[0:00] Welcome to the candidate forum put on by the League of Women Voters of Elmherst.

[0:05] My name is Patty Lackman and I am from the League of Women Voters of Central

[0:09] Kain County. I will not have a vote in any of these upcoming elections here in

[0:14] DuPage County. No skin in the game. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan

[0:20] organization that neither supports or opposes candidates or parties for any

[0:26] office. The league's purpose is to promote political responsibility through

[0:32] the informed and active participation of citizens in government. Providing this

[0:37] forum allows citizens to become better informed about issues facing their

[0:42] community and to become better acquainted with the candidates running

[0:46] for office. The League of Women Voters is not responsible for the accuracy of

[0:52] statements made by candidates. We're happy to provide this service for the

[0:57] community. At this time, I would ask that you please turn off cell phones and

[1:02] other electronic devices. I would also ask that you refrain from applauding or

[1:08] in other ways demonstrating support or opposition of a candidate. No campaign

[1:14] literature may be passed out in this room. The audience is encouraged and

[1:19] welcome to submit questions. Note cards and pencils have been provided on which

[1:24] to submit your questions. Questions will be reviewed only for duplication,

[1:29] clarity, and appropriateness for the office being discussed. Please signal a

[1:35] league volunteer. When your question is ready for

[1:38] submission, can you anybody raise your hand? We have one right here.

[1:45] Excuse me. Please uh also signal a volunteer if additional note cards are

[1:50] needed. Realize that we might not get to all questions and in the event of

[1:55] duplication, they will put questions together to make the best question.

[2:01] The League of Women Voters of Elmherst invited all three candidates for the

[2:05] Democratic DuPage Forest Preserve District 2 for this forum. Candidates

[2:10] Jacqueline Jax West and Dana Maro did not respond by the deadline date. It

[2:17] should be noted that the League has an empty chair policy which prohibits

[2:22] a forum with only one candidate participating,

[2:26] but League of Women Voters of Illinois does have a policy allowing the

[2:31] candidate that did accept to give a threeinut statement. Candidate Tina

[2:37] Tyson Dunn will be given the opportunity to give a statement no longer than three

[2:42] minutes. We will continue with those seeking to be the Democratic candidate

[2:46] for district 1 for DuPage Forest Preserve. All candidates running in a

[2:51] contested race were invited. The candidates have agreed to abide by the

[2:55] rules set forth prior to this forum. Uh, candidate Tina T T T T T T T T T T T

[3:02] T T T T T T T T T T D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D

[3:02] D D D D D D D D D D, you have your three minutes.

[3:05] » Good afternoon. My name is Tina Tyson Dunn and I'm running for reelection as

[3:10] your District 2 Forest Preserve Commissioner. I want to thank the League

[3:13] of Women Voters for giving me this opportunity to connect with our

[3:17] residents. I am driven by a deep care for people, our environment, and a

[3:21] steadfast commitment to protecting both. Caring for others has always been second

[3:26] nature to me. As a child, I stood up to bullies and stepped in when others

[3:30] turned away. Growing up a part of the Chicago Chicago's Native American

[3:34] community, I was raised on the front lines of activism, marching for

[3:38] indigenous rights before I was old enough to fully understand their scope.

[3:43] But these roots helped grow and shape me into someone who cannot stay silent in

[3:47] the face of injustice. Whether it's environmental protection, human rights,

[3:51] or women's rights, I've always been compelled to act. Today that resolved is

[3:56] focused on protecting environmental laws from relentless attacks from out of our

[4:01] white house, safeguarding environmental protections we have here in Illinois and

[4:05] being a voice to help strengthen those laws when needed. And I am looking ahead

[4:10] as we are working on a new strategic plan for our agency, ensuring our core

[4:14] mission, values, and visions hold true to the road ahead. For the past five

[4:19] years, I've served as your forest preserve district commissioner and dis

[4:23] forest preserve commissioner in district 2, earning the highest vote totals

[4:27] across all county board and forest preserve districts. I've run competitive

[4:31] races in a district 30% larger than a state house district twice. I am the

[4:36] first Democrat and the first woman to hold this seat, the first Democratic

[4:40] woman to chair multiple meetings as president promp, and I've served as our

[4:45] board treasurer since 2020. I'm not afraid to work hard, knock doors, and

[4:50] engage voters directly because I know they they always will put they know I

[4:55] will always put their interest first. I've earned a bachelor's degree and two

[4:59] graduate degrees. I am a certified master natural naturalist through the

[5:03] University of Illinois Extension program and hold financial certifications.

