Lucy Chang Evans: 2021 candidate for Naperville City Council

Challenger Lucy Chang Evans, one of 11 candidates running for four 4-year terms on Naperville City Council, responds to the Daily Herald candidate questionnaire for the April 6, 2021, local elections.

In-person early voting with paper ballots is now available at the DuPage County Fairgrounds Building 5, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. In-person early voting with touch-screen voting begins March 22 at locations throughout the county. Learn more at www.dupageco.org/earlyvoting/.

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Bio

City: Naperville

Age: 48

Occupation: Civil engineer

Employer: MBA candidate at the University of Illinois

Civic involvement: I have been a public servant as a municipal civil engineer and federal law enforcement officer for more than eight years. I have also volunteered as a public outreach educator for DuPage County Stormwater Management and SCARCE in their efforts to spread awareness of flooding, water quality, and biodiversity.

Q&A

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state and federal authorities?

A: I believe in leading by example, and I follow CDC guidelines for mask-wearing and social distancing in public. Not every constituent has been affected by the pandemic in the same way.

Everyone should be allowed to express their opinions on issues that come before city council, however, issues that are outside the scope of city council jurisdiction such as state mask mandates, school closures, and CDC guidelines should be redirected to the appropriate governing bodies.

Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: Naperville has done a wonderful job responding to the pandemic. The city has effectively communicated changes in operating procedures through its website and social media.

The city's COVID dashboard enables residents to view the current number of confirmed cases and provides information on how to get vaccinations. The city has even begun to offer utility bill assistance to residents and small businesses affected by the pandemic.

Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?

A: Naperville should compile a list of lessons learned from this pandemic to create a playbook for future pandemics. This playbook should include instructions for phased closures, quarantine guidance, and a communication system to reach all residents.

The city should also maintain a stockpile of face masks to avoid supply chain management interruptions. Coordinating the playbook with state and federal guidelines can help Naperville seamlessly align when broader guidelines are being implemented.

Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?

A: Before any cuts are made, I would like to see every public official and every department try to make little, daily cuts to decrease their expenditures.

No matter how small, these savings can add up and possibly eliminate the need to cut programs or furlough city employees. Budget shortfalls present each city department with an opportunity to sharpen their pencils and find ways to cut expenditures and increase efficiencies.

Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?

A: The 5th Avenue Project is a very important infrastructure project to address. While it is still in the planning stages, this project will have many impacts on the community. This project provides an opportunity to incorporate inclusionary housing, address population density downtown, provide additional commuter and resident parking, improve aesthetics, and incorporate green infrastructure. The project can be funded jointly by the developer and the city, since they are both shareholders, and can be supplemented by grant funding for community development, renewable energy alternatives, and water quality improvements.

Also, I believe the Downtown Streetscape Project can continue to remain on the back burner until businesses can resume their normal operations. During these uncertain economic times, this project has been delayed twice already in order to avoid disruptions to the downtown businesses that are struggling to stay afloat.

Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance the council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?

A: Illinois has legalized the use of recreational marijuana. My opinion is that it is not a controversial issue to sell a legal product. The question I am most concerned with is whether we agree that Naperville should capitalize on the tax revenue generated by the sale of all legal products that are available to our citizens.

Based on that, I do agree with the stance the council has taken on permitting cannabis sales in Naperville. I would like to consider a public education program to allow residents to understand the effects on the community and how this will impact Naperville's expenditures.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

A: A simple and affordable way to better the community would be to plant more native vegetation in Naperville green space. The return of more native birds and butterflies would be a beautiful sight and a good indication that we are taking care of our native habitat.

I think Naperville decision-makers are doing a great job at addressing the issues of the day. As residents themselves, they have a vested interest in doing what is best for their community.

Green infrastructure initiatives are a key part of my platform and I am not certain that they have been given enough of a voice in the current Naperville City Council. I want to broaden the scope on the council and incorporate more of these innovative ideas to sustain our city's livability and continue our ability to prosper.