1. What policy changes or investments are necessary to encourage broader employment and business investment in the county?
Morgan County has a strong agricultural base and a long track record of leadership in both production and sustainability. To stay economically strong over the long run and create more good jobs, the county needs to build on that strength by growing related and complementary industries.
Illinois’s push toward 100 percent green energy is expected to create an electricity supply gap within the next five to ten years. That change brings challenges, but it also creates real opportunities for Morgan County. By planning ahead and investing early in energy infrastructure, the county can meet future demand, keep the power grid reliable, and stay competitive.
A modern, dependable electrical system is critical for attracting growing industries like technology, artificial intelligence, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and logistics. These industries can bring good-paying jobs, increase the local tax base, and support remote work. They also help agriculture continue to evolve through tools like precision equipment, automation, and advanced mapping.
Morgan County’s location at the crossroads of Highway 67 and Interstate 72 is another major advantage. Using that location to attract warehouses, distribution, and logistics development can drive construction activity and create long-term jobs, strengthening the county’s role as a regional hub.
To support continued growth, the county also needs to focus on housing. Investing in new construction, fixing up existing homes, and addressing abandoned or run-down properties will help meet workforce needs, improve neighborhoods, and support overall economic success.
2. What one part of county government would receive more attention if you were elected?
If elected, my first priority will be reviewing and approving the annual tax levy and putting together a responsible budget for the year ahead. I plan to work closely with fellow Commissioners and the county’s elected officials to cut unnecessary overlap, improve efficiency, and ease the tax burden on residents—while still making sure essential public services remain strong.
Effective county government takes teamwork. Commissioners should help ensure all departments are working together toward the shared goal of serving residents in a way that’s efficient, transparent, and effective.
I’m also committed to making county government more accessible by improving communication across county offices, websites, social media, and traditional news outlets. Residents deserve clear, timely information about county projects, spending, tax impacts, and public meetings.
By promoting transparency, open communication, and public engagement throughout county government, we can build trust and make sure county decisions truly reflect the needs and priorities of the people we serve.
3. What do you see as the most pressing needs for infrastructure or capital projects in the county?
Morgan County is facing some real infrastructure challenges as the demand for essential services continues to grow. One of the most urgent needs is updating and expanding our electrical grid. As electricity use increases and Illinois moves toward 100% renewable energy, our current system simply isn’t built to keep up. This is not just a local issue—it is something communities across Illinois and the Midwest are dealing with. I will work closely with other County Offices, utility providers and government partners to secure funding, attract investment, and make sure improvements do not place an unfair burden on residents.
Housing is another major priority. Morgan County needs to encourage new housing construction while also investing in the rehabilitation of existing properties. Addressing abandoned and deteriorating buildings through nuisance abatement programs will help stabilize neighborhoods, support population growth, and improve overall quality of life for residents.
Expanding broadband access is also critical to the county’s future. Reliable, high-speed internet supports economic development by attracting new businesses and helping existing ones grow. It improves access to services, supports modern agriculture, and enables the use of technology like GIS mapping and computer-aided tools. Better connectivity will help businesses operate more efficiently, reduce costs, and support long-term economic growth throughout Morgan County.
4. With the both of you (candidates) having never held elected office before, what is your experience with preparing or authorizing budgets?
My career has been deeply rooted in public-sector budgeting and oversight. Throughout my time with the Illinois State Police—and earlier with the Jacksonville Police Department—I was responsible for building budgets, advocating for funding, and making sure approved dollars were actually meeting operational needs.
As a Captain and Bureau Chief with the Illinois State Police Firearms Services Bureau, I oversaw a $22.5 million annual budget and led a team of about 120 sworn officers and civilian staff. That meant planning for staffing needs, tracking overtime, budgeting for software and contractors, and setting aside contingency funds for unexpected events, including the COVID-19 stay-at-home orders. Because of the bureau’s public visibility, I regularly appeared before legislative bodies to explain our funding needs and address constituent concerns related to FOID cards and concealed carry licensing.
