The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Henderson County Sheriff's Race
Sheriff Steven P. Haynes
1. What Prompted You To Run For The Office Of Sheriff?
I was elected Henderson County Sheriff in 2010. I would like to continue serving Henderson County as your Sheriff.
2. What Background And Credentials Do You Have
That Qualify You For The Office Of Sheriff?
Presently serving as Henderson County Sheriff. I have over 20 years of serve at the sheriff s office. Including dispatch, patrol, investigations, and was assigned to the West Central Illinois Drug Task Force.
3. What Can You Do To Improve The Office Of Sheriff?
I have updated the Henderson County Court Security. Purchased a rescue boat from, Oquawka Boats and Fabrications, at no cost to the county, paid for with local donations. Started Auxiliary Deputy Patrol, to have extra patrol in the county. Started the Henderson County Sheriff s Office website; hendersoncountysheriff.com.
4. Do You See A Need For An Increase In The Sheriff s Budget Over The Next Four Years, And If So, In What Area?
As your Sheriff I will continue to do everything I can to keep expenses down, and to work within the set budget. I do not presently see a need for an increase in the budget over the next four year's.
5. Do You Believe The Various Law Enforcement Agencies In Henderson County (I.e. State Police, State's Attorney, Village Marshals, And Sheriff's Dept.) Are Adequately Work-ing Together? If So, What Can Be Done To Continue That Relationships? If Not, What Can Be Done To Improve
That Relationship?
As your Sheriff, I have had a good working relationship with all Law Enforcement Agencies. It is important to work together and share information. We all have the same goal to serve and protect our citizens.
6.Do You Feel Educating The Schools And The Public On Crime Prevention And Informing The Public Of The Daily Crimes In The Area Through The Newspapers
And Local Media Is Important? What Are Your Ideas On This?
It is very important to keep our citizens informed. Since becoming Sheriff I started a Sheriff s report in our local papers to keep county residents informed. The Sheriff s Office also has a good working relationship with our local School District.
7. What Do You Feel Is The Most Difficult Issue You Will Face If You Are Elected Sheriff And How Will You Try To Address It?
I feel the drug problem (methamphetamine) in our county (as well as most rural counties) is an issue. An influx of meth makers and dealers have been arrested this past year in our county. I will be proactive in fighting this drug problem. To fight this problem I will continue to utilize the West Central Illinois Task Force, Illinois State Police as well as the deputies working with the communities to combat this problem.
8. Please Add Any Additional Thoughts And Comments.
I am a life-long resident of Henderson County. I started working at the sheriff s office in 1991 as a dispatcher/jailer. A year later I was promoted to deputy sheriff. In 1993 the sheriff s office sent me to the University of Illinois to attend the Police Training Institute.
From 1999 through 2001 I was assigned to the West Central Illinois Task Force. I completed Basic Narcotics Training, as well as attending the Illinois Drug Enforcement Officer Association Training.
After my assignment in the drug task force ended, I returned as a night deputy. In 2003 I was promoted to investigator for the Sheriff s Department. In 2010 I was elected as Henderson County Sheriff.
It has been an honor to serve as your Sheriff. I have kept my campaign promises on fighting our drug problem and being a working Sheriff. I want to continue serving Henderson County in my second term as your Sheriff.
-Sheriff Steven P. Haynes
Steve Henshaw
1. What Prompted You To Run For The Office Of Sheriff?
" I want to serve and protect all citizens and business's within Henderson County. To be fair and equal to all individuals. And I want to improve the relationship between the Sheriff's Office and the Henderson County Board of Supervisors.
2. What background and credentials do you have
that qualify you for the
Office of Sheriff?
" I have been an active member of the Henderson County Sheriff s Department as a deputy for 14 years. I have earned an Associates Degree from Carl Sandburg College in Law Enforcement, a Bachelor Degree from Western Illinois University in Law Enforcement Administration. Graduate from the University of Illinois Police Training Institute. Holds certificates by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board of the State of Illinois and was a drug agent with the Western Illinois Drug Task Force.
