Thomas Hartwell: Candidate Profile

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: ElginWebsite: http://www.tomhartwell.comOffice sought: Kane Clerk of the Circuit CourtAge: 52Family: Two children, Dave Hartwell (22) attends Lyon College in Batesville AR pursuing Math and Secondary Education majors, and Danny Hartwell attends Univ. of Missouri - Columbia majoring in bio-chemistry.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and Political Science, Augustana College(graduated magna cum laude) 1982; Juris Doctor, Univ. of Iowa (graduated with honors)1985; MBA, Univ. of Iowa (graduated with honors) 1985.Civic involvement: Former chairman of the board of Elgin Recreation Center and Aurora Recreation Center, two successful anti gang programs. Volunteer for the American Heart Assn and the Jane Shover Easter Seals. Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. Former church elder. Volunteer for numerous youth sports leagues. Past President of Elgin Continental Little League. Manager of the 2007 State Championship Team out of Elgin Continental Little League. Author of the novel ?Striving To Win,? a story based upon the 2007 Elgin Continental Little League state champions. Presently a candidate for membership in the South Elgin Lions Club.Elected offices held: Member of the Kane County Board, 1996-2012Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Financial Efficiency: When it comes to wasteful government spending, enough is enough. I will make tough decisions that will help solve the financial fix were in. Kane County can no longer afford the type of old-school leadership that has brought us to the brink. As circuit clerk, I will identify waste and root out the inefficiencies that exist in the office. I will conduct proficiency studies to effectively employ existing personnel and conduct an IT audit to identify improvements in the circuit clerk?s computer systems. The audits and studies will be conducted by independent and unbiased professionals so that the best results can be achieved. Because information processed by the office is more complicated, moving forward in processing and maintaining our court records must reflect greater sophistication in understanding their forms, purposes and effects. My goal as the circuit clerk would be to serve the citizens of Kane County in a timely, efficient and ethical manner. In accordance with local rules and applicable statutes, all services, court records and related information will be provided with courtesy and cost efficiency. Financial efficiency goes hand-in-hand with transparency and accountability.Key Issue 2 Communication: Given the changes that will occur with the upcoming election, this is one of our best opportunities is to improve the relationship between elected officials. Good government is about inclusion, not exclusion, which occurs far too often in Kane County. Better communication, among departments and individual employees, fosters constructive cooperation. I believe in finding common ground. I believe in working on common goals. I respect others and, in turn, look to be respected. It?s commitment, not blatant authority, that produces the best results in government. My attitude welcomes open daily discussion and the exchange of varying ideas. Quality leadership at any level is about action, not position. One ongoing challenge will be our ability to do more with less. If we don?t work smart and if we don?t work together, the slow recovery of our economy will continue to strain the public sector. Maintaining a balanced budget without sacrificing important county services is something that needs to be addressed across the board, regardless of office, in the spirit of reciprocal collaboration.Key Issue 3 An Advanced Computer and Records System: As an attorney, with his own business to run, I am aware of the inefficiency that can be eliminated by updating the computer and case management system in circuit clerk?s office. Electronic filing is available the federal level, and in other counties, too. Efficiencies from an advanced computer and records system would reduce overall costs by a significant margin while also granting some relief to an already over burdened court docket. The Kane County Circuit Clerk?s primary responsibility is to maintain and categorize our court records. The efficient and economical management of our court records is directly impacted by the technology we use. New computer software and programs will allow the court to process cases with even greater efficiency and enable people outside the court to access certain public information over the Internet. We live in an information age. Kane County court records need to be brought into the new millennium. Advanced computer technology will free up the office?s employees to take on other additional responsibilities, creating an atmosphere organized around timely and cost-efficient customer service.Questions Answers Do you believe the county court system needs a computer system upgrade that might cost as much as $12.6 million? If so, do you support using RTA sales tax money to fund it, or do you have a different plan? If not, what is your alternative plan?I applaud the county board?s decision to consider major upgrades to the computer network and records keeping system. The creation of a centralized computer ?warehouse? where data will be stored and then accessed by the appropriate county offices and department has merit. Under a secure system, data and records that come into the warehouse will be prepared or ?cleansed.? Then offices such as the circuit clerk, sheriff, state?s attorney, public defender, will be able to interface with the warehouse and access that data and information. Each office or department can then rework the information to do its job most efficiently. The county has made a request for proposals and is looking for best practices suggestions. The price tag of 12.6 million has not been agreed to but an estimate. I am not willing to agree to endorse any sum at this juncture. There are many facts that have to be determined before any decisions can be made. Other counties, such McHenry and DuPage have advanced systems that we can consider. There is no reason to recreate a system if a model is available. The cost of the system is only one important issue. The other is the savings that will arise out of implementing the system. Neither of these figures is determinable at present. The county should take advantage of consultative selling offered by the pre-sales consultants of the vendors seeking to bid. Free of charge, these consultants will provide valuable information in hopes of winning the bid. The county then can compare the information from the competing vendors and begin making decisions. Although the process has only begun, I believe the upgrades are needed. Assuming cost saving justify the upgrades, the RTA sale tax should be looked at as one possible source. Other sources should be investigated as well.How do you resolve the ongoing debate over the county board setting budgets for departments run by other elected officials over whom the county board has no control? How should the county board enforce the budgets it sets?The ongoing debate over county board budgets should be encouraged, not discouraged. Problems can become opportunities when public officials learn to work together, something that is often lacking in Kane County. In addition, checks and balances are the hallmark of American government. Consequently, the county board must cooperate No one should be absolved from making the tough decisions needed to transform Kane County government into a model of equality and efficiency. A budget should be fair. And it should offer fiscal guidelines, taking into account the operating needs of each and every department. By following strict standards of accountability in the enforcement of its budget, the county board can provide leadership in an unwavering commitment to open, honest and efficient government that provides the highest service at the lowest cost to taxpayers.Do you support an expansion of the judicial center and/or consolidation of court personnel in one location? If so, how would you achieve that? If not, why not?If an expansion at the judicial center and/or the consolidation of court personnel produces cost savings and financial efficiency, I would support such a change. Staffing courtrooms is a vital governmental service. The circuit clerk's office has over 110 employees and operates in six locations in Kane County. Three of those locations exist for the convience of Kane County residents at the far ends of the county. (I would not be in favor of eliminating those locations.) This requires files and personnel to be delivered and retrieved daily from the central office on Randall Road to the other locations. Such movement costs the taxpayers dollars. An expansion of the judicial center leading to consolidation may reduce those costs and should be considered.Will you voluntarily adopt and follow the more stringent Kane County ethics ordinance for yourself, your office and your employees?Whether in an ordinance or not, a strong, sincere ethical base is absolutely essential to good government. Without ethics, everything becomes mere technique. Many forms of misconduct do not amount to crimes. At a time when the people of Illinois question the integrity of their leaders, public decisions need to be grounded in ethical considerations. Elected officials must put principles before politics. The passage of a more stringent ethics ordinance would send a powerful statement to the electorate. As a reform candidate, I support a stronger ethics ordinance that would require 48 hour disclosure of any political contributions over $ 150 to elected county officials from Kane County vendors or family members. DuPage County has offered, free of charge, a computer program that can create a data base that will track these contributions. Further Kane County should expand the panel which investigates claims of ethics violation. The panel should include three members, two selected by the majority party and one selected by the minority party. Ethical government is a bi-partian issue. In this way, both Republicans and Democrats can root out unethical actions.This field intentionally left blank.Candidate did not respond.