Health & Fitness
Running For Northbrook Office Might Not Be As Hard As You Think
Think you don't have what it takes to be an effective Northbrook board member? I believe you need four qualifications. You may be surprised to hear that 'experience' is not one of them.
It’s election time! Well, actually, it's time to think about running for office in the Northbrook elections next year!
In April of 2013, there will be elections held in Northbrook for the following boards:
- Northbrook Board,
- Board of Trustees,
- Board of Commissioners,
- School ,
- School ,
- School ,
- School ,
- School District 225
You may be thinking that you don’t have the experience or the knowledge to actively participate in your local board, but I would like to encourage residents and give people the opportunity to put the 'crazy' idea in their heads now.
I believe that in order to be effective on a board in Northbrook, you should be able to fulfill these criteria.
1. Have a passion for Northbrook and not be satisfied with the status quo. This doesn’t mean that you should be out to change every item that comes before you. This means that you should not become stagnant and believe in the philosophy, “Things are fine. This is the way we’ve always done it.”
2. Be able to stand up for your beliefs in a productive and thoughtful way that doesn’t disparage your fellow board members. In my two years of serving on the Northbrook Village Board, fellow Trustee, Todd Heller and I, were at odds on many issues. However, we had a great working relationship that was filled with honesty, trust and respect for each other’s opinion. That is what I felt made for a successful board. Disagreement with respect.
3. Not worry about being ‘liked’ by the staff. As a board member, you may not realize that you have employees! These employees are actually the superintendents, the administrators, all the staff and the heads of the village, including the police departments and fire departments. This can be very daunting and difficult for some people. You have to be able to make accurate and fair decisions based on the fact that you work for the residents of Northbrook and not the staff.
4. Do your research on the topics you will be voting on and discussing. You will be provided with documentation explaining every issue. However, it is up to you to read the packets of information, do your own research and ask questions about the these topics. Don't be afraid to take a differing opinion than the other members of the board. This is where true leadership is seen..Being willing to take a public stance about your beliefs based upon strong supporting statements.
These are the four points that I think are most important if you are considering a run for any type of local office. But, the idea for this article today is just to get you thinking about the idea. Talk it over with your friends, your colleagues, your family.
And notice, that I did not use the word ‘experience’ on this list. While I believe that experience on village boards and attending board meetings can help, I also don’t think that is a qualification that absolutely must be fulfilled.
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If you have passion, can work well with others, do your research, and not worry about being ‘liked,’ I believe you can have a successful career on any board in Northbrook.
Please take a minute to share this link on your Facebook page so that other Northbrook residents see it. We are all in this together. Let’s encourage residents to consider this important role in Northbrook’s ongoing development.
Kati Spaniak is a 36-year resident of Northbrook, a former Northbrook Village Board Trustee and a Real Estate Broker with @properties specializing in selling real estate in Northbrook. She has created a Get Involved Northbrook Facebook page to keep the residents of Northbrook involved and active in the community.
