos.

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

I'm super accessible. If you have a problem, call me. If it's after 9pm, text me and I'll call you back tomorrow. If you have a lot of words to puke at me, email me. If you are having an issue, let me know what it is so I can see about what the city can do to fix it. And if they can't, maybe I can help personally.

What sucks the most is when good people suffer through something for any amount of time, and they don't contact anyone to get it rectified so it either gets worse or they assume that that's just how life is. See something, say something, and if you don't like the looks of the rest of the people on the city council and you think I'm better suited to talk to, DO IT. We can always meet for tacos.

Of course if you're a grumpy dumpling and yelling at me for something I know nothing of, I'm going to ignore you and give you Funkhouser's number.

Photo provided by Joel Frieders