2017 Election: Stella Kalfas, Glenview Public Library Board Trustee​

Name: Stella Kalfas

Age: 61

Town of residence: Glenview

Position sought: Glenview Public Library Board Trustee

Family: Husband Steve, two grown children.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Bachelor's of Studies in Computer Science and MBA

Occupation: Administration

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Position: Glenview Public Library Board Trustee

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The biggest issue facing the Glenview Public Library (GPL) today is sustaining a thriving organization that is delivering relevant services to its patrons while balancing the fiscal concerns of taxpayers and the community goals at large. I approach all we do at the library in support of this balance. As trustee and longtime resident of Glenview, I know first-hand the remarkable role the library plays in fostering the intellectual and creative development of our children. I support providing robust, ‘traditional’ services and programming for all patrons while offering newer, technology-based offerings to a growing group of information literate, ‘millennial’ clientele.

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

My experience in service, administration and in nonprofits as well as being a long time resident of Glenview. When I was growing up, the public library and its librarians introduced me to a world of ideas, involved me in my community, and helped me discover my calling in business, technology and higher education. I believe that I am an excellent candidate for Trustee because of my extensive service and management experience and my ability to adapt and find solutions to the toughest situations.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

The Board of Trustees must continue to face market realities and define what leadership practices and actions will enable us to thrive and best serve the library's patrons and key stakeholders. We need to be strategic in what we do, what we create and monies we need to raise.

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

That would be the successful implementation of the STEM/STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) programs, and the emerging “Maker Space” initiatives and for GPL to continue to search for alternative funding so that we do NOT burden our homeowners with additional tax.

Please share with voters a story about wisdom gained from a mistake you made in your life or career.

I remember when I first started taking classes in technology and I made the mistake of taking a programming language (coding) as the first class. I struggled immensely. I had made every mistake in the book. Our last assignment was to write the code for a specific program. Another person in my class was having a problem with a section of the code. He went around and asked everyone for help. Everyone, except me. When no one could help him, he came up to me, smiling, and said, "Ok, I give up. I might as well ask you, because I can't solve this". I looked at his code and found the problem immediately. He laughed and said, "Of course, I should have come to you first! You have more experience in finding the answer to the mistakes". He was right. I had made all the mistakes and I knew how to fix them. The lesson to me was two fold. 1. Making mistakes can propel you forward and 2. Never underestimate someone because they have made mistakes. I believe these were valuable lessons that have helped me in my career, especially in times of adversity.

Why should voters trust you?

I believe that when voters look at my track record of honesty, integrity and the work that I have done for our library to date they will understand me and where my passion lies for our library. I know that one of the main reasons families move to Glenview is because they want their children to learn, grow, develop strong cognitive skills and become successful today and in the future. I have kept that in mind as we work towards obtaining new and innovative resources for the library. Glenview voters should be confident that I have their best interest at heart and advocate for them and their families.

Share a quote that defines your philosophy:

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." Thomas Edison

What questions should be asked of current government employees accountable to your board?

Do you know what your constituents want from you?

Are you doing the right things and doing them right?

Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or board)?

My attitude is that if we can avoid increasing the tax levy, we should. On that note, we want to make sure that we continue to provide the level of quality service that is expected of a library in Glenview. I support the efforts of the Library and its staff in working dilligently to meet this objective:

The GPL Board Trustees have implemented an internal assessment to identify inefficiencies that could result in on-going expenditure reductions. In addition, the library moved to a building 60% larger than before and still maintained a flat budget without asking for a tax levy increase until 2016, eight years later. The Board has hired an external consultant who is a nationally known expert in the area of Lean Management to support the trustee directive in identifying performance and cost improvement opportunities.

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

The Board of Trustees, while I was President, has taken actions that reduced the 2017 budget by 112,300. We developed a plan for building maintenance -many areas are due for repairs s the building starts to age and we must be prepared and have budgeted for them. We continue to work towards a flat budget while we add these additional costs. At the same time we are evaluating and bringing in innovative programs such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) and Makerspaces to ensure our patrons have current and relevant learning opportunities. This is to meet the goals of Glenview Residents. The goals include creating opportunities for learning and developing strong cognitive skills for themselves and their children as they strive for success in business, work and academics.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

" Show me who you hang around with and I will tell you who you are and how sucessful you will be" is what my mother told me often as I was growing up.

This has proven to be true over and over again. If the people on your team, (whether a work team, a sports team or peers on a board for that matter) are mediocre you will not succeed. If they are outstanding you will achieve and you will shine as they do. Currently, we have a wonderful group of team members on the Library Board and I am grateful to them for all their hard work in meeting the Library objectives successfully! Thank you!

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

GPL has progressed from a quiet setting of individual academic pursuits to a center of active learning experiences. My vision is to continue our commendable record of service to the Glenview community while continually striving to improve the quality of service and evaluating applicable efficiencies. As a trustee, I dedicate myself to supporting our library and those who work there as they continue their mission of enriching the cultural, professional, and intellectual lives of Glenview residents.

Photo submitted by Stella Kalfas