2025 Election Questionnaire: Mark Pietrowski, Mayor of Cortland

Name:

Mark Pietrowski

What office are you seeking?

What is your political party?

Independent

What is your current age?

Occupation and employer:

Mayor and Town Manager for Cortland and Director of Student Success and Advising for College of Engineering and Engineering Technology Northern Illinois University

What offices, if any, have you previously held?

Kishwaukee College Board of Trustees - Trustee 2009 - 2012

DeKalb County Board Representative 2012 - 2020

DeKalb County Board Chairman - 2014 - 2020

DeKalb County Forest Preserve President - 2014 - 2020

Cortland Mayor - 2021-current

City:

Cortland

Campaign Website:

facebook.com/profile.php?id=100067002121625

Education:

Associate of Art - Kishwaukee College

Bachelor’s in Communication - Northern Illinois University

Master’s in Communication - Northern Illinois University

Master’s of Public Administration - Local Government Leadership - Northern Illinois University

Doctorate in Community College Leadership - Northern Illinois University

Edgar Fellow - University of Illinois Institute of Government and Public Affairs

Community Involvement:

Cortland Lions Club member

DeKalb County Farm Bureau member

I currently lead the Cortland Egg Hunt event through Cortland Lions Club and lead the Trunk of Treat effort in Cortland. As mayor I have also conducted town trash pick up events.

Marital status/Immediate family:

I am married with two dogs.

Questions:

What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?

Looking ahead, I am committed to continuing the positive progress we’ve made and focusing on the following priorities during my second term:

Commitment to Public Safety: Our safety is a top priority. I will continue to ensure we are investing in equipment, training and technology for our police. We added a full-time police officer, police commander and part-time officers during my first term, agreed to a five year police union contract and will seek to develop a portion of the old Cortland Elementary School to the new police department.
Sustainable Budget Planning: Responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars will remain a cornerstone of my leadership. I will continue to ensure we invest wisely in the future while maintaining financial stability for the town. We’ll support smart growth, maintain lowering the local tax rate for the Town of Cortland as we have done each year I’ve been Mayor and make decisions that reflect the values of our community.
Enhancing Parks and Recreation for All Ages: I am committed to expanding and improving our parks, trails, and recreational programs to meet the needs of residents of all ages. From children’s play equipment to senior-friendly spaces, we’ll create environments where everyone can enjoy the outdoors, stay active, and connect with one another.

Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?

The Cortland Police Department must follow Illinois State Law and the guidance provided by the state.

How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?

We will continue to seek out economic development opportunities in Cortland to grow and diversify our tax base for the future. We are also looking at the future and where technology is at to ensure we are environmentally responsible and setting up a sustainable future for our town.

What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?

Maintaining the Cortland Dial-a-ride service system through the city of DeKalb public transit which is designed to connect individuals who do not qualify for Paratransit services to the DeKalb Public Transportation Fixed Route system. Cost is $1 a ride within the dial-a-ride area. We will also continue to do sidewalk completion in town and continue extending the pedestrian pathway which will be paved and extend to connect with Peace Rd. pathway in 2025.

What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?

I welcome the trustees in Cortland working with me to ring potential local businesses, developers and ways toward economic growth to our community. We can all work as a team to bring opportunities to our community. I am particularly proud of supporting a local business in Cortland Flooring as they develop a brand new building in Cortland which will allow us to retain their business and have our first commercial building built in over a decade.

What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?

I want to always ensure we continue to live in a safe and quiet small town environment. We signed a five year contract with our police union and added a full-time officer, a commander and part-time officers during my first term as Mayor. In 2024 we saw a 43% drop in crimes against society, which include theft, robbery and property damage, fraud, narcotics violations, and an overall reduction in crime rate in Cortland of 29%. In my first term we also implemented an adjudication process in town so our police have ability to enforce our town ordinances and issue tickets for violations. I will continue to work hand in hand with our Cortland Police Chief to ensure we have all the technology and safety devices our officers need and that they are all receiving the training they need. We look forward to continuing a high level of public safety in Cortland.

How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?

We are a diverse small town and that is something we can take pride in. I will continue to listen and engage with residents in town to ensure we are meeting the needs of all residents. Our police for instance have had training on working and interacting with children and adults with autism and we have also as a town received a DeKalb County community grant where we added some ADA playground equipment. I also highlight important months that celebrate our residents such as women’s history month.

Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?

I do support as much as possible requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest such as an elected official that is hired and getting paid by an organization that is doing business with the town or is seeking TIF funding from the town. In my first term I instructed trustees to please communicate with the towns legal representation to ensure they are abstaining from a vote if they need to or if they have any questions on if the situation they have is a conflict of interest.

How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?

I started the first official town facebook page where I provide updates from the town and I regularly communicate with residents via phone, email and on social media to address their questions and concerns.