[5:08] As a third generation Lombardian, I've thrown myself into building democratic

[5:12] strength here in DuPage County. I've served as an election judge, a precinct

[5:17] committee person, and past chair of York Township Democratic Organization. All

[5:22] while running and winning my own two running two of my own races as past

[5:28] president of Democratic Women of DuPage County and past vice chair of community

[5:32] engagement for our county party. I've continued to lead as an executive

[5:36] committee member at both the township and county level. Local candidates know

[5:41] they can count on me for strategy, support, and resources. And I take pride

[5:45] in helping them not just win, but succeed once in office. This is not just

[5:50] politics for me. It's personal. It's about honoring where I came from,

[5:54] protecting what we've built, and fighting for the future we all deserve.

[5:58] To find out more about my campaign, you can go to votina.org, and you can find

[6:02] me on both Facebook and Instagram. Together, we can build a greener DUP

[6:06] page. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. And now we will move on to

[6:11] the two candidates um for district 1. They are Quinn Fulmer and Susan SMC. And

[6:19] we will they will each present a one minute introductory statement. The order

[6:23] determined alphabetically by last name within each ward. Then questions will be

[6:28] asked and each candidate will have one minute to respond in alternating order.

[6:34] Closing statements will continue in alpha rotation and will also be one

[6:38] minute. League of Women Voters of Elmherst will keep time. Timekeepers,

[6:44] raise your hand. And candidates will strictly adhere to

[6:49] the time limits. I will afford you the opportunity to finish your sentence, but

[6:54] let's let's not go on to another paragraph.

[6:57] Please notice the timers and when you see the stop sign, as I said, you may

[7:03] finish your sentence. Okay, we will go with candidate Fulmer with your one

[7:08] minute opening. >> Thank you. I'm currently sitting on the

[7:13] Rosel School Desist 12 board and working at Lake Park High School. I received my

[7:18] degree in wildlife ecology from the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point

[7:22] and since then, I've really been putting that degree to work. Not only have I

[7:26] been spearheading the habitat restoration efforts at both of Lake

[7:29] Par's campuses, but I've also taken what I've learned about soils and hydrarology

[7:34] to address some of the district's flooding concerns by combining the

[7:38] natural policy or properties of the soil with the ecology of our endangered

[7:43] wetland plants. Not only was I able to solve the flooding problem and prevent

[7:48] costly property damage, but I was also able to provide a biodiversity hotspot

[7:53] for some of the rarest plants on Earth. Admittedly, I'm newer to the political

[7:58] landscape, but I'm not running to join a political circle. I'm running to add a

[8:02] naturalist touch to a board of the Forest Preserve that is already full of

[8:07] respected and accomplished administrators.

[8:10] Thank you. >> Thank you, Candidus.

[8:14] your opening. >> Good afternoon and thank you to the

[8:17] League of Women Voters for hosting this forum. My name is Susan Sment and I am

[8:21] running for DuPage County Forest Preserve Commissioner District 1 because

[8:25] our forest preserves matter to our families today and to future

[8:28] generations. I've spent more than 20 years working full-time in parks and

[8:33] recreation. I'm a certified parks and recreation executive, an Illinois master

[8:38] naturalist, and I serve on the Elmherst Park Board. I also manage the Glenn

[8:42] Ellen Parks Foundation and I'm the treasurer of the Glenn Ellen Chamber of

[8:46] Commerce. For nearly 30 years, I've been right here in our community listening,

[8:50] showing up, and helping turn ideas into action. That includes creating new

[8:54] parks, replacing aging playgrounds, and planning major new recreational

[8:58] facilities that people will use every day. I'm running to protect and restore

[9:02] natural habitats, make sure our preserves are safe, welcoming, and

[9:06] accessible for everyone, and to be a responsible steward of public dollars. I

[9:10] believe I have a strong vision, clear priorities, and the experience necessary

[9:15] to make things happen. >> Thank you. First question, candidate

[9:20] cementic, what do you see as the three top

[9:24] priorities within the forest preserve district?

