Sunzere seeks to be elected mayor of Mokena as write-in candidate
By Jon DePaolis
MOKENA, Ill. – Nick Sunzere, a first-time candidate for public office, is seeking to be elected as the next mayor of the Village of Mokena this April.
He will be on the ballot as a write-in candidate.
“I will work tirelessly for the community of Mokena,” Sunzere told Richard Free Press in an interview Wednesday, Feb. 24. “Mokena doesn’t need a mayor that listens to respond. They deserve a mayor that listens to understand and act accordingly on their behalf with their best interests in mind – not their own.”
Sunzere, 38, has been a firefighter/paramedic since 2004. He also was a combat firefighter/paramedic in Iraq on Camp Victory in Baghdad for a year.
“This time in Iraq was a great benefit to me both personally and professionally,” Sunzere said. “I worked closely with the military, and that is where the bulk of my leadership ideals were instilled in me. My chief, who retired from the Navy, challenged me daily and took the time to mentor me. He was and still is a significant influence on how I lead.”
Back home, Sunzere became president of Frankfort Firefighters Local 4338 in 2014 after previously serving one year as vice president.
“As the president of my Local, I have gained considerable knowledge and experience in contract negotiations, contract enforcement, grievance arbitration, interest arbitration, various disciplinary issues, mediation, conflict resolution, and personnel management,” Sunzere said. “This experience will significantly aid me in fixing the glaring management problems within the Village's departments in regard to labor/management issues. As a firefighter, moving up through the ranks, I have gained many certifications and have taken many classes to ensure I'm the best firefighter I can be. I’m also on the dive team, insurance committee, safety committee, and serve as a firefighter peer support counselor. I feel my experience, my history of always trying to improve myself to serve the public better, and my administrative and communication skills make me the best candidate to lead the Village of Mokena into the future.”
Sunzere said he has been interested in Village government for years.
“When I saw the two candidates on the ballot, and after encouragement from family and friends, I felt it was my duty to get involved to make things better,” he said. “I decided I was no longer going to complain about how things should be, I was going to do the work to make the changes needed and re-instill the citizens of Mokena’s confidence in their government. The Village needs a strong communicator and proven leader. The Village also needs a mayor who serves with integrity, leads with the best interests of their constituents in mind, and remembers they serve the public and not themselves. I feel I am that candidate.”
However, he said he did not decide to run for office until he saw how “disappointed people were” in the choices for Village president. By then, the deadline to get on the April ballot had passed.
“After looking into it, I discovered I could run as a write-in candidate,” Sunzere said. “I filed the required declaration of intent to run as a write-in candidate and then announced my candidacy. The response I’ve received and the enthusiasm I’ve seen has been amazing. I’ve been gaining supporters and endorsements quicker than I had anticipated. I’ve also talked to so many residents that are happy to have a modern candidate who can listen and understand their concerns and is willing to put the residents before themselves.”
Sunzere said he plans to focus on increasing communication and transparency in Mokena.
“The residents will have quick and easy access to answers and quick resolutions to their issues,” he said. “I will use all forms of social media to get information out quickly and also will look into a better system for notifying the Village of problems, so we can take care of our residents in a quick, efficient manner. I will also [have] office hours every month above and beyond the published meeting schedule. I plan on being the most accessible mayor Mokena has had to date, and I also hope to instill this in my successor.”
Sunzere also said he wants to be a leader on sharing resources and information about the pandemic and the COVID-19 vaccine.
“I'm not a doctor, [but] I believe in seeking advice on subjects I'm not versed in from the experts,” he said. “I will look at the recommendations and data and will disseminate that information appropriately and without political bias. Politics has no place in medicine. I also will work to get a vaccine site up and running in Mokena that can service our residents. Also, I'll happily volunteer my time and aid in giving the vaccine to the residents of Mokena. [The Illinois Department of Public Health] has authorized paramedics to aid in giving the immunization. As a 17-year firefighter/paramedic, I’d be honored to poke every Mokena resident with a needle and give them an ‘I’m vaccinated’ sticker if they so choose to be vaccinated.”
He also said he wants to support the business community.
“We can and will attract new businesses into Mokena by supporting the ones that are already here,” Sunzere said. “We need to communicate with our business community and ask what they need to grow. We need to be active in helping them become more successful. Once others see our thriving business community, they will be more attracted to Mokena. We also need to stop thinking small. Why can’t we have a downtown similar to Frankfort? We have a major expressway and train line. Let’s use it. We need to seek out developers and investors interested in building in Mokena to attract the young that work in the city but enjoy the peace of a smaller village, as well as those looking to raise families, settle down and retire. For that to work, the Village needs entertainment and attractive homes to bring future residents and families looking for a place to settle. We also need to ask the people what they would like to see in their Village to help guide us as we bolster our business community. They ultimately have the final say in what gets developed here. We need to make it easier to be heard and fill committees with people from all sides of Mokena. Not hand-picked candidates that support your own unilateral vision.”
Public safety also will be a priority if elected.
“Being in public safety as a firefighter [with] the rank of lieutenant in Frankfort, I've had the opportunity to work side by side and gain firsthand knowledge of Mokena’s police department,” he said. “They do a great job. From what I've seen, they treat people with respect and dignity and take pride in doing their job. They do all of this despite missing a crucial piece of the puzzle – leadership. The Mokena Police Department needs leadership. It’s easy to be a fire chief, police chief or mayor. It’s hard to be a leader. Being a leader means holding yourself accountable not only for your actions but also for the members in your charge. Being a leader means putting your members' needs before yours and ensuring they have the tools and skills to do their job and be successful. Being a leader constantly means re-evaluating yourself and your command to make sure you are hitting the standard. And if you aren’t, finding out why and making adjustments as needed. It’s being an active manager, a mentor, and a constant the members can rely on. But the most critical aspect of being a leader is inspiring your members to be better. You have to motivate them to invest in themselves and always strive to be better for the people they serve. Lastly, being a leader is always trying to find your replacement, investing in your members, and seeking out talent. You’ll never be there forever. A leader has to make sure when they leave, they are missed because they were a leader – not because the department can’t function without them, because they kept the department in the dark and taught the department nothing. As mayor, I will be a leader. I will be a constant the Village can rely on. I will also seek out a leader for the police department – whether that be from within or employing a national search for a candidate for chief of police, we will find a leader for our police officers.”
Sunzere also said he wants to increase outreach to the youth of the community and increase services and communication with the senior population and special needs community.