Michael Millette: 2021 Campton Hills village trustee candidate

In the April 6 consolidated election, five candidates are vying for three, 4-year terms on the Campton Hills Village Board. The candidates are incumbents James McKelvie and Michael D. Millette, and newcomers Timothy W. Morgan Sr., Ed Muncie, and Kimberly Weiss.

The Daily Herald asked the candidates several questions about issues facing the village.

Below are Millette's responses.

In-person early voting begins March 10 only at the Kane County Clerk's Office, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B, in Geneva and the Aurora satellite office, 5 E. Downer Place, Suite F. In-person early voting at locations throughout the county begins March 22. Learn more at www.kanecountyclerk.org/Elections.

Bio

Town: Campton Hills

Age: 56

Occupation: Civil engineer at the Village of South Elgin

Civic involvement: Current village trustee; American Public Works Association Government Affairs Committee Chairman; Metro West Government Affairs Committee member; Illinois Terrorism Task Force alternate member; Campton Township Groundwater Task Force member (2005-07); St. Charles North Friends of Music Treasurer (2016-19); Thompson Middle School Fine Arts Boosters Treasurer (2014-16)

Q&A

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state and federal authorities?

A: Give voice to constituents, such as advocating for Kane County to use some of the federal relief money for business assistance.

Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: Like many municipalities, we did the best we could. We set up a document transfer station in the village hall vestibule, we placed signs promoting our businesses and carryout service for our restaurants along Route 64 and along La Fox and we pushed Kane County for business assistance as indicated above.

Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?

A: Having a fresh and regularly restocked supply of personal protective equipment is the easiest thing to do. Now that we have the experience of remote governing and video meetings, we need to not forget how we did it. An updated emergency action plan must be created which captures these lessons learned.

Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?

A: We are already a bare-bones municipality. We have no property tax levy and rely on our share of the state income tax, use tax, motor fuel tax, road and bridge tax and a few other pass-through revenue sources. That said, or goal is to not increase that burden which we can do by being the fiscally responsible government that we are. We routinely run a surplus which we dedicate to capital projects, have one of the only fully-funded police pension systems in the state and will pay off our bond we used to purchase our village hall at the end of his year. So, our reduction is to not create any addition.

Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?

A: Roads. We are currently developing a 5- to 10-year road program. Our primary revenue is our share of the motor fuel tax (MFT), which we collect at a higher rate than our townships did prior to incorporation - the calculation is per capita as opposed to per lane mile. In addition to MFT, I have assisted in getting two federal grants for our system and know our staff has secured a third.

We partner with the Campton Township Road District to perform routine maintenance and small resurfacing projects. We already know that these resources will not go far enough - no agency ever has the ability to fully fund its road program. We will do the best with what we have.

In terms of infrastructure projects that can be put on the back burner, we have so few, the major one planned is the police department remodel and I do not think it would be a good idea to postpone it.

Q: Do you plan to address businesses that don't adhere to the governor's order to close or restrict business?

A: We are not home-rule nor do we have our own health department. Therefore we have no enforcement powers. Should Kane County Health ask for assistance, we would give it.

Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance your board has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?

A: I agree. The community hasn't expressed a desire to have a dispensary and, to be fair, there are very few commercial parcels that aren't already too close to one of our elementary schools that would qualify.

Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

A: Restarting our Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). In the past, we had a trustee who was very active in promoting our partnership with Elburn's CERT. Since she moved out of state, that effort has waned. If reelected, I will make it my mission to re-engage with our neighbors in emergency response efforts.