[9:29] The three top priorities that I see in the forest preserve district are to

[9:34] continue with the master plans that they have put in place and they are

[9:37] continuing to make future master plans and those plans encompass encompass

[9:42] habitat restoration um accessibility issues. Some of the things that are

[9:47] happening in the Heric Lake master plan towards accessibility are really

[9:51] wonderful and I'm very excited about the new building, the natural resources

[9:56] center and that we can be on the forefront uh of sustainability showing

[10:00] that we can build things to a net zero level. So restoration, safety,

[10:07] accessibility, continuing with plans and you know being a leader in sustainable

[10:12] issues. Thank you. Candidate Fulmer, same question. Three

[10:19] top priorities. >> All right. Well, looking at the parks

[10:23] and preserves today, uh we do have quite the issue with invasive species, which

[10:28] does also play into the accessibility issue because in an area that is clogged

[10:34] out with invasives, you can't really access it. You can't walk more than 2T

[10:38] into it. Additionally, I believe education is another priority because

[10:44] when you have parks and preserves that are clogged with invasives for so long,

[10:48] a lot of members of the public come to expect that as how it's supposed to be.

[10:53] So when you finally do get around to, you know, having a controlled burn or

[10:57] cutting down some of those invasive trees, you'll find some backlash that,

[11:01] you know, if they had been educated, had there been some signage out there

[11:05] previously, they would understand the process of what's going on and not be so

[11:10] alarmed by, you know, having a fire in your prairies or seeing big trees cut

[11:15] down. >> Thank you.

[11:20] Next question. We'll start with candidate Fulmer.

[11:24] Describe the opportunities you see to continue green initiatives within the

[11:28] forest preserve system. >> All right.

[11:34] So, we have plenty of endangered some critically endangered wildflower species

[11:41] that can be found in DuPage County. For example, one of them, the the cane malow

[11:47] is only found on one island. Um, we have the opportunity here in Dwage County to

[11:54] bolster our efforts to protect these endangered species and put them in

[11:59] accessible, visible spots for our parkgoers to enjoy. Additionally,

[12:06] uh the removal of aquatic invasives such as curly leaf pondweed and the Eurasian

[12:13] mil foil will also make our waterways more accessible and advantageous to uh

[12:21] anglers and other people that are looking to either have a relaxing day

[12:26] out on the water or feed their families. >> Thank you, Kenned. Same question. Could

[12:33] you repeat the question? Sorry. >> Describe the opportunities you see to

[12:37] continue green initiatives within the forest preserve system.

[12:42] » Opportunities that we have taken advantage of include uh solar energy

[12:47] project projects um and solar on our golf courses for instance and the

[12:52] netzero building and the wildlife center. So we have the opportunity to

[12:56] keep doing that with the natural resources center. Um, I also am have

[13:02] been part of some stream restoration projects here in Elmherst and was very

[13:07] excited to see the stream restoration project at the Growi Dam, the dam go

[13:12] away. Uh, so as we continue to keep restoring the waterways and the species

[13:18] that we are working to support, including our freshwater muscles,

[13:22] cleaning up our water is a very high priority for me.

[13:27] » Thank you, candidates. Mennec, how should the Forest Preserve District

[13:32] solicit public input for its ongoing projects?

[13:37] » The Forest Preserve District, I believe they actually are really doing a great

[13:41] job of soliciting input. Right now, they have a survey online that you can view

[13:45] the Heric Lake plans and you can go in and comment. So, typical ways that

[13:50] districts and park districts will do this, uh, public surveys, statistically

[13:54] valid surveys, promotion on social media, on websites, postcards, mail to

[14:01] people who live within, uh, certain amount of distance of those particular

[14:05] parks. So, I think that they're very well geared to receive uh, lots of input

[14:10] on their projects. >> Thank you. Can candidate Fulmer, same

[14:16] question. Might you repeat it, please? >> How should the Forest Preserve District

[14:21] solicit public input for its ongoing projects?

