WILMETTE – The main theme of Joel Kurzman’s campaign for village trustee in the April 2017 election is stewardship. “I want to ensure that the community is as livable for the young family that moves to Wilmette tomorrow, as it is has been for us,” Kurzman told DailyNorthShore.
Kurzman and his wife Allison, have been living in Wilmette for the past 12 years, while busy raising two children ages 12 and 10, who attend the Wilmette Junior High School and Ramona Elementary School.
Some residents with a particular interest in the stormwater issue — or happen to live in West Wilmette, an area disproportionally impacted by recent storms — might know Kurzman for his work on stormwater. Kurzman started a website called Dry Out West Wilmette, which has since moved to Facebook, and was a platform for his advocacy for the village to take action on stormwater.
Kurzman first became involved with the stormwater issue when a microburst occurred in 2007. After attending a community meeting held shortly after that storm, Kurzman said it became clear to him that west of Ridge Road had “substandard infrastructure.” Since then, Kurzman has become concerned that 10 years have passed and the village has taken no firm action. Kurzman believes the village needs to address the sewer infrastructure in West Wilmette, while simultaneously addressing its policy on development. “There is a significant misalignment between infrastructure and development in West Wilmette,” he said.
Joel Kurzman
Kurzman is concerned that the village continues to approve development in West Wilmette, such as the Residence Inn or the cul-de-sac Wilmette Circle on Wilmette Avenue, that eliminates green space and likely contributes to existing stormwater problems. “It is the reality of it, where we haven’t done the first step of not making things worse by being more prudent about development while addressing the infrastructure element,” he said.
That is how Kurzman was introduced to North Shore Green Space, a community of Wilmette residents who live near Loyola Academy who are concerned about the school’s expansion. North Shore Green Space opposed the school’s proposal in 2016 to pave over two fields for additional parking lots. Kurzman became interested in the issue from the view of how that plan would impact stormwater and learned that the group felt ignored and under-represented by the village. Kurzman said that was common ground for how many West Wilmette residents feel.
Since then the group endorsed Kurzman in its January 2017 newsletter urging recipients to contact Kurzman: “We need a bigger voice for West Wilmette. West Wilmette needs to vote in the next Village election.”
But as trustee, Kurzman says he would like to ensure that all residents feel well-represented. “I don’t see my candidacy exclusive based in serving West Wilmette. I have a passion for serving all of Wilmette,” he said.
Kurzman is aware that the issue of stormwater is on the minds of many residents, whether they are in support of the $77 million proposal, or worry that the cost may be too high. “My biggest concern about the proposal is the lack of creativity in the financing,” Kurzman said. He thinks the village should consider financing the project with a stormwater utility, rather than raising sewer and water rates.
Kurzman said that other Chicago suburbs have implemented a stormwater utility, such as Winnetka, which calculates a fee based on a property’s impermeable surfaces. Kurzman thinks a stormwater utility could be more equitable, since it reflects a resident’s impact on the stormwater system.
But Kurzman doesn’t want to be viewed as a one-issue candidate. He has been surveying residents through an online survey and has received feedback on issues beyond stormwater. He noted residents are concerned about inter-governmental cooperation, hoping to see different government units work more effectively together. He has also heard that residents want to ensure that public safety continues to be maintained or enhanced. Kurzman also realizes some residents have concerns about the safety of certain intersections, or their children’s safety as they walk to school.
“I want to be part of the solution to these problems,” Kurzman said.