Open Letter to Skokie Voters

It's up to you, the people of Skokie. It's up to you to go out and vote on April 9.

You finally have a choice in who will lead and shape our community over the next four years – and I am asking you to choose me, an independent leader who takes your concerns seriously about crime and who has fresh ideas to drive economic development. You can make room on the Village Board for an independent trustee who doesn't toe the party line and isn't beholden to any person or party other than you, the citizen.

To the community as a whole, I say: My family and I love Skokie for the unique community that you are – from your wonderful parks and proximity to just about everything we could want, to the emphasis that people here place on tolerance and their appreciation for our rich diversity and history.  I have met so many great people like longtime resident, WWII veteran, and Purple Heart holder Irv Abramson and teachers such as Shelly Nizynski, who started a charity to help children in Ghana and by doing so has inspired all of School District 73.5 to see beyond its own borders and the difference we all can make.

And to Skokie voters I say: Even with the deep affection and commitment to our community that I share with so many of you, there is still much work to be done.  First and foremost, we cannot continue to tolerate the violent, armed crime that has begun to occur with some regularity here.  We have a code of conduct and an expectation of behavior for our residents and visitors that we all need to act on.  We need to ensure that everyone understands and abides by the standards of safety and mutual respect in order to ensure that Skokie remains the place – where we live and work and send our kids to school – that we can all be proud of. 

We also need to be realistic.  Like all other places in the world, Skokie is not the same community that it was 50 or even 20 years ago.  Our community has evolved, and we need to embrace that evolution.  That means acknowledging the changes in our diverse community and meeting challenges in a thoughtful way by making sure we can provide the services needed to respond.

Just as important, our leaders need to work together to articulate a vision for our future and then make that vision a reality, beginning with having honest conversations about public safety and economic development, and by working with the school districts to conduct a thorough safety review of school zones.  To ensure our continued success, we need to do a better job of promoting ourselves to future residents and businesses, of extending our hands and saying, “Come join us here.”

I’m a father, husband, community member and friend. I am committed to preserving and strengthening what is working well while re-examining and taking new approaches to what can be done better. I am committed to instilling in my children the importance of giving back to the community where we live.  I have met, shaken hands, had coffee with and said hello to so many of my fellow Skokie residents during the course of this campaign.  I know that you, like me, see the potential of our community and crave leaders who will guide us responsibly, thoughtfully and safely through the 21st century.  I pledge to be one such leader.

The time to elect an independent, forward thinking trustee, not beholden to party politics is now! You have the chance, and I hope you will take it.  I have staged this campaign putting forth a broad and specific platform and offering distinctive community experience that I believe is strong – and perhaps even unique among the field of candidates for trustee.

Now the rest is up to you. Thank you for listening, Skokie. Once again I invite you to visit www.novakforskokie.com to see and to consider my platform and my background.

I will be honored to serve as your trustee.

Sincerely,

Brian Novak, Independent Candidate for Trustee (Punch #21)