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Name: Terri Ransom
Age: 56
Office sought: Village trustee
Town where you currently reside: Bolingbrook
Occupation (employer): Business analyst consultant, The William Everett Group
Spouse/Children: Michael, Lauren recent college graduate, and Michael Jr. a college freshman
Education: BS computer science Roosevelt University
Website: bolingbrookunited.com
Email: terriforbolingbrook@gmail.com
Phone: 630-660-7685
Facebook: facebook.com/bolingbrookunited
Why are you running for the elected office you're seeking?
I have a heart for service and have taught both of my children those same values. I am committed to Bolingbrook. I moved here 19 years ago, when I was expecting my second child. I believe in the future of this village. While I never thought I would ever run for public office, I decided to throw my "hat into the ring" because I didn’t like the direction in which Bolingbrook was headed. As a result, I decided to try to do something about it. The more involved I get and the more residents I spend time with, the more committed I am to help transform the Bolingbrook community.
What skills, qualities or experience do you have that separate you from your opponents?
I have served in various leadership roles in a variety of organizations. I was president of Jack and Jill of America's west suburban Chicago chapter, which provided numerous services for the community, including volunteer activities with Bolingbrook Connection, the Community-Wide Black History Program, the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, and a Christmas party for the students in a local day care center. I have written grants to fund the technology program at a local day care center, and I have been instrumental in starting scholarships for high school seniors in two of the organizations with which I am involved. I served as Girl Scout Troop leader and volunteer treasurer for four years for the Bolingbrook Panthers Sports Club. I have also volunteered with a variety of organizations, including the Northern Illinois Food Bank, Feed My Starving Children, March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Habitat for Humanity and Chicago Cares.
I am one of the founding members and the current president of the SOS Investment Club, which was started in Bolingbrook in 1999 by a group of women who wanted to learn about investing. In 2014, I co-chaired the Midwestern Region Teen Leadership Conference at Wheaton College, which hosted more than 500 teens. I have a technology background, and I currently work as a business analyst consultant at The William Everett Group, where I train and support delicate agencies in the city of Chicago on their enterprise case management system.
For five years, I owned a franchise called ComputerTots, which taught computer skills to students. Through my business, I offered after-school computer programs and employed teachers from the community. The experience I have gained through these various activities and positions of leadership makes me uniquely qualified to serve as village trustee and separates me from my opponents.
What are the greatest challenges Bolingbrook is facing in the coming years?
The greatest challenge facing the village is meeting continually rising operation costs during a time when overall revenue is declining as a result of the lack of land Bolingbrook has for development. At the same time, we need to improve services to residents, including repair and installation of sidewalks and other infrastructure basics that are missing in some forgotten parts of the Village.
If elected, what will be your top three priorities?
1. End no-bid contracting: Outside of emergency situations or the availability of only one vendor, no government contract should be approved without going through a fair bidding process. No investment of taxpayer dollars should be made without the careful consideration and research that a public bidding process allows.
2. Make Bolingbrook work for everyone: The Village should never use its power to silence dissent or pick on a particular person or group. Rather it should foster economic growth by building alliances between the public and private sectors that enrich the entire community. It must avoid even the appearance of conflicts of interest by openly communicating with residents and addressing any problems head-on.
3. Expand options for garbage: The overwhelming majority of cities, towns and villages in Illinois have multiple options for their garbage pickup. Bolingbrook, with its eclectic and varied housing situation, should be no different. For some renters and homeowners, bags are the best way to go. For others, the ability to use larger plastic cans would make more sense. For everyone, the option to use blue bags or covered containers to keep recyclables from littering our yards and streets is a common sense move. We believe that letting people decide what works best for their individual situation is the best policy.