Mike Murdock
Wilmette park district board
Candidate Video
responses to voter guide questions
1. Why are you running for park board, what are your qualifications and what term number will it be if you are elected?
I love Wilmette and I want to continue to improve our community by providing quality amenities and programs for our residents. I am proud of my impact over time-- rebuilding Ronald Knox, revitalizing Michigan Shores, helping 100+ disabled/elderly families keep their homes (Rebuilding Together), assisting Regina's campus renovations, and saving the Wilmette Theater from permanent closure.
I know how to get things done- I see an opportunity, and I act on it; I see a problem, and I strive to fix it. That may sound simple, but it rarely is. Each of those institutions has been positively impacted by my involvement, and I have applied that same philosophy to WPD. During my leadership as WPD President these past two years, we have had remarkable success stewarding our natural resources and improving facilities -- the fitness path/bathrooms (Playfields), Lakeview Center, golf course/ restaurant, and Keay Nature Center. Soon I hope we will expand paddle, "do solar" at CRC, install a full-season, temperature-controlled ice rink at one of our parks, protect the Langdon bluff, and finally, finally after 15 years, complete infrastructure improvements and beautification/ landscaping at Gillson Park. I would argue that this has been the most productive park district term, except perhaps when major taxpayer-funded referenda occurred.
I am running for a third term to continue the momentum created over the past two years and to do more (see Q2). Also, I offer more experience than all of the other candidates combined; when I first ran in 2009, the average Commissioner experience was 15 years; now the total (excluding me) is less than 15 years. I believe that experience helps the Board move initiatives forward, providing leadership so WPD can continue to offer outstanding programing and facilities for our residents; in addition, I am the only board member to have served during a recession; that experience will help the District should those challenges arise again.
2. What are your priorities for Wilmette Park District (WPD) and how will you work with the board and park staff to address them?
In 2009, I wanted to advocate for families who participate in WPD programs. No commissioners had young children utilizing WPD programs. I also wanted to recruit a mom to the all-male board. I encouraged Shelley Shelly to run -- she was a great commissioner who then encouraged others to participate. In 2019, I wanted to dramatically increase our stewardship of natural resources, begin several sustainability efforts, and improve our facilities-- I think the results have been impressive.
Next term, I want to ensure we have a great pickleball program, on par with our tennis and platform programs. I also want to complete the strategic plan and take on some bigger projects -- adding at least one of: another full sheet of ice, indoor pool, indoor pickleball, indoor turf or additional sports courts or a major expansion of our driving range/golf patio.
Without raising taxes.
Four years ago, there were unwritten rules to starve the golf course of investment and, not surprisingly, the golf course struggled financially. Other commissioners tried to delay or block investments, but I proposed innovative funding strategies to overcome those objections. The District invested in golf (admittedly, Covid "helped") -- now it produces significant positive cash flow. So does platform tennis. If we build first-class facilities, our residents will support them and the District will be stronger financially, while better meeting the needs of the community. Bringing on another major facility without raising taxes will require creativity and leadership - I believe I have demonstrated both.
3. What is WPD's role in protecting green spaces and the environment?
Under past leadership, the WPD focused on financial metrics/"efficiency" at the expense of stewardship. While President of the Board, I asked staff what additional resources they needed as they were “barely keeping up” with just mowing the grass. In that next budget cycle, the Board approved a horticulturalist and additional staff. I also introduced the novel approach of allocating capital funds for trees, recognizing the important community asset they are. I then worked with staff to jump-start that program-- WPD planted more trees last year than in the prior five years combined.
WPD is again allocating capital funds (plus operating funds) for trees and replacing our gas-powered equipment with electric, including a new electric van. Although our landscape plans have mostly languished since they were approved last year, I am working with staff to accelerate those efforts.
We should soon approve a major solar project at CRC to provide 50% of its electricity- I have advocated for this since 2019 but progress has been inconsistent, so I have continued to advocate for the project, putting it on the agenda and and pushing it forward -- we would not be so close without my strong advocacy. I did the same to ensure WPD installed the first EV charging stations in Wilmette.
Moving forward, I believe our strategic plan will inform future decisions to reduce our carbon footprint at our facilities and to plant more native trees that will outlive all of us. We should also constantly look for ways to acquire additional open space, without raising taxes.
4. How can the board balance the concerns of specific neighborhoods with WPD development and activities?
I don’t accept the premise of the question -- Wilmette doesn’t have “neighborhoods” that speak with only one voice. We are a community of articulate, engaged residents with a wide variety of opinions.
During recent pickleball discussions, WPD proactively reached out to residents nearby specifically at my request so anyone potentially impacted could engage in the process. Ironically, I asked for the same notice for West Park in October of 2021 before issues heated up. I believe that process would have unfolded differently if we had implemented this process then. Concerning our recent Playfields pickleball discussions, three people wrote in support and seven against. Do those seven speak for the “neighborhood” but the three do not?
This is the fundamental issue: unfortunately, many people fear change and progress, especially when it is near their back yard- the irony of NIMBY is that the park district has never proposed changes to private properties but some folks seem to claim ownership of “their” parks as if their proximity is a property right. I simply don’t accept that. As elected officials, it is our responsibility to serve our entire community, even when a "neighborhood" appears to disagree.
5. Do you see opportunities to align WPD practices with its Statement of Inclusion and, if so, where?
I support the statement. These values were reflected in the Lakeview Center renovations and will be in future projects as well as we continue to look for ways to provide a safe, inclusive environment.
