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The continued revitalization of Franklin Park’s industrial, retail
and commercial corridors is a key motivator for Karen Special’s
desire to continue to serve as a Village Trustee. Karen serves as
chair of the Property, Planning, Zoning and Building Committee.
Karen was previously appointed to
the Franklin Park Plan Commission where she worked to identify long
range planning goals for our area’s retail corridors including the
Grand Corridor, the Grand and Mannheim shopping area, the Mannheim
Road Corridor and the Franklin Avenue downtown district. Today, these
retail districts are experiencing a remarkable revitalization, adding
new national retail establishments, large and small businesses and a
diverse range of dining options.
Karen has lived in the Franklin Park
area for over 40 years and she and her husband have three daughters.
As a mother, Karen believes that when parents are involved with their
children’s school and extracurricular activities, not only do the
children thrive, but so does the community. Karen was an active
member of the PTA Executive Board focusing her attention on
fundraising and creating scholarship programs and now is a volunteer
for BBQ day. She developed a program to link Franklin Park Seniors
with our schoolchildren by bringing the residents from the Senior
Towers to theater performances at Hester Junior High School. She is
committed to community service, volunteering for the Girl Scouts and
assisting with Cheerleading efforts for the Leyden Bears Football
program, where she worked to instill confidence and pride in young
girls.
Karen works hard to create a “senior
friendly” environment in our town and strongly believes that we
must honor the people who built our community and make sure they can
spend their retirement in our community, safe and secure with a good
quality of life. As a Trustee, she has worked hard to hold the line
on taxes while maintaining a high level of Village service. Karen
supports maintaining highly-trained and well-equipped Police and Fire
departments. She loves serving as a liaison to the Senior community
and utilizing their input to create more programs and opportunities
to allow them to maintain their vitality and enjoy their golden years
in Franklin Park.
Karen knows that people comprise a
community and that it is critical that all voices be heard and that
we work together to continue the improvements begun since Mayor
Pedersen took office. She works on efforts to strengthen alliances
with the park district, local schools and service organizations to
move our community further along the path of progress. Karen works
hard to ensure the Village continues to offer affordable,
family-focused events and foster an atmosphere of trust and pride.
As Trustee, Karen has worked to
discover new avenues of funding to support improvements to our aging
infrastructure to avoid overburdening the taxpayers. She believes
that problems can be solved and progress can be made when people come
together to lend their voices to the process and as Village Trustee
she has continued the efforts of Mayor Pedersen to foster an open
dialog with our residents and businesses to support improvements in
our community.
Karen also served on the Franklin
Park Zoning Board of Appeals. She is a professional working in
residential real estate. Her husband Mike is a board member of the
District 84 School Board.
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