[14:27] » So, in addition to uh conducting surveys and looking at the social media replies,

[14:33] I would plan to be the most visible commissioner out in the parks

[14:37] themselves, talking with the people that use them on a daily basis. Uh, I find

[14:43] that my career already lends to me being out outside basically every day. And

[14:50] while you're out there, you encounter people, whether they be fishing, whether

[14:55] they're hiking or walking their dogs, and you can strike up a conversation

[14:59] with them, see what their thoughts are on the ground over what's happening with

[15:04] their parks. because at the end of the day, the people that are out in the

[15:08] parks are going to have the strongest voices about them. Thank you.

[15:20] Next question.

[15:24] Candidate Fulmer, please address the opportunities for volunteers within the

[15:28] Forest Preserve District.

[15:32] Well, uh, off the top of my head, I am aware that they have a fantastic

[15:37] breeding bird survey program where volunteers go around and conduct citizen

[15:42] science amongst our preserves, seeing what species of birds are nesting in our

[15:47] wetlands, prairies, and forests. And through that, we gather valuable

[15:51] information to see if our restoration efforts are indeed working.

[15:57] uh because if we don't have those eyes out in the field,

[16:03] we don't really have that great of an idea of what's going on. Additionally,

[16:08] uh I am aware that there are plenty of litter pickups, uh highway adopt a

[16:15] highway programs, uh in which you're able to go out and pick up and beautify

[16:21] the environment. Thank you.

[16:25] » Thank you. Candidate Semantic, same question.

[16:30] » Uh, volunteer opportunities that do exist include signups to um clear uh

[16:36] invasives from the parks, from the preserves. The friends of the forest and

[16:41] the other nonfor-profit groups that are associated often have sign up uh for

[16:46] park cleanup, the trail cleanup, the depage river sweep days. There are also

[16:51] citizen science projects that people can take part in if they want to do a a

[16:55] short but fun project. Uh where I work, we have a project uh I work in Glenn

[17:00] Ellen and our natural resources department that I'm part of has a a

[17:06] volunteer signup thing that we call habitat heroes. Uh where people can help

[17:10] us keep track of pollinators and bees and monarch butterflies and do bird

[17:14] watching walks. Uh so I think we have lots of opportunity to advertise to get

[17:19] people involved if they would like to volunteer.

[17:23] » Thank you. >> Candidate Cementic, how will you protect

[17:29] the wetlands in DuPage County? >> That's a really big uh issue for one

[17:36] person to tackle. How can I personally in a minute

[17:40] » I know in a minute. Um well, as we all know, the wetlands and our watershed

[17:45] areas are critically important to us. And one of the things that the forest

[17:49] preserve is doing uh besides the dam removal and the stream restoration

[17:54] projects is the freshwater muscles um project. And I would just be an advocate

[18:02] for reducing runoff. Uh where I also where I work, the runoff prevents a lot

[18:09] of the water from freezing. So people that are used to saying, "Hey, we always

[18:12] ice skated on that pond. The ponds don't freeze." So working with local

[18:16] municipalities to see if we can do things to be salt smart, uh to educate

[18:21] the consumers about what you're releasing into the waterways and to just

[18:26] stand for strong environmental protections legally.

[18:31] » Thank you. Candidate Pulmer, same question.

[18:36] looking at a lot of the wetlands within the forest preserve district,

[18:40] specifically one close to where I live and work. Uh the Madina wetlands are

[18:45] currently a pretty neglected portion of forest preserve property. But if you

[18:50] take a look at what's actually growing there, most of it is invasive, but it's

[18:55] not long established invasive. Most of it is less than that big in diameter and

[19:00] could easily be removed with a pair of loopers. And going off of the previous

[19:05] questions about uh volunteer invasive removal,

[19:10] uh Lake Park High School has plenty of volunteer opportunities. We have days of

[19:14] action. We have uh civics in action where service hours are required. Uh

[19:20] perhaps the Forest Preserve could foster relationships with uh educational

[19:25] foundations and other local organizations like the Boy Scout troops

[19:30] to get some of our volunteer labor out there and put a big dent in our

[19:36] problems. Thank you. >> Thank you.

