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Editor’s Note: This questionnaire was mistakenly published with a question left blank. The question about affordable housing was not asked of the candidate. The Kane County Chronicle regrets the error.
Name:
Lora Vitek
What office are you seeking?
Mayor City of St. Charles
What is your political party?
nonpartisan
What is your current age?
47
Occupation and employer:
Current Mayor/Executive Director Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Alderperson 4th Ward, City of St. Charles
Mayor, City of St. Charles
City:
St. Charles
Campaign Website:
Education:
North Park University; Chicago, IL Master of Management Nonprofit Administration (M.M.N.A.)
Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.)
Millikin University; Decatur, IL Bachelor of Science in Marketing
Community Involvement:
Legislative Committee - Metro West Mayors
Former President – Board of Directors West Suburban Philanthropic Network (WSPN)
Former Youth Commissioner, St. Charles IL
Advisory Board - Delta Dental Institute
Marital status/Immediate family:
Daughter Grace, Son Quinn
Partner, Matt
Bonus Children -Samantha, Caleb, and Mason
Questions:
How important is sustainability/eco friendly energy? Major factors in decision to renew IMEA contract?
To me, sustainability is very important and I am 100% for implementing and using renewable energy. Due to the available market and state initiatives, however, we simply aren’t at a place where we as a City can rely solely on renewable energy practices. I am proud of the fact that St. Charles is currently on track to achieve 20% renewable energy usage in 2025, an increase from 11%.
There are several factors that go into whether we, as a City, renew the IMEA contract. Both the reliability of power/energy supplied and the cost to our residents and businesses are at the top of the list. Energy costs continue to go up and we need to make power affordable to our tax payers. The cost of power through IMEA has proven steady over the last decade. The availability of renewables and how much we can implement are important considerations and through IMEA we have a new solar farm going online this coming year, and we continue to discuss battery storage initiatives. We will move from 11% renewable energy to 20% in 2025. I support moving in the direction of 100% renewable energy for our City, the availability to do so simply isn’t there yet. As I have stated publicly, the IMEA contract could be signed early ONLY upon completion of an analysis of all energy options including the costs to the city, coupled with analyzing the energy cost that ensures sufficient energy supply.
Is keeping the dam important to you? Why?
The dam is important to me as it is to most residents and businesses in our Community. The Fox River is integral to our City and it is incumbent upon us to understand all the facts as it relates to keeping or removing the dam. First, the City of St. Charles is not the owner of the dam, IDNR is the owner. When the USACE (Army Corps of Engineers) released its report recommending the removal of the dam, we immediately went searching for information and answers because their report did not identify all impacts of dam removal. With the community reaching out, my administration decided it was best to collaborate with the Park District on developing a task force that includes both elected officials and community members.We are currently reviewing proposals to hire an engineering consultant to evaluate metrics associated with the Fox River, including crucial hydrology impacts. Since then, USACE has moved their timeline back to 2026, in part I believe because of the actions of the City and our residents. I have stated publicly I am not supportive of the dam removal now because there are so many factors of impact that we have yet to determine – the impact to individuals with homes along the river, the economic impact to both the Park District’s golf course and other recreational activities as well as the impact on important safety considerations. It is irresponsible to state definitively that the dam should be removed or not without all this data and information.
Are there any businesses you would not accept campaign donations from?
Yes, any business, or individual, that I willingly know is participating in illegal activity. I believe in transparency and campaign contributions are fully accessible via the Illinois State Board of Elections website.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
Our St. Charles police department takes little to no action as it relates to immigration status inquiries or enforcement due to the Illinois State law called the Way Forward Act, enacted in August of 2021. This Act amended two existing state laws to add additional requirements and protections for immigrant communities.
The TRUST Act generally prohibits local law enforcement in Illinois from participating in immigration enforcement. The VOICES Act provides procedural protections for immigrants victimized by violent crime or human trafficking who have assisted law enforcement in investigating or prosecuting certain types of crimes.
