Cherryl Fritz Strathmann: 2024 candidate for Kane County Board District 20

Bio

Party: Democrat

Office Sought: Kane County Board District 20

City: Elgin

Age: 76

Occupation: Retired

Previous offices held: Kane County Board District 20 since 2020

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?

Although I have always been active and engaged in my community, I had never aspired to run for office of any kind. But when the opportunity came, I was ready to accept the challenge.

My thoughts then were that it was a way I could serve and give back to my community. Since then, I have discovered I very much like serving on the county board, and I think I am good at it.

My areas of interest are diversity, equity, and inclusion for the people of Kane County. There are so many ways that this can be applied, from health care access, to workforce development, and affordable housing. Equal opportunity in education can be life changing.

I have been a Master Gardener through the University of Illinois Extension program for many years. I have seen the differences happening in our climate. I serve on the Energy/Environment committee. I am very interested in sustainability and best practices to protect our natural resources, including our people.

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?

In my time on the board, I am proud to say that there have been many good accomplishments. We have installed a solar field at the judicial center which will see a savings of $20 million over 10 years, passed a Responsible Bid Ordinance that assures contractors have credentials, and insurance, and they have an apprenticeship program in place.

The board was able to secure funding for the Longmeadow Bridge in order to remove the toll. This will be an eventual savings of $50 million I am chair of the public health committee.

Through our gun lock safety program, we offer free gun lock and gun safes so that access to guns in homes are secured; placed vending machines in public places so people can access free to the public Naloxone to be used in overdose, life-threatening situations; worked to secure a building in Elgin that will be used for a satellite office for the health department to provide services for the northern part of the county.

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.

The county certainly is out of balance with revenue and spending. Four years ago, there was a great deal of inequity in the pay for our staff. We worked to see that our full-time employees were paid in an equitable fashion from department to department, that equal positions received comparable living wages.

As a county we were not competitive with our pay. We were losing many very talented folks to other counties because with a short commute they could significantly increase their salaries. It has been 13 years since the county has increased its revenue rate on our tax bills. This is irresponsible.

No one would be able to operate on a budget that was 13 years old. If we are not able to find the money necessary to fund the county, we will have no choice but to cut services to our citizens, and drastically reduce our staff. When we are not adequately funded by a fair tax, we have to increase our fees and reduce services. Increased fees, in my opinion, can also be called a backdoor tax.

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

Generally, I find the board often works together in a bipartisan way. We may differ in our approaches to a solution, but we are able to listen to each other and work together toward a compromise.

Respectful communication is always the key. We are respectful of each other even when we do not hold the same views. We are all there to serve.

What role should the county play in combating the opioid crisis?

The opioid settlement fund that Kane County has received will be a source of revenue for many years. It will allow us to invest in programs that will meet immediate needs and to also create ongoing programs so that we can increase access to treatment. We will be able to build capacity to identify opioid use and get help to those afflicted.

We have already allocated monies to court services, and our judicial and public safety departments. The coroner's office has been awarded a federal grant to help create a forensic lab, which will expedite our lab processes and reduce our costs as well.

One approach will be to use MAR (or medical assisted recovery) program. This is combining behavioral therapy, and medications that can reduce the cravings for the drug. This can help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and can also support long-term recovery.

What role should the county play in increasing affordable housing in the region?

The housing situation affects many people across our country. And Kane County is feeling the effects of the housing shortage as well. Last year, the county hosted a Workforce Housing Summit.

We worked to understand where our greatest needs are, and what can be done to address them. Unfortunately, most housing regulations and needs are under the auspices of municipal jurisdictions. The need for affordable housing crosses many levels of economic and income categories.

The need for safe affordable housing for seniors, young families, new professionals starting out, and entry level or seasonal workers is in very short supply. The county can be a resource for information on funding and grants. But our role is unfortunately limited.