Kane County Sheriff hopefuls differ on first steps if elected
The two candidates running for Kane County Sheriff have nearly five decades of law enforcement experience between them.
But Republican Donald E. Kramer and Democrat Willie Mayes Sr. have different plans for the first steps they would take if chosen to by voters Nov. 4.
Kramer, 56, of Geneva, is on his second try for sheriff. He lost four years ago to Democrat Pat Perez, who is not seeking a third, 4-year term,
For Kramer, who retired in 2009 as a lieutenant after nearly 30 years with Kane County Sheriff's Department, it's all about teamwork and communication.
Kramer wants better coordination and teamwork among the staff.
"We need to come together as a team, all be on the same page," Kramer said. "We need to get out there, find out from the public what the problems are. Those command staff have to communicate better with the deputies and they have to communicate better with the public."
Mayes, 52, of Aurora, is a lieutenant and a 20-year veteran of the sheriff's department.
Like Franklin D. Roosevelt, Mayes says he has a 100-day plan.
Detailed on his website, Mayes wants to increase funding from federal and state grants. increase efficiency through use of technology, convene a multijurisdictional committee to study the department's interoperability, work with the county's technology department and create a better balance between the budget and staffing levels.
"I did this because I wanted to the community to have something to hold me accountable for," Mayes said. "(Voters) would elect me because they expect I would do the job. I wanted to have something that was tangible that they could see and hold on to and ensure I was being held accountable."