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Michele Aavang: Candidate Profile

McHenry County board District 6 (Republican)

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: WoodstockWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry County board District 6Age: 51Family: Married, with one son.Occupation: FarmerEducation: Associate of Science, McHenry County CollegeCivic involvement: Vice President of McHenry County Farm Bureau board, President of the Woodstock Farmers Market board, Secretary of the Greenwood Cemetery Association board. Member of the McHenry County Historical Society, McHenry County Fair Association, McHenry County Genealogical Society, and Environmental Defenders of McHenry County. Former 4-H Club Leader.Elected offices held: Trustee, Village of Greenwood, 2001-2008.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Candidate did not respond.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Promote fiscal responsibility while encouraging economic growth in the county.Key Issue 2 Protect agriculture and natural resources in the county.Key Issue 3 Promote open and transparent government at the county level.Questions Answers McHenry County has managed the recession without a budgetary crisis like those in other counties. How do you ensure the county continues on that path and that reserves aren?t depleted? Are there specific budget areas that need more attention?McHenry County can maintain its fiscal integrity through conservative management and constant analysis of expenses. Repetitive or duplicate agencies need to be consolidated or eliminated in order to realize savings.Does the McHenry County Board have a good transportation improvement plan? Please be specific and suggest whether you think anything is missing or should be scrapped.Transportation is critical for the economic health of the county. Both short and long term thoughtful improvement plans operating within budgetary constraints must be in place.Does the county need to address its ethics policies? Why or why not? If so, how?The County Board has had multiple perceived ethics issues in the recent past. Board leadership must address these and insist on open and transparent operation. Secret meetings and conflicts of interest are not only illegal and unethical, but disrespectful to the public and must not be tolerated.Assess McHenry County?s efforts thus far in terms of groundwater preservation and protection. What needs to be done now and in the future?Natural resource protection, notably water, needs to be made a priority in all planning done at the county level. Proper management of our water supply is critical to the future of McHenry County.Assess how the county health department approached the whooping cough outbreak. What should have been done differently?The Health Department seemed to handle the outbreak appropriately, acting quickly and having information available through multiple outlets. Education and awareness are key in preventing similar situations from occuring in the future.