I also served as the Lead Sworn Labor Representative in the ISP Office of Labor Relations, where I worked closely with the Budget Office and Director’s Office to evaluate the financial impact of collective bargaining agreements affecting roughly 1,800 sworn personnel statewide. Those discussions involved real fiscal tradeoffs tied to staffing levels, pay, healthcare, benefits, and family leave—often within tight budget constraints.
Earlier, while assigned to the Illinois State Police Training Academy, I managed nearly $3 million in annual operating funds to support firearms and emergency vehicle training programs across the state. That included budgeting for equipment, ammunition, vehicles, fuel, and maintenance to ensure training could continue without interruption.
At the start of my career with the Jacksonville Police Department, I worked with command staff to manage budgets for firearms training, ammunition, and equipment upgrades—experience that grounded my understanding of how budgeting decisions affect officers and departments at every level.
5. Morgan County’s Assessed Actual Value or AAV for property has increased by approximately 22% since 2020. Meanwhile, the typical property tax bill for a Morgan County parcel is roughly 1.5× what it was in 2020 and the population of the county in that same time period has continued to decrease between 1-2% annually. This means less people are paying more money on higher assessed property in the county. How do you plan to combat the property tax problem and the increasing assessment appeal issues at the county level?
It is accurate to say that some property values have risen sharply, while the population is shrinking, and that means fewer people are paying higher bills to maintain county operations. As much as possible we must stabilize taxes, make assessments fair and transparent, and reduce the number of appeals.
I would work closely with the other Commissioners and other county offices to limit spending growth, so the county is not relying on assessment increases to fund operations. We should work to match budget growth to inflation and real population needs, not to rising property values.
I will work with property and homeowners to ensure all exemptions are being applied so the burden doesn’t fall hardest on those who can least afford it.
We should look to improve the assessment process by ensuring the appraisal methods are consistent, increasing transparency, and explore the concept of offering pre-appeal mediation so disputes are resolved quickly and fairly.
Finally, we’ll focus on growing the tax base through economic development and smart infrastructure investments, so the tax burden is spread across more people and businesses instead of squeezing the remaining residents.
6. If new resources were available, what one area of county services would you feel most needs additional resources? What area has too much?
County roads and public safety are core services that take a lot of funding, trained staff, and expensive equipment to run well. Unfortunately, these areas are often underfunded, which makes it harder for counties to keep up with state and local requirements and still provide dependable, timely service. In rural areas, longer distances and fluctuating volunteer staffing can lead to slower response times—something that can truly be a matter of life and death.
Because resources are limited, it’s important to keep administrative costs low and focus spending on services that directly support the community. Boards or committees that meet infrequently or don’t produce clear results should be reviewed to see if they’re still necessary.
Programs that consistently have low participation but require significant ongoing funding should also be re-examined. Shifting those dollars to services that have a real, direct impact on residents, families, and local businesses will help the county better meet its most important needs.
7. What do you think is an appropriate ratio of local government employees to constituents?
I do not think a single employee-to-constituent ratio works for county government because we do so many different things. Some departments are public safety, some are road maintenance, some are clerical, and they all have very different needs. A one-size-fits-all number just doesn’t reflect reality.
Also, population changes do not automatically mean we need more or fewer employees. If the county loses 10,000 residents, we still have the same number of roads, buildings, and services to maintain. That work doesn’t go away just because the population drops. The same is true for essential offices like health services or the coroner — those responsibilities do not shrink just because there are fewer people.
A lot of departments already operate with minimal staffing or on an as-needed basis to keep costs down. As County Commissioner, I will work with other elected officials to make sure our team of just over 150 full-time employees is being used efficiently. And if staffing needs to change, I would support thoughtful adjustments so residents get the best value for their tax dollars.
8. Would citizens get more effective services at a better rate if more functions of the county were accomplished by contracting with private providers?
