Timothy Martin 20190122_183726
Local News

Voters Guide: Homewood Public Library District

The Chronicle’s 2019 Consolidated Election Voters Guide: Three Homewood Public Library candidates responded to our questionnaire, 

 

HOMEWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD CANDIDATES

6-year term (vote for 2)

Chenise Cece” Belue

  Chenise “Cece” 
  Belue

 

Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Economics; Roosevelt University, 2003
Master of Arts, Teaching; National Louis University, 2006
Master of Arts, Educational Administration; Governors State University, 2012

Occupation:
I am an IEP facilitator advocating for students with special needs. I have worked as a classroom teacher and administrator in the South Suburbs.  I have been an administrative data coordinator and an assistant principal in an elementary building.
Current employer: Joliet School District
 
Family:
Spouse, William Belue, and children William “WJ”(age 11); Joshua (age 3); and Daniel (age 2)
Incumbent: 
Yes.  I have had the honor of serving our community in this capacity for the past year. I was apppointed to the HPL Board and was sworn-in in January 2018.
 
Other elected positions? 
N/A
 
Most important issues:
As both a patron and trustee, I have had the honor of witnessing the diligence of the library staff, administrators and fellow trustees in building relationships with patrons and the community.  I believe the most important issues facing our library board are: providing diverse programming, maintaining fiscal responsibility,  and fostering positive relationships with all stakeholders.

As times change, we are charged with keeping the pace of a technology-driven society while maintaining the warmth of a “traditional” library that families remember so fondly.  It is important to continue offering programs that reflect the unique socioeconomic qualities specific to our community.  

I believe library resources and advocacy should extend to community members who may not be able to physically attend.  Last year  (with the board’s support) I spearheaded an effort to write a grant through Open Books in Chicago which donated over 600 children’s and adult titles of varying genres.  The materials were distributed to families in School District 153 and Prarie State College.

With recent decreases in revenue, the library board will need to continue analyzing  financial information and capitalize on areas that provide the biggest return on the taxpayers’ investments.  Transparency and on-going reflection are key components in this process.

Cultivating community relationships  is imperative and it should be rooted in the belief that no entity is more important than another; we all serve the common goal of being an integral part of bringing our community together. 

Goals:
Providing a seamless transition to our new director will be a key component to accomplishing the following goals:
  • Working with the board to explore additional avenues for funding as well as being diligent in reducing any unnecessary spending.
  • Providing a voice for patrons who may not have the knowledge or resources to advocate for themselves.
  • Maintaining the desirability of our library through carefully planned policies and procedures which will allow patrons to interact in a safe, friendly, peaceful and technologically equipped environment.
I look forward to the opportunity to continue serving our community and I am excited to see what the future has in store.
 

Thomas Nowak

  Thomas Nowak
 

Education:

BS, Economics, University of Illinois. 1969
MBA, Finance, DePaul University, 1973
 
Occupation:
Adjunct Professor DePaul University since 1985 developing and teaching
financial and project management courses; previously CFO for 17 years at not-for-profit organizations, including 11 years at American Medical Association Foundation.
I am a Certified Public Accountant.
I also volunteer for AARP by preparing tax returns for our residents and for
H-F Park District-sponsored running events.
Current employer: 
DePaul University
 
Family:
My wife, Monique, and sons Alek and Kyle
 
Incumbent?
Yes, since November 2017; serving as board treasurer
 
Other elected positions? 
None
 
Most important issues:
  • Provide financial oversight.
  • Continue to create and follow a balanced budget that makes the best use of district’s property tax revenue.
  • Provide excellent service to our residents.
  • Recruitment and retention of qualified staff, including a new director.
  • Staff morale.
  • Make appropriate upgrades to the facility.
 
Goals:
  • Recruitment of new director.
  • Finalizing union contract.
  • A balanced budget.
  • Needed facility improvements.
     

Timothy Martin 

  Timothy Martin
 

Education:
B.A., English and Social Work, magna cum laude, Carthage College, 2009
J.D., Valparaiso University School of Law, 2012

 
Occupation:
I have been an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office since November 2012, and from 2013-2017 was in the Juvenile Justice Bureau advocating for abused and neglected children. I am now with the Post-Convocation Unit. I had previously served as a law clerk with the Cook County State’s Attorney and the Illinois Attorney General offices.
 
While an undergraduate, I was a Writing Fellow with the Brainard Writing Center, and wrote and edited for the Carthage College student newspaper.
 
Family: 
Married to Robert Stasik.
 
Incumbent: 
No
 
Other elected positions: 
Not elected, but I was a formerly employed (appointed) by the Village of Flossmoor as a volunteer firefighter in 2017.
 
Most important issues:
The Homewood Public Library has recently unionized, which is somewhat unusual for our region. Additionally, the Homewood Public Library currently has an interim, part-time library director, and is actively searching for a new library director to replace her within the coming months.
 
Bearing all this in mind, the Homewood Public Library needs a new voice to help oversee this exciting new chapter. The Homewood Public Library needs someone who is pro-union, pro-books and pro-children.
 
The Homewood Public Library is already high quality. We need to ensure that it remains high quality as it goes through its upcoming transition. As always, we also need to ensure that the Homewood Public Library board complies with the Open Meetings Act, any requests through the Freedom of Information Act, and any other applicable legal requirements.
 
Goals:
  • Improved communication between the library board, the library director, and the library staff.
  • Increased attendance of library programs by all age groups.
  • A safe study environment for all students.
 

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