William McNeill: 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: Lake VillaWebsite: http://avonstrong.orgOffice sought: Avon Township Board (4-year Terms)Age: 57Family: Engaged, one daughterOccupation: Self employed FarmerEducation: Grayslake High School 1973Civic involvement: Farms Service Agency Board: Chairman Lake County Farm Bureau: Treasurer, Vice President, President current Director Avon Cemetery, Secretary: Treasurer, Manager Millburn Mutual Insurance BoardElected offices held: Trustee, Avon Township, 1998 - 2001, 2002 -2004, 2006 to presentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Bringing integrity back to Avon Township.Key Issue 2 Utilize Township resources to benefit the community.Key Issue 3 Communication with the public.Questions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.My number one goal is to reach out to the villages and our citizens to let them know what the Township has to offer in services and assistance. This will help serve the needs of our communities. Working with all of our departments so we can work as a team and maximize our service to the community. Make sure that we follow through on our promises to the public. We have seen promises get people elected but the action on those promises needs to be prominent in our work.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?We have to take care of our needy, roads and assessments. These services are best served as close to the township as possible. The farther from the problem the more difficult it is to meet the need without bureaucracy. It isn't new role as much as expanding our services to meet the needs of our citizens.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?The primary role is taking care of the roads. Traffic and road quality has been an issue in our Township. We need to part of the discussion and part of the solution. Also assessing property is critical. It affects the amount of revenue and for some, state or federal flow-through grants for schools and municipalities. This affects us all. Finally, emergency assistance is important. These are our neighbors and helping them stay in their home benefits our property values.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?As a current trustee, we have trimmed our budget over the last four years. At this juncture we need to make sure the limited resources we have does not affect the services needed in our communities.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?I am an incumbent trustee and have been involved in Township government for over 18 years. My family and I have been residents of the Township for over 100 years. I have experience running the farm and other independent businesses for over 35 years. This includes managing people, budgets, revenues and expenses. I have been involved in other government agencies that are a part of every farm business. With my experience on many boards, I have had extensive training on working with the public.