North Cook News

Architect and businessman Scott Krone is a candidate running for a seat on the Wilmette Park Board.

Krone believes his work and personal experiences would help him do well on the board. 

“The reason I'm running is that our family moved to Wilmette because of the great amenities of the Park District and our kids have certainly enjoyed the benefits of those," Krone told North Cook News. "They are now off to college in graduate school. So we were empty nesters and I believe that there's now time I can invest to give back to the community.”

Krone was a college athlete who played soccer and later transitioned to football as a placekicker and punter. He said the park district has offered plenty of opportunities for his children to also enhance their athletic abilities.

“Our kids have grown up playing hockey and soccer, and did lots of other activities like sailing and boating,” he said. “Our kids have enjoyed everything the park district has had to offer. I also play golf. They played golf, they've done skating and they've done hockey. My daughter was a speed skater, but my other daughter is playing soccer in college now. My son rose through the ranks of junior hockey before he had to medically retire. So we have a very active family and we were down at the beach every single day and paddleboard from mid-March through mid-November. We begin our day every day utilizing the park district.” 

Krone said he has the background to thrive on the park district board.

“I got my master's in architecture and I've been in architecture, contracting in development after getting that degree,” he said. “I first worked at Optimum Incorporated and started my own design-build development company. I've been involved in both residential and commercial projects since 1991. And, you know, I've done projects anywhere from $100,000 to $100 million and probably close to [a] quarter billion in total construction cost. There's not too many things that the Park District is doing that I'm not familiar with and have experience in doing. I believe my background in those areas will lend itself to the capital improvements that they seek to do or bring priorities to what has been voted upon but still has not been implemented. That's where I feel I can (contribute) to that process.”

“Part of what I also studied while getting my master's was landscape architecture," Krone added. "I was fortunate to have studied under Alfred Caldwell, who is responsible for many of the City of Chicago partnerships and has lent his designs to Wilmette as well at the council ranks. I understand and I can appreciate [it]. We were also one of the first ‘greenhouses,’ if not the first 'greenhouse,' in Wilmette that we designed and built.”

“We won the International Good Green Design Award. I'm familiar with green, I'm familiar with landscaping and trying to maintain and preserve the parks. So between the physical being fiscally responsible in terms of what needs to be brought to the table, but also my experience of working with landscaping, I feel I have the qualifications to observe and guide the board.” 

Krone said ultimately he thinks the board needs to focus on fiscal responsibility. 

“Part of that fiscal responsibility is currently that the board has a $9 million surplus, and the typical CapEx (capital expenditure) is around $3 million. But they're looking to spend $13 million this year because they've built up this $9 million surplus,” he said. “What we've seen is a lot of our friends are leaving Wilmette in the North Shore because once our kids graduate (or) mature, they don't want to spend the taxes. I understand that a lot of partnership revenue comes from both fees but also taxes. When there's a $9 million surplus and the priority for Gillson Park is to redo the infrastructure, but then they budgeted $600,000 to Lakeview Center, which is a healthy budget – it's similar to a new construction home in Wilmette – and ultimately they're now spending $2 million on it. That's the type of fiscal responsibility I think, that we can accomplish and not have to build up a $9 million surplus.”

Krone is a challenger to the current park board, all of whom are running for re-election. Others running include incumbents Mike Murdock, Cecilia Clarke, and Julia Goebel, as well as fellow challenger Patrick Lahey, according to The Record. The field of five is vying for four seats.

Krone is listed as a principal at Coda Management Group Chicago, an international award-winning design and build firm. The group specializes in investments in warehouses and multi-unit commercial properties. “Coda Management Group purchases undervalued warehouse space and converts it into climate controlled, Class-A, REIT ready self-storage properties,” Krone’s LinkedIn account reads.

He was featured on the podcast “Cashflow Ninja” in which he discussed his property business. The episode is titled “How to Buy Distressed Real Estate Assets In A Non-Distressed Market.”