County operations should consistently evaluate the option of outsourcing services when doing so would yield significant improvements in service delivery, limiting cost, operational efficiency, or organizational flexibility.
9. With the county meetings being held at 9 a.m. on a Monday morning, most people are unable to attend the meetings. How do you intend to communicate with the residents of Morgan County regarding issues effecting them?
I believe one of the simplest things any governmental body can do to alleviate frustration with those they serve is to share as much information as possible.
I would support holding Commissioner meetings during evening hours to encourage more citizen participation as well as potentially having at least one meeting a month at alternate locations such as Meredosia, Waverly, Murrayville, Chapin, Franklin, etc.
As Commissioner I would work with the other commissioners to regularly attend city and village council meetings, Farm Bureau Meetings, Chamber of Commerce Meetings, and any other board or special interest meeting necessary to better understand issues affecting all areas of the county.
10. Many residents are sharply divided on the siting of green energy projects. The projects bring higher returns on property taxes to the county but do cover up land that some argue could be used for agriculture, the county’s #1 unemployment. What is your stance on these projects? How do you plan to enforce the siting of these projects as well as road-use agreements?
I personally find wind and solar farms visually unappealing, and I am concerned that they are increasingly dominating Morgan County’s landscape. Many siting applications target our most productive cropland, which I believe is better used for agriculture.
That said, I believe property owners have the right to use their land as they see fit, provided that their use does not infringe upon the rights of neighboring property owners or surrounding residents.
Renewable energy can be valuable when developed responsibly and when local residents directly benefit from the energy produced. While Morgan County has gained tax revenue and some landowners have received income from these projects, very little of the energy generated remains in the county. Without local energy benefits or reduced costs for residents, I am not in favor of additional wind and solar farms.
As County Commissioner, my role would be to follow county and state statutes governing siting applications and to oversee the construction and operation of renewable energy facilities. Morgan County follows Ordinance #2023-6, Illinois statute 55 ILCS 5/5-12020, Illinois Joint Committee on Administrative Rules Title 83 Part 461, and other applicable regulations.
If a siting application is complete, accurate, and compliant with all requirements, the County Board’s authority to deny it is limited. When a landowner and applicant agree on the use or sale of property, the Commissioner’s role becomes one of oversight—ensuring the terms of the agreement are properly enforced.
To protect residents and affected property owners, I would support requiring applicants to fund an independent site inspector appointed by the county. This inspector would provide daily oversight to ensure compliance with road-use agreements, waste disposal requirements, and applicable building and electrical codes. They would work closely with County Road Commissioners and IDOT to identify issues and coordinate necessary corrections.
As County Commissioner, I would work to ensure all applicants fully comply with existing statutes and strictly adhere to the conditions of approved agreements, including proper complaint resolution when needed.
11. Morgan County currently does not have an economic 5-year plan. Do you plan to implement or draft one?
I will work with other Commissioners and elected officials to create smart economic plans for the short, mid, and long term. As Commissioner I would work to establish clear goals for every county department, aiming to keep costs low for residents while improving services they rely on every day.
12. The previous administration of commissioners passed a resolution to support agriculture that was drafted by the local farm bureau. One could argue that the commissioners have done little if anything to aid farmers and agriculture in the county since the resolution was passed. How do you plan to support agriculture as a commissioner?
Farmers rely on county infrastructure that affects everyone, especially roads, bridges, and drainage. As commissioner, I will work with the other commissioners and Road District Commissioners to make sure rural roads are maintained, bridges can safely handle heavy equipment and loads, and drainage and flood issues are addressed before they become bigger problems.
I will focus on keeping key farm routes in good shape, identifying bridges that need repairs or upgrades, and improving ditches, culverts, and drainage systems to help prevent flooding and protect farmland. These are practical issues that directly impact farmers’ ability to do their jobs.
I will also meet regularly with the Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups to listen, gather input, and stay connected to what farmers are dealing with on the ground. By working together and keeping communication open, we can support agriculture, strengthen our local economy, and make smart investments that benefit the whole county.
