University Place CDD Seat 3: Lauren Kessler

Name:  Lauren Kessler

Age: 33

Occupation:  Veterinary pharmaceutical sales manager  

Education: MBA in business from NorthCentral University and BE in International Business from Auburn University 

Elected government experience: Current HOA board president (on board for three years)

Why do you want to serve on the CDD?  

I would like to increase communication between residents and the CDD board and bring diversity to make the board a better representation of our diverse community.  

If elected, what will be your top three priorities during your term?

Increased communication with homeowners outside of meetings and workshops. Not everyone can attend meetings, but everyone’s opinions are important.

Evaluate the budget to explore potential areas of savings.

Offer homeowners a better understanding of the breakdowns of their CDD fees so they can better evaluate their payoff options.

How do you plan to address those priorities?

I will address my campaign objectives by providing a better line of communication for residents that cannot attend afternoon meetings, cutting out the middle-man in communications between the CDD and HOA boards and addressing the options associated with CDD payoffs in a community forum.  

What makes you a better candidate for this position than your opponent?  

As the current president of the HOA board, I have a full understanding of the duties and responsibilities of each board (HOA and CDD).  At times, homeowner questions or concerns are presented to the board that is not responsible for addressing that specific concern. This can result in a lag-time in response or attention to the issue brought forward by the homeowner.  Having a board member that has a seat on both boards would lessen the lag-time associated with scenarios such as this and create an opportunity for better communication between the CDD and HOA boards, which helps us all. 

As a working professional, I understand the challenges of homeowners not always having a flexible schedule to be at the meetings.

My work schedule is flexible and therefore I am able to attend meetings. I commit to help bring neighbors concerns to the board that are not able to attend meetings.