Ellen Nottke: 2026 candidate for Kane County Board District 2 (2-year term)

Bio

Party: Democratic

Office sought: Kane County Board District 2 (2-year term)

City: Batavia Township

Age: 71

Occupation: Consultant

Previous offices held: None

Q&A

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?

I am running for this office because I have been involved in local issues here for over 30 years. Half of this district is in unincorporated Kane County and we have never truly had board representation that understands the issues that face us.

From the day I moved to Kane County in 1990, my board representative has lived in North Aurora, Batavia or Geneva proper and has never lived in the unincorporated area and doesn't understand issues like being on a well or having a septic field.

If you are an incumbent, describe a few important initiatives you’ve led. If you’re not an incumbent, describe a few ways you would contribute to the board.

a. Promote economic growth in the region to expand quality job opportunities

b. Balance to budget without sacrificing necessary services

c. promote safe communities by working closely with the sheriff's office to ensure that our concerns are addressed

d. because of where I live and our proximity to farm land, forest preserves and our use of ground water I want to see stricter laws in the unincorporated areas concerning lawn sprinkling. we need to conserve and protect our natural resources for future generations

Is there a specific service or amenity that is lacking in the county? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund it?

I have always thought that Kane County was a great place to live, work and raise my family, and that is one of the main reasons my family and others have moved here.

Once that was accomplished we can not just close a gate and say no more people. As far as a specific service or amenity that is lacking, I really can't think of anything.

It is not an issue that is specific to the county, but there has to be open dialogue between the municipalities and the county to solve issues together. Affordable housing for instance, is a regional issue and not specific to county government.

Preserving the qualities that make this county that great place to live work and raise our families is an amenity that we all need to work together to preserve.

With the county's budget being squeezed by federal funding cuts and other factors, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?

Grants are amazing tools for departments to use in order to provide services that are not supported in the budget process. Most grants come with strict guidelines that must be followed.

Some grants allow for temporary employment of individuals, but once the grant has sunset, typically, those positions should be as well.

We have hired so many wonderful, knowledgeable employees and we want to keep everyone, but what path do we take to continue to keep them on staff? I think we first need to know the number of grants being utilized countywide.

I know the board has asked for an accounting of these several times and to the best of my knowledge nothing has materialized. Do those grants automatically renew themselves or do we need to re-apply?

If the programs provided by grants have been successful, are we looking for other ways to continue funding them? And if not where is the money is now coming from? Once that is achieved I believe that we will have a better understanding of where the county is at financially.

What is the single most important issue facing your district, and how should the county address it?

I think the single most important issue is not just isolated to my district. It is a national issue. Affordability.

How do we afford to stay in our homes? How do we afford to buy groceries to feed our families? How do we continue to pay our bills or pay for our prescriptions? At the county level, everyone needs to take inventory of what they need versus what they want.

Is it a priority or just a fancy new gadget? We have to stop treating taxpayers like we are a steady revenue stream. We need to take a hard look at the budget and we have to streamline spending and every department head and elected official needs to be a willing participant in this process if we are to be successful.

Why are you the best person to serve in this role?

I believe that my involvement in local issues has given me the opportunity to create a community coalition for the good of the district. The friends I've made and trust that I have built within our different communities gives me the insight necessary to make educated decisions.

My neighbors know that if they have an issue that needs attention that they can call me and rest assured that I will get to the bottom of it in a timely manner. I consider myself a problem solver and take pride in getting things done for others.