Time on the Board

Deepa's Time on the Board

Much has been accomplished during my 4 years on the Villa Park Board, but there is still more to do. Here are some of the highlights of how I have worked to help improve Villa Park during my Board tenure so far.

1. New management was hired to better serve the interests of Villa Park residents.
   
   New management was hired to improve communication with residents, decrease the disconnect between staff and management and to better support economic development.



2. The Villa Park Recreation Center went from concept to design to completion with no taxpayer burden.
   
   The Village was able to obtain a $10M grant to fund the community center, and the Board was able to leverage the remaining funds through a village bond to plan, construct and furnish the new Villa Park Recreation Center. The entire process took into account the wants and needs of Villa Park residents.



3. Lufkin Park was revamped to include community-desired amenities.
   
   The Village received a grant from the state, which it was able to utilize for revamping of the Lufkin Park space. A variety of resident input opportunities were provided, and the project was finished on time and on budget. The park provides some much-needed amenities for residents, including a splash pad, ADA-compliant play structures and a walking path.



4. Relationships with Dist. 45, Dist. 48, and Dist. 88 were improved.
   
   Meetings between school officials, village management and the Board have led to better communication and a reassessment of contracts between the entities to assure long-term coordination.



5. Garbage disposal process was streamlined and consumer complaint measures were implemented.
   
   A new process was implemented to make the garbage pick up process more efficient and standardized.



6. Technology was updated for better communications with residents–including an improved website design, a new online permitting process, electronic bill payment, and the new My Villa Park app.
   
   Communication with residents was improved to allow two-way correspondence between village staff and residents. The permitting process was also simplified, and an app for the Village was created to allow for more immediate and easier communication with residents.



7. Strategic and Comprehensive plans were created and implemented to more efficiently use tax dollars.
   
   An assessment of the wants and needs of the Village was done, and a 5-year plan was created based on input from residents, staff and the Board. This plan includes clear-cut measures and timelines. The Village is currently in year one of the plan, and I would like to see this plan through to its completion. Re-elect me to help with oversight on this process.