MEET SCOTT

GOVERNMENT AND PERSONAL INTEGRITY

A Continuing Commitment to Integrity

The need for personal and government integrity has always been one of my most strongly held beliefs.  I have been committed to leading our City government in an open and transparent manner.  Personal and government integrity as well as meaningful ethics ordinances have been a top priority of my administration.  Serving with integrity includes making sound decisions based on best practices, and acting in the City’s interest, irrespective of personal relationships or beliefs. 

Elmhurst operates under a council-manager form of government, which means the city manager is directly responsible for the administration and operation of all city departments.  The Council, however, sets the policies for the City.  As mayor, I set the tone for the Council and City staff and have the responsibility and power to make sure that governmental integrity is maintained.  During my tenure as mayor, I made it clear to the city manager and the department heads that my primary expectation is that they “do the right thing.”

Transparent and Easily Accessible Information

I am a strong advocate of open, accessible and transparent government.  Information about our City government should be accessible to all.  This results in more public engagement, informed debate and better decision-making.  We have completely revamped our website to make the site more user friendly, and we will continue to increase the information we make available.   

Working Together

Communication and relationships with our residents, local institutions and businesses, as well as other bodies of government, are critical to ensure that City actions are efficient and effective. 

I have routinely demonstrated my openness to resident input and responsiveness to issues raised.  As mayor, I have increased opportunities for all residents to provide input and connect with City services.

Within City Council the ability to shape an outcome is dependent on collaboration, communication and cooperation to gain colleagues’ support.  I have a track record of introducing an issue and working with other aldermen to produce a positive outcome.  My colleagues’ respect for me was further demonstrated when they selected me in 2012 to serve as acting mayor until the next election.  During my tenure as mayor, I have encouraged constructive and respectful debate. 

Another critical set of relationships for the City are those with the park and school districts.  Although all three bodies of government are independent, taxpayers benefit from existing intergovernmental agreements related to stormwater projects, shared vehicle maintenance services, and shared tax increment financing.  As mayor, I have identified and supported new opportunities to work with the park and school districts in ways that are mutually beneficial.  At least twice a year, I meet with the presidents of the park and school districts.  I have held joint social receptions with the members of those boards and our aldermen so that we are all know each other, which leads to great relations between all three governments.   In addition, I have frequently met with the presidents of Elmhurst University and Elmhurst Hospital, as well as the heads of not-for-profits and civic organizations in Elmhurst.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Protecting Our Families and Keeping Our Neighborhood Safe

Protecting residents is an essential service that only a city government can provide.  Under my tenure, I have taken steps to make sure that both our police and fire departments are fully staffed.

Police and Crime

Elmhurst has an exceptionally low crime rate and a highly responsive police department.  Elmhurst was recently recognized a business association as the 8th safest City in the United States.  The department responds to more than 30,000 incidents annually, and the professionalism of the department is affirmed by a prestigious accreditation that currently is held by only 40 police departments in Illinois.  I have worked to keep our police department among the best in the state.

Having chaired the Council’s Public Safety Committee, and as mayor, I fully understand the critical work of the Elmhurst Police Department and the issues it faces.  I have relied on my professional experience with crime fighting and solving technology to keep the police department a cutting-edge and innovative agency. 

Elmhurst residents have policing concerns other than crime.  The most frequent complaint from residents is speeding on residential streets.  I have spearheaded an effort to perform neighborhood studies of the traffic flows and traffic control needs of specific neighborhoods.  This is the first time such studies have been undertaken.  Three such studies have been completed, and it is my goal to have every neighborhood studied.  We will increase traffic enforcement in our neighborhoods and explore more innovative approaches to reduce speeding and other dangerous driving.  For instance, at my direction, in November 2024, we began a campaign to distribute for installation throughout our City “In this Community We SLOW DOWN For Each Other” signs, which are designed to create awareness of the need to watch our speeds.  We have made a priority the continuing diversity and bias training of our police officers to both protect those who encounter our police and the police department, itself.

Fire and Paramedic

The excellence of the Elmhurst Fire Department is demonstrated by quick response times and a classification that fewer than one percent of departments nationwide achieve.  The department annually responds to more than 5,000 calls for service.

In 2017, the City Council analyzed the department’s emergency medical services and considered various improvements.  The outcome was the implementation of a rapid response vehicle, Rescue 1, to enhance the City’s advanced life support (ALS) response.  This innovative, award-winning service is staffed around the clock and responds when one of the City’s two ambulances cannot respond more quickly. 

In 2018, Elmhurst’s Insurance Service Office Classification was increased from Class 2 to Class 1, recognizing premier fire protection services, including fire prevention and building standards for residents and property owners.  Insurance companies generally offer lower premiums for property owners with a Class 1 rating.  We have since maintained our Class 1 rating.

I will keep fire protection and paramedic services among the best, while recognizing that innovative approaches may allow that to happen with greater efficiency and a lower cost.

