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Name: John Arient
Age: 64
Town: Marengo
Office sought: Mayor of Marengo
1) What skills, qualities or experience do you possess, that separate you from your opponents?
Both my opponents have backgrounds in law enforcement while I have spent a majority of my career as assistant manager of a State facility boasting an annual attendance of a million visitors. Very similar to managing a small city. Responsibilities included human resources, financial planning, and procurement collaborating with other State and Federal agencies. I have held a water operator license, reviewed blueprints, supervised and participated in maintenance/repair of buildings and grounds, performing carpentry, plumbing, and electrical renovations. At times, I worked alongside of the State Capital Development Board, Department of Transportation, EPA, and Nature Preserves Commission.
Through my experience co-managing Marengo Stone Soup Social, I have conversed with city residents, especially those in most need, and can relate to their dire circumstances. They need relief from taxes and fees. The State limits the amount that the City can increase taxes, but does not have limits on fees. This has resulted in the doubling of water rates over the last 7 years. While allowing the City to maintain services, it puts undue stress on personal budgets. We need to lessen the burden on our citizens so they can remain our citizens and not depart for greener pastures.
2) What can the City of Marengo do and what should it do to ease the property tax burden on homeowners?
The City needs to lead the way and reduce the burden on taxpayers by requesting no additional increase of funds; however, this action must be taken by the whole City Council and not the Mayor alone, contact your aldermen.
While the City portion of taxpayer bills is not the largest portion, any relief is welcome. All taxing bodies are run by boards of well intending people who simply feel that the entity they represent require all the funding they can get. Board members feel that the “other boards” should reduce their levy and insist their body requires a surplus or new items. This mentality can add up to increased taxes and wasteful spending.
If the State of Illinois passes legislation freezing or rolling back tax rates, Marengo will need to find alternate revenues or make some serious reductions. The solution is to spread the tax burden among more taxpayers through growth. Until that growth is seen, all taxing bodies have to realize that the public must have relief, if not, people will continue to exit Marengo, McHenry County and all of Illinois at an alarming rate. In the end without restraint and forethought, a dismal future is projected.
3) How would you describe the climate in Marengo's city government for businesses? What needs improvement? What's working?
Since moving to Marengo in 2010, I have seen a shotgun approach to business. Create a TIF on the Eastern end of town, but half of the successful occupants were already Marengo businesses. We have gained a few fast food establishments, but lost the only hardware, pet and dry goods stores. Gambling has been added to many establishments, but has not generated the income that everyone hoped for. The downtown businesses have either had turnover or are struggling to stay afloat.
A long-term plan needs to be developed to improve the downtown area and bring in compatible businesses. Additional retail options are needed on the eastern and western ends of town so residents do not have to travel to other towns to fulfill their needs. Vacant storefronts have to be filled Throughout the town to encourage growth.
The early 2000’s brought a residential boom to Marengo and anticipation of a continuous revenue stream led the administration to squander the surplus and not invest in the deteriorating infrastructure of the older parts of town, and it is now time to pay the piper. Unfortunately, the piper does not work on credit.
4) What will be the biggest challenge that Marengo residents and their village government will face over the next four years and how will you meet it?
Reigning in rising taxes and operating under tighter fiscal constraints will be the biggest challenge for the foreseeable future in Marengo. Until the economic outlook changes on a statewide basis, all cities will be challenged to maintain basic services while attempting to hold the line on taxes and fees.
The charm of Marengo has been its small town appeal, and we cannot lose sight of that, while encouraging growth. This can be accomplished by promoting small businesses in the downtown area and encouraging industrial expansion along the toll-way corridor.
The industrial growth will boost tax revenue through increased property values and provide much needed jobs to the area. The challenge will be to create the industrial growth without adding additional taxes/fee burdens to current residents. The cost for expanding infrastructure for the toll-way corridor must not be put on the backs of our citizens. Smart growth is the current catch phrase and it must be applied to Marengo growth.
5) How should Marengo plan development for the eventual full I-90 interchange?
While the completion of the full interchange at I-90 is going to soon be a reality, the City should not expect it to be an immediate savior. A couple of gas stations or some fast food restaurants will not bring instant riches to Marengo. In addition, residents cannot be expected to foot the bill for water and sewer made available to the new ventures.
Adding industrial and commercial businesses near the tollway will take time. Businesses are not sitting out there waiting for Marengo to invite them in or holding off expansions and relocations because this land will soon be accessible.
Marengo will have to consider how the increased traffic, namely truck traffic, will affect current downtown businesses that are struggling to stay afloat. Trucks passing through are not driven by downtown customers, and they slow traffic. Increased truck traffic can only hurt “Main Street America” as RT 23 becomes an industrial artery. A bypass of the downtown area would be an expensive alternative; however now would be the time to look at that option, before it becomes a necessity. A look at Algonquin and the Rt 31 bypass should be a glimpse into what the interchange could bring to Marengo.
6) What do you expect to change about Marengo by the end of your term?
By the end of my term as the next Mayor of Marengo, I’d hope the people would ask me to do another term. Realistically, my plan is to return Marengo back to the warm, quaint, friendly town I envisioned when I moved here in 2010.
I can’t bring the library back to its downtown location, but hoping the youth center takes hold and gives young people a place of their own. I am unable to get the money back that was spent on useless property purchases or engineering and legal fees for frivolous projects and requests, but I can ensure these mistakes are not repeated. I can look to have a better working relationship with all the aldermen and officials of Marengo, Seneca, Coral and Riley Townships. I can bring people together and have City government once more be for and of the people.
I have no relatives in Marengo and also no business associates, so for all intents and purposes I will be working for all of Marengo, not a special few. I have always been known as a man who can get the job done, and that is what I intend to do as Mayor of Marengo.