I am supportive of our St. Charles Police Department and I also like to remind everyone that there is a human element to all of this. We are in communication and have had meetings with D303 regarding asylum seekers and placement of families.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
Charlestowne Mall Redevelopment: While the City does not own the property, during my first term my administration has secured a development deal for the long-vacant parcel to the West, which will now be home to Fox Haven Square, a multi-use/entertainment project with construction slated to start this Spring. To the East, new residential projects are taking shape with The Springs and Charlestowne Lakes, Chick-fil-A recently opened across from the mall and is seeing tremendous success and Chipotle’s move to the mall property are all signs of positive momentum. Our East side revitalization is real and underway, and all of this occurred in just my first term and I’m confident that in the next four, we’ll continue to see growth as these developments attract more interest in a multi-use development for the Mall. It is imperative that we are strategic and thoughtful with this redevelopment so as not to place a burden on future generations of St. Charles residents. As it stands today, our City benefits from approximately $200k in sales tax revenue from Von Maur and Classic Cinemas, while the cost of maintaining the property rests entirely with the owner – costing taxpayers nothing.
The Old PD Redevelopment: During the transition from the previous administration to mine four years ago we moved forward, with the Old Police Department developer RFP process. Many lessons were learned. Since that time, I have instructed staff to conduct site assessments and a feasibility study with Council approval of the Old PD to identify any concerns development will need to accommodate, including infrastructure, traffic and the impact on the adjacent Pottawatomie Park, Fox River and neighborhood. We expect the studies to be presented to the City Council by late spring/early summer. In the end, it is most important that whatever development occurs, it enhances the unique character of St. Charles while also bringing value to our community. Our historic Municipal Center will NOT be sold or torn down and is not included in this redevelopment site.
Increase Resident 2-way Communication Opportunities - The City of St. Charles is fully transparent with issues and concerns that come before Council. Our meetings are open to the public and transcripts of every Council meeting are available online on our City website – except for those subjects which are mandated to be handled confidentially in closed sessions per State law. All City committee meetings and commission meetings are also open to the public with transcripts available. However, I do think it is our responsibility to do better in communicating to our Community what is happening at the Municipal level. My administration began efforts in my first term by increasing community engagement on important discussions evidenced by IMEA contract discussions, including residents as part of the Fox River Dam Task Force, our Pedestrian Bike Plan and as part of our parking study an open house initiative. I also instituted and hosted the very first Annual City Update in 2024 which was well received and well attended. This Annual Update will continue in 2025 and beyond. We also revamped our entire City website for better navigation and accessing information. Moving forward, my administration has plans to update the technology to make it easier to complete transactions online, such as submitting, renewing and paying for City licenses, including special event permits. We are aiming to expand community outreach opportunities through text notifications and enhanced alerts to keep up with City news. We will continue to engage with those entering or just about to enter the job market by promoting job shadowing and internship opportunities. Finally, a few of our Council members initiated Coffee with Council meetings with residents of their wards. I would like to see all our Council members implement this community engagement activity on a more consistent basis.
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
We will continue to encourage businesses to incorporate environmentally sustainable practices - like the inclusion of solar panels, corporate gardens and EV chargers on site. In my next term, I will instruct staff to research and review new, sustainable development incentives for businesses who newly develop in our City and for existing businesses who implement new, environmentally sustainable enhancements. Clarke is a great example of this with their dedicated EV charger stations, employee garden, LEED certifications, and their robust sustainability goals as a company.
With the First Street Redevelopment and Plaza, solar panels were purposefully integrated into the pergola to help power the plaza lighting. We, as a municipality, are also striving to increase sustainable practices with every project we undertake.
