Cherie Rickert: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: McHenryWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry County Board District 3 Age: 62Family: My husband Ed Rickert, 4 children(3 live in McHenry and 1 in Madison, WI), 7 grandchildrenWe have lived in McHenry for 33 years and my family roots go back to 1952 in Johnsburg.Occupation: Retired from McHenry Elementary SD 15/Human Resource DirectorEducation: St. Anthony Hospital School of Nursing (Registered Professional Nurse/RN); College of St. Francis (BA Health Arts); Webster University (MA Human Resource Development)Civic involvement: Current member of McHenry County Ethics Commission;Current volunteer for FISH;Current volunteer for PADS;Former member Northern Illinois Medical Center Ethics Committee;Former member McHenry County Human Relations Committee;Former City of McHenry Planning Commissioner;Former Chairman McHenry Free Health ClinicFormer fundraiser McHenry Township Fire Protection District (thermal imaging device)Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?I have a long standing interest in all levels of government. I believe all citizens have an obligation to serve their community in some capacity from childhood through adulthood. We are disheartened almost daily it seems by the appearance that many elected officials are more interested in the career of politics rather than a duty to serve. I am a new face, a new voice and a fresh perspective, not a career politician. Priority issues I believe are property tax control, access to convenient transportation and the retention/attraction of business to the county.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?As a challenger, I would bring honesty, integrity and eagerness to serve constituents and work collaboratively with fellow board members without regard for personal gain. My professional experience in human resources will contribute to the understanding of collective bargaining and other personnel related issues, both which comprise a large segment of the county budget. As a registered nurse, I am well aware of healthcare issues that relate to the administration and provision of care to the residents of Valley Hi.Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them. In particular in the suburbs, President Preckwinkle has set a goal of eliminating unincorporated areas from county oversight. Do you agree with this approach? If so, how should the county go about it?McHenry County has been recognized for financial excellence by Moody's and other professional organizations. The board has demonstrated its willingness and desire to reduce spending by modifying the budget and lower taxes by choosing not to levy for inflationary growth. The county has entered into an economic development partnership with Winnebago/Boone counties to spur the regional economy which I believe will enhance the economic health of our county. I would be concerned that eliminating oversight of unincorporated areas would conversely eliminate county resources for those areas. Finally, the governmental dysfunction in the State of Illinois is the largest threat.How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If you consider it adequate, please explain why. If you think improvements are needed, please describe them and why they are important.It appears that county government continually strives to promote transparency; do they make mistakes? of course, as do many public bodies, but there is evidence of on-going growth in developing tools to ensure transparent operations. I would describe public access to records as adequate. I believe there is an opportunity for expanding the communication between the county board and the residents from McHenry County. Though residents may not choose to attend county board meetings nor access the online agendas and related materials, it does not diminish the board's responsibility to reach out and provide on-going information and updates.Please list any elected office you have ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?City of McHenry Alderman which was unsuccessful(mid-1990s). I have not been appointed to fill an unexpired term.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?As noted above, I would like to see a more active "reach out" by the county board in providing information. It is my experience that constituents of most public bodies take little interest in board activities until a decision negatively affects them. Perhaps many questions and concerns could be addressed pre-emptively by expanded communication. My family has enjoyed an exceptional quality of life in McHenry County for generations. It is my goal that every decision I will make as a representative on the board will be framed in part by a focus on quality of life.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope FrancisWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Home is wherever you're at with family; I have lived in 4 states and attended 13 different schools and never lived longer than 2-3 years.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?More time with my children and less time at work.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?English was my favorite subject and provided a love of writing and reading. I have taken that interest and worked as a freelance writer.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be honest, be kind and try to see the positive in all that is negative. Don't abandon faith and recognize every day is a gift.