About Ron Silkaitis

Name: Ron Silkaitis

Position sought: First Ward Alderman, St. Charles, IL

Campaign contact information: rsilkaitis@sbcglobal.net

630-584-1904

1608 Larson Ave., St. Charles, IL

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

Represent all the residents of St. Charles. Ensuring that the residents have an opportunity to voice their concerns at public meetings. The residents deserve to be heard, not cut off from speaking.

Home address: Ward 1, St. Charles, IL. 60174

Family members: Monica Silkaitis, 55, spouse

Katherine Silkaitis, 29, daughter

Stephanie Silkaitis, 26, daughter

Emily Silkaitis, 25, daughter

Rebecca Silkaitis, 22, daughter

Education: Southern Illinois University, 1976 graduate

Associate degree in applied science

Current occupation and employer: Service technician, Zimmerman Ford Inc.

Political party affiliation: Independent

Why Are You Seeking Office?

To restore openness and to bring back a government that listens to the residents and allows the residents to voice their opinions at meetings.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

Having served on the city council for 12 years, then being an outsider for 4 years, I can understand how residents can find government frustrating at times. I believe that this vantage point can help me make government more transparent and more responsive to the residents. I also have the perspective of living my whole life in St. Charles and seeing all the changes that have accured. Good and bad.

Issue 1: What is your ecomonic development strategy for the city of St. Charles?

Before Randall Road, the best place to shop was downtown. I understand that this is the way it is, but I believe that we can revive the downtown and make it a destination spot. By bringing in unique businesses, we can achive the goal of improving the economic situation in St. Charles. I believe that there are situations when some form of incentives are necessary to achieve this goal, but I prefer that we try to avoid these if possible.

Issue 2: In light of the anger over the Lexington Club controversy, what steps would you take to restore trust in city government? To increase transparency?

My first step would be to make sure that the residents have a chance to voice their opinions. then I would expect that when a elected official votes in a meeting and then, intwo weeks, changes their vote, that the official explains why the vote was changed. The public has a right to know the reasons for the change at the meeting, not several days latter. The public deserves better.

Issue 3: What steps would you take to help resolve the complaints of alcohol-related problems in the downtown area?

Possibly have each establishment have security at the entrances and exits to control the problems. The businesses and the city need to work together to come up ideas to curb the alcohol-related issues downtown. We need to keep St. Charles as a respectable place to vist. Perhaps stiffer fines for the businesses for letting patrons rowdy behavior spill out into the streets.Maybe a more visable police presence in the latter hours would encourage more responsible behavior. We have a beautiful, inviting downtown and we need to keep it that way.

Please add any other information pertinent to your campaign.

I am a honest working man with no other goal than to work with with the city and residents to maintain and improve the great qualities of St. Charles and to solve the problems that do arise in the city. St. Charles is a true gem of a city and i would like to keep it that way.