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I love Wilmette and I want to continue to improve our community by providing quality amenities and programs for our residents. I am proud of my impact over time-- rebuilding Ronald Knox, revitalizing Michigan Shores, helping 100+ disabled/elderly families keep their homes (Rebuilding Together), assisting Regina's campus renovations, and saving the Wilmette Theater from permanent closure.
I know how to get things done- I see an opportunity, and I act on it; I see a problem, and I strive to fix it. That may sound simple, but it rarely is. Each of those institutions has been positively impacted by my involvement, and I have applied that same philosophy to WPD. During my leadership as WPD President these past two years, we have had remarkable success stewarding our natural resources and improving facilities -- the fitness path/bathrooms (Playfields), Lakeview Center, golf course/ restaurant, and Keay Nature Center. Soon I hope we will expand paddle, "do solar" at CRC, install a full-season, temperature-controlled ice rink at one of our parks, protect the Langdon bluff, and finally, finally after 15 years, complete infrastructure improvements and beautification/ landscaping at Gillson Park. I would argue that this has been the most productive park district term, except perhaps when major taxpayer-funded referenda occurred.
I am running for a third term to continue the momentum created over the past two years and to do more (see Q2). Also, I offer more experience than all of the other candidates combined; when I first ran in 2009, the average Commissioner experience was 15 years; now the total (excluding me) is less than 15 years. I believe that experience helps the Board move initiatives forward, providing leadership so WPD can continue to offer outstanding programing and facilities for our residents; in addition, I am the only board member to have served during a recession; that experience will help the District should those challenges arise again.
2. What are your priorities for Wilmette Park District (WPD) and how will you work with the board and park staff to address them?
In 2009, I wanted to advocate for families who participate in WPD programs. No commissioners had young children utilizing WPD programs. I also wanted to recruit a mom to the all-male board. I encouraged Shelley Shelly to run -- she was a great commissioner who then encouraged others to participate. In 2019, I wanted to dramatically increase our stewardship of natural resources, begin several sustainability efforts, and improve our facilities-- I think the results have been impressive.
Next term, I want to ensure we have a great pickleball program, on par with our tennis and platform programs. I also want to complete the strategic plan and take on some bigger projects -- adding at least one of: another full sheet of ice, indoor pool, indoor pickleball, indoor turf or additional sports courts or a major expansion of our driving range/golf patio.
Without raising taxes.
Four years ago, there were unwritten rules to starve the golf course of investment and, not surprisingly, the golf course struggled financially. Other commissioners tried to delay or block investments, but I proposed innovative funding strategies to overcome those objections. The District invested in golf (admittedly, Covid "helped") -- now it produces significant positive cash flow. So does platform tennis. If we build first-class facilities, our residents will support them and the District will be stronger financially, while better meeting the needs of the community. Bringing on another major facility without raising taxes will require creativity and leadership - I believe I have demonstrated both.
3. What is WPD's role in protecting green spaces and the environment?
Under past leadership, the WPD focused on financial metrics/"efficiency" at the expense of stewardship. While President of the Board, I asked staff what additional resources they needed as they were “barely keeping up” with just mowing the grass. In that next budget cycle, the Board approved a horticulturalist and additional staff. I also introduced the novel approach of allocating capital funds for trees, recognizing the important community asset they are. I then worked with staff to jump-start that program-- WPD planted more trees last year than in the prior five years combined.
WPD is again allocating capital funds (plus operating funds) for trees and replacing our gas-powered equipment with electric, including a new electric van. Although our landscape plans have mostly languished since they were approved last year, I am working with staff to accelerate those efforts.
We should soon approve a major solar project at CRC to provide 50% of its electricity- I have advocated for this since 2019 but progress has been inconsistent, so I have continued to advocate for the project, putting it on the agenda and and pushing it forward -- we would not be so close without my strong advocacy. I did the same to ensure WPD installed the first EV charging stations in Wilmette.
Moving forward, I believe our strategic plan will inform future decisions to reduce our carbon footprint at our facilities and to plant more native trees that will outlive all of us. We should also constantly look for ways to acquire additional open space, without raising taxes.
4. How can the board balance the concerns of specific neighborhoods with WPD development and activities?
I don’t accept the premise of the question -- Wilmette doesn’t have “neighborhoods” that speak with only one voice. We are a community of articulate, engaged residents with a wide variety of opinions.
During recent pickleball discussions, WPD proactively reached out to residents nearby specifically at my request so anyone potentially impacted could engage in the process. Ironically, I asked for the same notice for West Park in October of 2021 before issues heated up. I believe that process would have unfolded differently if we had implemented this process then. Concerning our recent Playfields pickleball discussions, three people wrote in support and seven against. Do those seven speak for the “neighborhood” but the three do not?
This is the fundamental issue: unfortunately, many people fear change and progress, especially when it is near their back yard- the irony of NIMBY is that the park district has never proposed changes to private properties but some folks seem to claim ownership of “their” parks as if their proximity is a property right. I simply don’t accept that. As elected officials, it is our responsibility to serve our entire community, even when a "neighborhood" appears to disagree.
5. Do you see opportunities to align WPD practices with its Statement of Inclusion and, if so, where?
I support the statement. These values were reflected in the Lakeview Center renovations and will be in future projects as well as we continue to look for ways to provide a safe, inclusive environment.
Reply Reply All Forward