3. What can yo do to improve the Office of Sheriff? (and/or what have you already done?)
" First and foremost keeping within the budget and even reducing the budget. Create a better working relationship with the communities. Protect and serve all citizens in the county and treat everyone in an equal and fair manner. Proper accountability of all funds and clear records of all department activities. Establish appropriate delegation of power from the sheriff to all employees with the Sheriff s Department.
4. Do you see a need for an increase in the sheriff s budget over the next four years, and if so, in what area?
" No. My goal will be to work within the budget, it will be a benefit for all members, agencies and residents of the county. It s important to keep control of the finances in a rough economic time. The Sheriff s Office needs to take fiscal responsibility of the budget and work on reducing the budget. And over the next 4 years that will be a top priority.
5. Do you believe the various law enforcement agencies in Henderson County (i.e. State Police, State s Attorney, Village Marshals, Sheriff s Dept.) are adequately working together? If so, what can be done to continue that relationship? If not, what can be done to improve that relationship?
" For the most part yes, but I feel the Sheriff s Department needs to handle all issues that may arise when local law enforcement agencies are not available. Keep the communication lines open with all agencies. Yet we need to improve our relationship with all emergency services in the county and need to improve the protocols.
6. Do you feel educating the schools and the public on crime prevention and informing the public of the daily crimes in the area through the newspapers and local media is important? What are your ideas on this?
" Yes. The education of the schools (administration and students) is a top concern. By working with school officials to insure we have the proper training to protect the administration and students. I will also be willing to work with school officials for the possibility of a resource officer, providing we could secure funding for this position by applying for grant money. A resource officer s role would be to help develop proper training for school shootings, drug situations and aiding in natural disaster.
The newspapers do play an important role by informing citizens of any criminal activities in the area. As the sheriff I would be willing to assist communities that wish to establish a neighborhood watch program and continue working with local law enforcement agencies, in the protection of those communities and continue the use of crime stoppers.
7. What do you feel is the most difficult issue you will face if you are elected sheriff and how will you try to address it?
" Working to stay within the budget and reducing the budget. During a fiscal year the Sheriff s Office can have unexpected issues arise such as heavy rains, floods, snow storms and etc; these issues can be difficult for a budget.
8. Please add any additional thoughts and comments.
" If the citizens of Henderson County elect me sheriff, I will have an open mind with common sense. i will have an open door policy. I will listen to you and work with you to solve any issues in a timely manner. I will bring back 24 hour protection and we will patrol the whole county. I will be available to assist with any and all calls when needed.
David Hinshaw
1. What Prompted You To Run For The Office Of Sheriff?
" I worked for the sheriff s office in the late 1970 s and early 1980 s and liked my job. I am a member of the Henderson County Board and feel the sheriff s budget can be reduced.
2. What background and credentials do you have that qualify you for the Office of Sheriff?
" As mentioned above I worked for the county and also the Oquawka City Police for approximately 6 years. As a self-employed businessman and a supervisor when I worked for Silas Mason, Mason and Hanger, I have managed employees and have had to work with a budget. I believe the ability to manage tax dollars and people, as well as making common sense decisions is a very important part of the job; and I am confident I can handle the position.
3. What can you do to improve the Office of Sheriff? (and/or what have you already done?)
" If elected, I intend to respond to all situations with common sense. I believe some of the overtime and personnel expenses can be reduced with some scheduling changes. As a county board member, I have been actively involved in improving the security at the courthouse and will continue with improvements there. I have also been involved with the negotiations with union members and intend to continue improving the contract to assist both union personnel and the county taxpayer.
4. Do you see a need for an increase in the sheriff s budget over the next four years, and if so, in what area?
" No. If elected I intend to reduce overtime, part time help and transportation costs without affecting the quality of service.
