We commit to:

Strong financial stewardship of taxpayer dollars: This includes continuing our AAA bond rating, balanced budgets, and low property tax levy (the Village’s share when compared to 14 peer communities). It also includes putting extra dollars towards our police and fire pension funds. Last but not least, it includes maintaining positive relationships with other government officials in order to look for cooperative efficiencies and lobby for grant opportunities.
Thoughtful growth: Sales tax revenues make up 32% of the Village’s budget. Despite high inflation and high interest rates over the last four years, sales tax revenues have continued to climb for the Village (up 5.8% from last year and 12.7% when compared with the average over the previous four years) and we have had many exciting new businesses open this year. This is due to intentional work on the part of the Village to make Northbrook more business-friendly. We plan to continue this trend with:

Our recently kicked-off ERP system which will allow electronic submission and processing of permits, business licenses, and payments via the Village’s web site.
A soon-to-be finished new zoning code which will be easier to navigate, less cumbersome, and friendlier for today’s businesses’ needs.
Economic incentives in the form of small business boosts, as well as the larger investments, with clear criteria for funding. These incentives may come in the form of: sales tax rebates, TIFs, small business grants, loans, a Cook County 6b, and others.
Northbrook Chamber of Commerce partnership to produce an annual guide and facilitate discussions with the board about issues of importance to the business community.
Work with the North Shore Convention & Visitor Bureau to encourage Northbrook as more of a visitor destination.

Northbrook Court: Our slate is committed to seeing the overhaul of Northbrook Court become a reality and is a top priority due to the opportunity it offers. The Village has worked closely with the owner/developer on a Master Plan, incentive package, zoning, and more. As interest rates come down and funding the re-development becomes cheaper, the Village is ready to go! We also plan to continue the regular meetings with the owner/developer, encourage use of the existing space with things like the Lucid pop up being planned for this February, and leave no stone unturned in terms of how the Village can support a redevelopment that will be a shining jewel for the North Shore. Finally, our slate firmly believes that Northbrook Court is a huge opportunity and having experienced leaders get it right is critical.
A Reimagined Downtown: Building a more vibrant downtown is underway. Our goals are to attract the right investments so that residents have a downtown that is full of fun places to eat, great retail, and things to do. With a phase one of new streetscaping, a new Hometown Coffee & Juice, and a bike and pedestrian pathway extension down Shermer Rd. from Willow Rd into downtown. We also plan to:

Kick off a new Downtown Master Plan with an urban planner and public input.
Roll out new economic incentives for existing and small businesses.
Improve both parking and wayfinding signage.
Create additional events with partners in order to attract more downtown foot traffic.
Look for new opportunities to improve density so that our downtown has more daily foot traffic.
Consider developing a non-profit to focus on the needs of downtown - events, marketing, and volunteers.
Continue to work closely with downtown businesses and the Chamber to monitor impact and needs.

Village Infrastructure & Facilities: These new facilities are far past their useful lifespan and many of the Village’s processes have been manual and time-consuming. Our slate promises to fast-track these projects to set the Village infrastructure up for the future. Work is already underway for:

World Class Village Services: We are in a service business first. It is our goal to make sure that Village staff delivers the best in services to ensure the safety, well-being, and beauty of our community. In turn, we will continue to prioritize the satisfaction, health, and safety of those who look out for Northbrook’s safety and well-being by making sure that they have tools, training, and job satisfaction.
Community Connections: You may not be aware of all the ways that you can learn about what the Village is up to, but here are some ways we invite you to learn more. We pledge to find new ways of sharing information and collecting feedback from the community from online videos, social media, and newsletters, to special community meetings, surveys, and focus groups. Have an idea? Send it our way. And if you want to be involved, consider applying to join one of the Village’s different commissions that provide the board with valuable input. Starting now, send us a question here.
Climate Action Plan: We will continue to focus on how the Village can reduce its environmental impact as outlined in the Village’s Climate Action Plan. Effects from climate change has a real impact on the costs that the Village will have to bear, especially in how it impacts our infrastructure. Finding ways to do our part to reduce these impacts is both the right thing to do and fiscally-responsible in the long run.