Zach Mottl, Burr Ridge Trustee Candidate

BURR RIDGE, IL — Zach Mottl is one of the five candidates for three seats on the Burr Ridge Village Board. Here are his responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Zach Mottl

Age (as of Election Day)

42

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Benedictine University, Bachelor of Business Administration, Cum Laude

Occupation

Chief Alignment Officer at Atlas Tool Works

Campaign website

FightingForBR.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Burr Ridge Trustee since 2017

The single most pressing issue facing our village is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Fighting for fiscal responsibility including standing firmly against pay raises for politicians, wasteful spending, and property tax hikes.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I do not know any BLM activists myself, but I know many Black people from both my personal and professional life, and support fairness and equality, always. I respect the diversity of feelings on these issues and prefer to listen and try to hear, understand, and learn.
I know violence is never the answer and I believe everyone should be treated fairly, with dignity and respect, as a human being loved by God, with unique and special gifts, abilities, needs, hopes, dreams, fears, and flaws. We need to find a way to fix the wrongs and end the animosity and divisiveness. I think it starts with being aware, sensitive, and kind. Each situation needs its own solution. After that, I do not know all the answers, but I am willing to listen and try.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

No. We need to constantly work to improve the diversity of the board, the diversity of our staff, the diversity of our contractors, and the diversity of businesses in the community.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?

The pandemic has been very hard on many businesses and people so I’m generally in favor of a balanced approach. Reasonable rules and capacity requirements seem sensible. Total shutdowns are too much. It bothers me when folks do not even make an effort to try and follow what seem to be sensible rules and guidelines to protect the public and those most vulnerable.
I wear a mask in public but don’t need to be told to do so. A mask can be bothersome at times, but they work. I respect businesses that require them and respect those that don’t.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?

It seems that some areas are doing better than others. As expected, demand for the vaccine vastly outpaces supplies. While I am considered an essential worker and expect to eventually get vaccinated, I am not rushing to do so, as I am younger and healthy and want others who are in most need of the vaccine to get it first.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The mayor and his chosen trustees have their own agenda, and it isn’t always the taxpayer’s agenda. I am passionate about fighting to protect our residents and businesses, and always doing the right thing for Burr Ridge. Good local government doesn’t always mean unanimous votes on a board, it means discussions on the issues that our residents face, even if they are uncomfortable.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

I stand for protecting taxpayers and lowering taxes, restoring collaboration and working to solve problems, and always doing what is right for Burr Ridge. But we also need to work on even the basics of local government. Our website is not user-friendly at all. We must improve our village’s communication with the public and capture feedback, especially through an updated, modernized website that is easily searchable

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have been Burr Ridge’s leading voice for transparency while serving on the board. I run a company with international distribution and bring business-style budgeting to the board. If you look at the record there hasn’t been a trustee who has been more vocal on fighting against pay raises for our board, wasteful spending without accountability, and holding the line on taxes and fees.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

I will continue my fight to increase transparency, especially in our hiring and contracts. We will also improve our village’s communication with the public and capture feedback, especially through an updated, modernized website that is easily searchable. And we will protect what makes Burr Ridge special while growing our downtown with more family-friendly locations for our residents to dine, shop, and play.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters should trust me because I have always told them the truth and I will always tell them the truth. I refuse to keep my head buried in the sand when I see issues that affect the lives and livelihoods of my neighbors.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

I was elected for one reason: to protect Burr Ridge taxpayers. And I’ve been doing just that by fighting for fiscal responsibility including standing firmly against pay raises for politicians, wasteful spending, and property tax hikes.
I’ll continue to fight to implement transparency in the village’s spending process through transparent bidding. Currently, the village isn’t even following its own procurement code, unnecessarily resulting in higher costs for taxpayers. The village isn’t competitively bidding expensive purchases to ensure we’re getting the best deals.
I will closely oversee how the taxpayers’ money is being spent. Currently, the board doesn’t discuss or inspect spending, they simply rubber-stamp all expenses, even when those expenses are out of budget. They don’t review contracts to ensure they remain the best options for village residents. In fact, the board hasn’t received a budget report in over a year when those reports should be done monthly or at least quarterly.
I’ll also reduce the village’s legal bills and limit liability exposure. Currently, Burr Ridge spends more per capita on legal bills than surrounding towns. Legal bills have skyrocketed with no transparency or explanation.
Finally, I will plan for the future so our infrastructure is better maintained and our services improved. Currently, the village is kicking the can down the road. Because of rising costs, this year’s road program is costing the village more per mile than ever before and we’re paving the fewest miles of roads in recent memory. Rising pension costs are crowding out other important budget priorities like policing. Our water infrastructure is crumbling and we barely have the money to patch problems as they arise let alone fix them because money is diverted from our water fund to pay for administration.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No. I plan to serve my full term.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“Trust but verify” and “forgive the fools for their foolishness.”

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I favor a transparent, open, and honest government that puts the people’s interests first and is free of corruption, clout, graft, and insider deals.