5. Do you believe the various law enforcement agencies in Henderson County (i.e. State Police, State's Attorney, Village Marshals, Sheriff s Dept.) are adequately working together? If so, what can be done to continue that relationship? If not, what can be done to improve that relationship?
" Yes. I also think there is always room for improvement. If elected, I will work with the city police departments on scheduling the county officers, with more time spent in these cities when city officers are not on duty. I do think we can improve city and county budgets in this manner.
6. Do you feel educating the schools and the public on crime prevention and informing the public of the daily crimes in the area through the newspapers and local media is important? What are your ideas on this?
" Yes, I think the schools and public should be kept informed regarding crime and drug prevention. I feel that crime and drug prevention begins at home and continued in the education system. I feel the public should be informed of any major crime or situation that would affect the citizens of Henderson County.
7. What do you feel is the most difficult issue you will face if you are elected sheriff and how will you try to address it?
" I feel the sheriff's budget will be one of the more important issues. I will look at each expense and try to save our taxpayer dollars whenever possible. In do doing, I have no intention of reducing the quality of service given to Henderson County residents.
8. Please add any additional thoughts and comments.
" I believe the position of sheriff is a full time job, not 9-5. If elected, I will be a full time sheriff from the day I take office until the day I leave. I will make the best decisions for the people of our county as well as protect and serve to the best of my ability.
Questions To Candidates
Henderson County Clerk's Race
Amanda Rousonelos
1. What prompted you to run for the office of Henderson County Clerk?
I have dedicated this past year to making my transition into office a smooth one.
It has taken an extensive amount of determination and devotion to accomplish this. I know that the presence of a knowledgeable County Clerk and staff are of the utmost importance to the residents of this county.
I feel there is not a more qualified candidate than myself to carry out the duties of this office. I understand the impact the duties of this office have on county residents, and I want to continue giving back to the community I grew up in.
2. What background & credentials do you have that qualify you for this position?
I have worked for Henderson County for 11 years now.
I got my start in January 2003, working as a deputy in the County Treasurer's Office. In 2007, now retired County Clerk, Marcella Cisna, offered me the opportunity to be her Chief Deputy.
I was excited to take on this new challenge and grateful she saw the potential I had to succeed her.
After Marcella s retirement, the Henderson County Board appointed me as County Clerk effective March 1, 2013.
Without the training and experience I have gained over the years, I could have never understood the full scope of responsibility holding this office requires.
3. What can you do to improve the office of County Clerk? (and/or what have you already done?)
In the last year, I have made improvements and implemented cost saving measures to benefit the County Clerk s Office as well as the county as a whole. A computer search station now enables the public to search recorded documents more easily and efficiently in my office.
I was able to utilize a computer that had been replaced but still in perfect working order and negotiate a deal with the software provider to maintain this station at no additional cost.
I have also coordinated a cost savings agreement with an office supply company to provide lower prices to all county offices.
I am always looking for ways to increase office efficiency by emphasizing organization and working smarter.
I plan to continue looking for more ways to benefit this county and keep operating expenses at or below the current level while still striving to update my office and improve the county.
4. Do you see a need for an increase in the budget over the next four years, or increase in staff? If so explain why?
I do not plan to increase my office budget in the next four years. I believe if the county offices work together as a whole instead of each office individually, that the county can save money by getting volume discounts from suppliers. We need to work together as a team. By maintaining current staff, my office will be able to maintain its budget and still provide the services its residents need and deserve.
5. What do you feel is the most difficult issue you will face if you are elected Henderson County Clerk and how will you try to address it?
The most difficult issue facing the county is unfunded state mandates. Budgets are as tight as they can be, but the state keeps passing laws that the counties must bear the burden of cost to implement. The biggest challenges affecting the County Clerk's Office stem from new election and voter laws. Elections and voter registration are continually moving toward online accessibility. This could result in increased fees for software as well as hardware. We must continually be in touch with our legislators to let them know how laws affect the counties and their taxpayers.
