Candidate: No conflict between job and office

Mary Dickson long has been a familiar face around the DuPage administration building, and that was even before she decided to run for the county board.

Her law firm does work for the county election commission, the circuit court clerk and the sheriff's merit commission. It also represents a number of municipal taxing bodies throughout the area.

At a candidate forum sponsored by the Wheaton League of Women Voters this week, Dickson was asked about potential conflicts between her role as a lawyer for county departments and her responsibilities as a policy-maker with financial oversight of those departments.

"I don't foresee it as a conflict," she said. "I would do what any other board member does when a conflict arises, I would absent myself from the vote."

Dickson is running in the Feb. 5 Republican primary against incumbents Grant Eckhoff and Debra Olson. She is seeking her party's nomination for one of two open District 4 county board seats in the November general election. The district serves all or parts of Addison, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Glen Ellyn, Glendale Heights, Lisle, Lombard, Wheaton and Winfield.

Because her firm -- Bond, Dickson & Associates -- has several direct ties to county business, DuPage State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said she may have to give up "certain clients" if elected.

"I'm sure she would have to part ways with those roles she currently has," Birkett said. "She knows there are clients she will no longer be able to take on, but I'm sure Mary knows and will navigate potential conflicts and not put herself, her seat or her law practice in any jeopardy."

Birkett said he has not been asked to render any opinion on the issue and endorses Dickson's candidacy.

Dickson's firm also represents DuPage County Sheriff John Zaruba in a lawsuit the sheriff brought against his 2006 primary opponent. The Daily Herald is named as a defendant in that lawsuit.

Her opponents say they are concerned about how often Dickson will have to abstain from voting on county business because of her firm's connections.

"It's one thing to do it once or twice, but it's another to do it multiple times," Eckhoff said. "Every time you recuse yourself, it lessens your ability to govern and participate in what you were elected to do."

For her part, Dickson said she has investigated the potential conflicts and believes she can navigate through any issues that arise.

"You invest a lot of your time and yourself in a political campaign and you ask something of the people who support you," she said. "I wouldn't ask for that emotional and financial support if I thought my winning would create any issues."

Olson said it's a matter that voters will be left to decide in the Feb. 5 primary since no official legal opinion has been rendered.

"It's up to the voters if they feel there's an ethical issue or not," she said. "A lot of people have asked me why someone would run when they have that out there and my answer has always been you just have to ask her."

Dickson said the issue has been raised by people trying to thwart her campaign.

"As an attorney, I have a duty to uphold the law," she said. "I wouldn't put myself in a position to not uphold the law."