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
I take great pride in my first term as Mayor in initiating and implementing our first ever pedestrian/bike plan. We have identified areas of opportunity to improve and enhance mobility through the City. Some examples are the Illinois Street midblock crossing which was an identified need that will be implemented this year, along with crosswalk improvements and a pedestrian island which were prioritized with existing roadwork this year. We will continue to focus on this interest with increased efforts to acquire the land from the UP railroad, which would allow for highly desired trail connectivity between Great Western Trail and IL Prairie Path. Beyond these types of mobility, we remain connected with representatives at Kane County and IL State governments to advocate for improved access for our residents to transportation, and collaboration on improvements to the County roads which intersect our city impacting vehicle traffic, pedestrians and cyclists. Transportation improvements throughout St. Charles are ongoing and evolving to meet the needs of our businesses and our residents alike.
Ensuring that people of all abilities and ages have access to the amenities and beauty St Charles has to offer is part of our mobility priority. This is why our Equity and Inclusion Commission conducted a downtown audit of accessibility, and we are budgeting for a sidewalk gap program in our upcoming budget year. These are steps toward more inclusive access to our city for everyone from ages 9 to 99, whether pushing a stroller, jogging a trail or in a wheelchair.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
Council should play an active role by encouraging discussions of new ideas with businesses as they seek to provide new and different services to our residents. I advise and encourage our Council members to remain open to possibilities and to be honest and transparent with residents during these conversations because that is what is in the best interest of our City. Local business helps to spur economic growth – a creative revenue source that will inevitably result in less tax burden for our residents. New and interesting businesses help keep our City thriving and drive interest for new families and individuals to choose St. Charles as their home, as a place to work or as a place to visit.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
The City of St. Charles is a safe community. What I would like to explore in my next term, with our police department, are best practices in community policing and what that might look like for St. Charles. I have a strong working relationship with the Kane County States Attorney and will continue to work with her and her team on identifying issues in St. Charles as they arise. Human trafficking has been one such issue and we will continue to partner with her office to identify preventive measures that we can implement. I encourage fully open discussions with our police department staff. They are our experts and it is imperative that they have the tools and resources they need in address crime prevention in our community.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
I have a proven track record of ensuring that St. Charles is a community that embraces diversity and is a place that anyone can call home. During my first term as Mayor, I developed the Equity & Inclusion Commission – a campaign promise realized. In its first two years, this Commission concentrated on evaluating areas of focus that uplift marginalized groups. As one example, with the help of our City staff, E&I Commission members toured all Municipal public buildings and evaluated each for ADA improvements. They provided recommendations that allow for better ADA experiences when interacting with the Municipality. With staff guidance, we are in the process of implementing their recommendations. Additionally, the Commission is focusing on identifying groups in need of resources and facilitating outreach as necessary to assist. The Commission has also created informational and educational resources for the Community on various groups and holidays that represent our community. The goal is to support all our residents and let those with all backgrounds know they are welcome in our community.
While we are in challenging economic times, we also continue to support our Housing Commission in identifying efforts and developments to make attainable housing for residents and families wanting to live in our community. We continue to partner with potential developments to incorporate attainable housing if possible and we continuously review our ordinances to look for creative solutions to utilize the Housing Trust Fund.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
Yes - that is ethical and our duty and our current suggested practice. We have an ethics ordinance that mirrors state statute.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
Since taking office I have made it my mission to attend as many community functions as I can, whether it’s a new business ribbon cutting, painting our city streets during the Fine Arts Show, speaking with our middle and high school students or participating in the Polar Plunge! I believe it’s important to be out and about in our community and to meet constituents where they are, which is why I have attended hundreds of community events, met with community clubs and organizations and conducted over 20 visits to our industrial sector (an often overlooked but vital economic driver for our city).
During the first year of my tenure as Mayor, I implemented an open forum participation for the strategic planning process. It is important to me for residents to understand that we have a strategic plan for our City, and that Council uses this plan to help guide our decision making. One of the goals of the adopted Strategic Plan was Community Engagement which included several identifiable goals to increase transparency and communication, including a new and more accessible website and additional measures to seek community feedback. I have always had an open-door policy and this will continue should I be re-elected and I encourage residents and business to reach out, whether in person or via email. The most important decisions that affect people are through local government. That’s why I do this. It’s important to me to help people and see the results in the community in which I live.