6. What are your ideas on keeping the public more informed on news from the county board meetings, and upcoming elections and filings of candidates, and other upcoming issues the public would be interested in knowing?
Currently, the most effective way to keep the public informed is via internet.
A county website would bring information to the public's fingertips.
However, please realize this requires continual hours of manpower to maintain. I understand what a great resource this would be to the public, but I do not want the costs to outweigh the benefits. Although I would love to make this technology available to the public now, I will patiently await the most beneficial time to implement it.
7. Please add any additional thoughts and comments.
I could not ask for a better group of people to work with. My coworkers are tremendously supportive.
I enjoy going to work each day and getting to help people within the community I grew up in. I hope to continue serving as your County Clerk!
Kelli Vancil
1. What prompted you to run for the office of Henderson County Clerk?
" Henderson County is my home and it is where my husband, David, and I, have chosen to raise our family for the past eighteen years. I have worked in the county government sector for most of my adult life, dedicating my life to serve the public.
Through the various positions I have held, not only do I have the experience and knowledge to run an office, I also have the maturity and integrity that is expected of someone in an elected position. It is that experience coupled with my strong work values that convinced me that I wanted to take it a step further by serving Henderson County as its County Clerk.
2. What background and credentials do you have that qualify you for this position?
" I have worked in Knox County for over two decades, where I dealt with the public on a daily basis. I worked as a deputy county clerk under a wonderful mentor who taught me the value of respect as well as pride in your work. As with every county clerk s office in a bigger city, we dealt with the recording of vital records, elections, delinquent taxes, the filing of notary public information and assumed name business applications. The office was also the secretary to the county board, providing assistance whenever required by its members. We also worked in cooperation with the County Treasurer s Office in the issuance of board bills.
I am currently a paralegal and have a degree in paralegal studies which has provided me with a wide range of legal experience.
Being an office manager, I supervised staff, including attorneys, and made sure that the office ran not only smoothly, but as efficient as possible.
3. What can you do to improve the office of County Clerk?
" With the advances in technology, I would like to see the implementation of a county clerk website. That would allow citizens that are otherwise unable to come to the courthouse the ability to access services that the County Clerk s Office provides. I would like to see Epay services set up to assist those who are not local or unable to access the office for some reason, the ability to purchase copies of vital records. I eventually would like to see a county-wide website, incorporating the other county offices for easier access.
I would also take a pro-active approach in reaching out to the public who have yet to register to vote, including our youth. I consider voting an honor and a privilege in our great country. It allows us to have a voice in the election process, which is not allowed in all countries.
4. Do you see a need for an increase in the budget over the next four years, or increase in staff? If so, explain why?
" I do not see a need to increase the budget at this time. As a county official, the office budgets are set under the guidance and control of the county board and I would stay within the budget guidelines by using all budgetary resources possible. I would review the budget on a regular basis to see if there were areas that could be streamlined to assist in reducing costs to the county. I do not see that additional staff is needed at this time.
5. What do you feel is the most difficult issue you will face if you are elected Henderson County Clerk and how will you try to address it?
" I believe the most difficult issue at this time would be accessibility to the county clerk s office. A Henderson County Clerk s website that lists the services offered would be beneficial, including the ability to pay for a limited number of services online.
6. What are your ideas on keeping the public more informed on news from the county board meetings and upcoming elections and filings of candidates, and other upcoming issues the public would be interested in knowing?
" I believe that as an elected official, you have a duty to keep the public informed and updated on information that your office is responsible for. A County Clerk website would be invaluable in making this information easier to access. Utilizing our local newspapers would also be a form in which information could be relayed to the public.
7. Please add any additional thoughts and comments.
" I have a strong work ethic and believe that dedication and integrity are a must for an elected official and believe that I have those values to bring to the Office of the County Clerk. I take any task at hand seriously and commit myself 100% to its completion. I have worked in county government for over two decades and have a wide variety of experience that I would like to offer the residents of Henderson County. I am proud to be a Henderson County resident and would like nothing more than to serve the residents here.