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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT - Marty Bourke
In our recurring In Brief spotlight on members who lead by example and help us succeed as a Conference, we are pleased to feature Bloomingdale Village Administrator (and highly involved DMMC member) Marty Bourke:
1. How did you first become involved with DMMC?
In 1981, I was an NIU graduate student intern at the Village of Carol Stream, and one of my fellow students, Joe Breinig, had an internship at something called the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference. I think the DMMC offices were at the Roselle Village Hall at that time, and I visited them once or twice. I seem to remember a natural disaster (flooded village hall basement?) ruining some of their files and so forth back then.
Soon thereafter, DMMC moved to the basement of the new Carol Stream Village Hall, and I was involved with supplying the furnishings for the new building, and working with Joe on various projects. I remember one afternoon where we tortured a copier sales person who could not get her Rube Goldberg-like copier machine to work properly, in a most hilarious fashion, at least to us. She subsequently took up smoking again. But I digress.
I joined the Board of Directors sometime after I started working as the Village Manager in Winfield in 1986.
2. What DMMC committees have you served on?
- Member Of The Board Of Directors Since 2007
- Natural Gas Model Franchise Consortium:
- Chair Of The Steering Committee Since 2008
- Regulatory Issues Committee Chair 2007-2010
- Nominating Committees
- Regulatory Issues Committee Vice Chair: 2001-2007, 2010-2012
- Conference Liaison to the DuPage County Stormwater Fee Review Committee: 2007
- Represented DMMC on the Metro Mayors Caucus Infrastructure / Telecommunications Task Force
- PrimeCo Litigation Steering Committee Member: 2004-2006
- Intergovernmental Relations Committee Member: 2002-2007
- Secretary/Treasurer: 1990-1992
- Chairman of the Management and Finance Committee: 1991
- Management and Finance Committee Member: 1987-1993
- Transportation Committee Member: 1986-1993
3. What contribution to DMMC are you most proud of?
As Director of the Budget & Operations Committee, I made a presentation to the Conference concerning the proposed financing structure that would allow for the rental and rehab of the current Conference office building, i.e., home rule municipalities would finance and all members would pay off the loan. It was a hair salon, before the Village took it over and never really used it. I guess that means I should stop complaining about the heat.
4. Why are you so actively involved with DMMC?
I really don't know. I was also actively involved in the WCMC when I worked in Western Springs, and was Chairman of IRMA, twice. There is definitely a pattern here. I guess I am a firm believer in intergovernmental cooperation. A moment of pride was receiving the Manager of the Year Award from the Illinois Association of Municipal Management Assistants a few years back based mainly on my intergovernmental efforts.
5. Do you have any interesting or funny stories to share?
The Drive Downs used to be much less serious, but I will save those stories for other forums.
6. Do you have any advice for newer DMMC managers?
They are all very smart and accomplished people, and don't need advice from me, but I would encourage them to participate in DMMC committees and leadership, and for them to encourage their elected officials and their staffs to participate as well.
7. How has being involved in DMMC helped your towns?
Generally speaking, I have worked in smaller municipalities. These types of municipalities, with limited staff and resources, have especially good reasons to join forces with others of their kind, whether it is on lobbying efforts, joint purchasing or research and development. They are so much stronger as a collective group.
8. Is there anything else that you would like to share?
Over the years, the DMMC staff members have always been terrific to work with, so thanks.
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