[19:39] Next question. The Forest Preserve District recently had its first

[19:44] referendum to increase funding in many years. What projects will you

[19:50] uh want to see initiated to use these funds and what should the priorities be?

[19:57] Kind of a two >> okay

[19:59] » point thing.

[20:03] » Well, from what I've gathered, the uh increase was 5%.

[20:10] And the increase in expenses is also expected to

[20:15] rise 5%. Which, you know, kind of cancels out. But looking at the master

[20:22] plan that has been approved, uh I think that the Maple Meadows golf course

[20:29] improvement would take priority because not only is the forest preserve property

[20:35] enhanced, but you're also solving a residential flooding issue and providing

[20:41] habitat for wetland plants and animals at the same time. Everybody wins with

[20:46] this project. Thank you. Candidate Smantic. Same

[20:51] question. >> One thing that we that that what a board

[20:57] does is manage an executive director who manages

[21:02] staff. And one of the great things that the passing of that referendum allows

[21:06] the Forest Preserve District to do is to hire and maintain retain the best

[21:12] employees that manage our parks and run the facilities and treat the wildlife.

[21:18] And so just having that referendum money to help support staff with salaries and

[21:25] benefits is a great thing. Um and then because I do live in District One, I

[21:30] also agree with Mr. Fulmer that the next great project, especially in our

[21:34] district, that I would like to see move forward is plans for the Maple Meadow

[21:38] Golf Course to turn it into the same kind of golf preserve that we already

[21:42] enjoy at Oak Meadows. >> Thank you.

[21:51] What is one of your favorite forest preserves in DuPage County? Kennedy.

[21:58] Okay, when you ask this question, this is like asking a parent, which one of

[22:02] your kids is your favorite? So, um I I I I would say that my current favorite

[22:08] forest preserve or my children, two out of three of my kids would say Blackwell

[22:12] because they like to kayak and tube down Mount Hoy, but my favorite one right now

[22:17] is Wooddale Grove. And that is because the people in that neighborhood, there

[22:22] are lots of higher density housing around it. And this really is a place

[22:27] where a lot of people in that neighborhood, they're picnicking. If you

[22:30] go for a walk there on a weekend, you will see family picnics and people just,

[22:35] you know, playing frisbee and fishing and walking the paths. But the last time

[22:39] I was there, there was a gender reveal party and it's a boy. Uh, so I just

[22:44] really I have that really fond memory now of being at the Wooddale Grove.

[22:50] » Thank you. Candidate Fulmer, favorite forest preserve.

[22:55] » Again, that is a hard question, but I do have an answer because there is one

[23:00] forest preserve in District 1 that I have a closer connection to than none

[23:04] other. That being Mechum Grove. Uh if you look back in time at the maps from

[23:10] the 1860s, you will see that the original forest that the Meechum Grove

[23:15] woods is still a part of uh was connected to part of the woods that I

[23:20] managed today. That being the Lake Park East Campus Woods. Uh and then through

[23:25] development and uh isolation, they got separated. But

[23:32] for the last 5 years now, I've been on the ground restoring that section of

[23:37] woods that was originally part of the same forest. And in that time, I've been

[23:42] able to see the animals come back, see the pollinators rebound, and we're even

[23:47] getting some pretty hard species to find, like the eastern whipperwill made

[23:52] a comeback last year, and that was pretty interesting to see. So, I got a

[23:55] pretty deep connection to that land. Thank you.

[24:00] Last question. What makes you qualified to run for this

[24:05] office? And I want you to expand a little bit on what you said in your

[24:11] opening statement, >> Ken Fulmer.

[24:15] » Well, uh, I come with a specialist naturalist touch. Uh, I've been managing

[24:22] species specific wildlife plans for 11 years now across nine states with proven

[24:28] results. Uh, additionally, I've been serving on the District 12 school board

[24:34] overseeing their multi-million dollar budget which has been balanced.