Unique Professional Public Safety Qualifications
My policing and public safety credentials, and my experience in this area, are unique:

• Program manager and executive with the Illinois Law Enforcement Commission.
• Deputy executive director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Authority.
• created the Police Information Management System, a pioneering computer operation that served over 50 Illinois police departments.
• Conceived ALERTS, a statewide program that led to the installation of mobile data terminals in suburban police cars. 
• Member of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police.
• Board member of the Statewide Illinois Law Enforcement Agencies Data System (LEADS), a statewide, computerized, telecommunications system, maintained by the Illinois State Police, designed to provide the police with access to computerized justice related information at both the state and national level.
• President of the Illinois Academy of Criminology.
• Co-author of the section of the Illinois Freedom of Information Act that for the first time made criminal conviction information publicly available. 
• Training assistant with the University of Illinois Police training Institute.
• During my tenure with the State, regularly taught an information systems seminar at the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.
  

PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Planning

For Elmhurst to continue to be an outstanding community, we need to adapt constructively to changes and this requires planning. When I took office in 2021, I convened a planning session with the entire City Council and all department heads.  Among the priorities we identified are public safety, including safer neighborhood streets, improved walking and biking experiences, finding ways to make it affordable for our seniors to stay in town, and better communications.  We have made significant progress on these and other priorities.

As a result of the budget cuts necessitated by the Great Recession, the City’s planning staff was eliminated, and there was no formal planning process.  In May 2013, I was appointed chair of the Development, Planning & Zoning Committee of the Council and served in the capacity from 2013 to 2017.  To reinitiate planning efforts, I made a motion during the budget process to dedicate funds for planning, which led to the development of the 2015 North York Corridor Plan, the North York Streetscape Plan, the 2016 Downtown Plan, and the 2018 Subarea Plans.  These plans continue to guide City policy, and private and public investments in these areas.   Under my tenure as mayor, we began and are in the midst of developing a new Downtown Plan, and a complete review of our zoning ordinances.  Both projects, which were open for significant public input and participation, will be completed in early 2025. 

Other areas of our City would benefit from focused planning efforts, including the Spring Road and Valette/York retail business areas. 

Downtown Elmhurst/City Centre

Our City Centre, as well as all our local businesses were impacted by the pandemic.  I guided the City to meet shifting demand and expectations in ways that contributed to a desirable and unique downtown experience.

Thoughtful planned development will keep our City Centre and other shopping and business districts vibrant.  We also must adhere to high standards and quality construction as we grow City Centre for the future.  Our recent oversight of The Vyne, a 200-unit residential development that opened in summer 2024, reflects my commitment to smart development that meets Elmhurst’s high standards.  Continued development has been necessary for the survival of City Centre.  In 2011, Elmhurst Hospital moved from just east of City Centre to the south edge of Elmhurst.  City Centre merchants noticed an immediate decrease in business when the large number of hospital employees and visitors were no longer shopping or dining in City Centre. 

The Downtown Plan recognizes that the viability of City Centre depends on a customer base from residents, employees and visitors.   Most of the new buildings offer retail space on the first floor and residential units above.  Transit-oriented development is a term used by planners to refer to multifamily development located near major public transportation facilities, such as our Metra station.   Almost all the residents are young professionals, couples with preschool age children or older residents who no longer need or want to maintain a home.  Very few of the residents of these developments are school-aged children.  As a result, there has been a tremendous increase in our property tax base, of which approximately 85% goes to District 205, with very few new students.  Given that about 85% of District 205’s revenue comes from property taxes, this has both increased its revenues, without requiring more resources, and minimized the property tax burden on other residents.

Art and More to Enrich and Attract
Elmhurst’s downtown and other business districts offer unique and vibrant experiences.  Our downtown evidences planning and development that respects the scale of York St. and improves pedestrian and vehicle circulation, while supporting economic development activities that attract and maintain a desirable business mix.  City Center features a theater, a history museum, and public art displays. I have been a leading supporter of efforts to open the Elmhurst Center for the Performing Arts to our downtown, which may break ground in late 2025.  Our Spring Road Business District rivals the downtown of many surrounding towns. 

Retail Economic Development

Retail businesses generate sales taxes from customers, many of whom are from outside Elmhurst.  Property taxes are approximately 21 percent of the City’s general revenue fund, while sales taxes constitute 28 percent.  Elmhurst is an attractive business location with low occupancy rates.   

As Mayor, I have worked with our business and community leaders to attract and retain business and to develop policies that have made doing business with and in our City easier.

As a business attorney, I have represented businesses, retail tenants and landlords.  I have owned a retail business.  I understand the needs of retail prospects and have positively represented Elmhurst as we grow our business districts, increase our sales tax revenues and create jobs. 

The City has a number of tools, including tax increment financing and sales tax rebates, to attract businesses.  I have supported the judicious use of these incentives to attract and maintain retail businesses that can in turn provide tax revenues to justify the investment and lower the tax burden on residents

Code Enforcement

An essential responsibility of the City is code enforcement.  In addition to regular visits to construction sites, the City’s code enforcement staff routinely respond to reports of possible code violations.  As Mayor, I have insisted on prompt handling of ordinance violation investigations and require communication with residents who report violations.  I have also ensured our code enforcement actions are well-documented, applied consistently and sufficient to encourage compliance.