[24:40] Uh with that being said, this time

[24:44] uh at this point in time, many of our local species are in population

[24:49] freefall. And with my experience in wildlife management, seeing these

[24:55] species come back to areas that were previously invasive, silent, and

[24:59] lifeless, I think that I would be able to uh bring a positive net benefit to

[25:06] all the residents of DuPage County with healthier, more biodiverse ecosystems.

[25:11] Thank you. >> Thank you, candidates.

[25:16] Through my excuse me through my experience, education and activities, I

[25:20] do possess a knowledge about local governmental agencies, ecosystems

[25:24] natives to Illinois, listening to and responding to residents, planning,

[25:29] budgets, policies, bid processes, legislative initiatives, program and

[25:33] fiscal accessibility, board functions, and community

[25:36] relations. As I said before, I work professionally in the parks and

[25:40] recreation industry and I am responsible for a large fundraising initiative in

[25:46] Glenn Ellen to provide a brand new park in their downtown. Here in Elmherst, as

[25:52] a board commissioner, I helped us pass a referendum to provide new facilities. Uh

[25:57] we have opened two new parks without any additional funding. We have also

[26:02] successfully uh I have personally through my work and my commissioner

[26:06] duties successfully written and managed OLAD grants, DECO grants um and also I

[26:12] used to work in nonforprofit arts and so the National Endowment for the Arts is

[26:15] another grant that I'm used to running. Um so thank you.

[26:21] » Thank you those evil timekeepers.

[26:25] » That was the end of my sentence so it was

[26:27] » sorry. Okay, now we go to your closing statement and we will start with Miss

[26:34] Candidate Cementic. >> Thank you again to the League of Women

[26:38] Voters for hosting this forum and to everyone who's taking time today to be

[26:42] engaged in this conversation. My love of nature is lifelong and it began early in

[26:48] family camping trips. And today, as a mom of three, it is deeply personal. I

[26:52] want our natural spaces to be protected and cared for, not just for today, but

[26:56] for the legacy that we leave behind. This race isn't about one community over

[27:01] another. We are one district in one county. And our forest preserves connect

[27:06] all of us. That's why my priorities are to champion land conservation and

[27:10] habitat restoration, enhance safe and accessible recreational opportunities,

[27:15] and lead with sustainable operations and fiscally responsible stewardship. I am a

[27:20] relationship builder. I listen. I collaborate. I bring people together to

[27:24] move good ideas forward. I believe that I'm the best candidate because I bring

[27:29] experience, passion, and a clear vision for our forest preserves. I invite you

[27:35] to join me in that vision with your vote. Thank you.

[27:39] » Thank you, Candidate Filmer. You're closing.

[27:43] Right. We've talked a lot today about policies and years in service, but more

[27:47] than that, we're talking about the legacy of Dwage County. The forest

[27:52] preserves are the lungs of our county. It's where our children might see their

[27:55] first bald eagle. It's where our families go to picnic and unwind on the

[28:00] weekends. And critically, they serve as a crucial

[28:04] first line of defense against natural disasters like flooding. I see our

[28:09] preserves as more than a line item on a budget. I see them as a promise to the

[28:13] future. I'm running so that 50 years from now, our kids can go out and see a

[28:19] greener, healthier, more resilient park system than we have today. I'm not a

[28:25] career politician, but I am a career conservationist with 11 years of

[28:30] fieldproven results. I'm asking for your vote to be your

[28:35] independent voice, your field naturalist, and your watchdog for our

[28:40] public lands and our tax dollars. Let's build a greener due page of tomorrow

[28:46] together. Thank you. >> Thank you.

[28:50] Our time is up. For more information, please visit the nonpartisan voter

[28:55] guide, vote411.org, org the candidates websites as well as

[29:00] the League of Women Voters of Elmherst website. Your participation as a

[29:05] candidate and as a voter is essential to preserving doc democracy that we hold

[29:11] dear. Please remember to vote on or before March 17th as one vote can decide

[29:17] the election and that vote could be yours. Let's give the candidates a round

[29:22] of applause.

Democratic Candidates for DuPage County Forest Preserve Board of Commissioners

Transcript