Grant Eckhoff: 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: WHEATONWebsite: ElectEckhoff.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: DuPage County board District 4 Age: 58Family: I have been married to Sheila for nearly 24 years. My parents, Ralph and Virginia, have been married for 59 years and live in Wheaton. My sister, Erica and her husband, Craig, live in Naperville and my brother, Ralph Jr., also lives in Wheaton. Sheila and I are proud owners of two shelter cats, Jordan and Payton.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: Graduated Wheaton Central High School - 1977 Graduated Michigan State University with a degree from James Madison College in Socio-Economic Policy Problems -1981 Graduated Chicago Kent College of Law with honors -1985.Civic involvement: St. Paul Lutheran Church, Milton Township Republican Party.Elected offices held: Wheaton City Council 1989-2002 DuPage County Board 2002 - presentQuestions 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 am running because I believe I can continue to make a positive impact in District 4, the entire county and also have an impact on state-wide issues. I have always worked to deliver essential governmental services at the lowest possible tax rate. I think it is essential that government look at how it conducts business on a day to day basis. To that end, I have advocated the consolidation of some governmental services to ease the stress of relying on property tax revenue. I have focused on the voluntary consolidation of fire departments and fire districts. Fire departments could merge if they believed it was in their own self-interest. However, the volunteer Glen Ellyn Fire Department, which its residents are justifiably proud of, could maintain its independent low cost, due to its volunteer nature, and would only consolidate if it chooses to do so. I think my efforts, since 2008, have helped spur on the consolidation discussion on a state-wide level. At the County we have consolidated our Youth Home with Kane County, saving approximately 10 million dollars in 7 years. I am also on the Emergency Telephone System Board where we have consolidated PSAPs (Public Service Access Points) for the police/fire and 911 calls from approximately 30 PSAPs to 3 PSAPs. This had reduced over 7 million dollars in costs. We need to continue to work at consolidation because it is good government and because the cost of operating government is only going to continue to rise.What is your stance on county board members' pay? Too high, too low, just right? Would you propose any changes?The time spent to complete my work on the County Board is extensive. Beginning in August 2016, state law required that I keep a log of the amount of time that my activities on the board took on an annual basis. The amount of work was over 1,000 hours annually. My work has increased as I have assumed duties such as Chairman of the Judicial Public Safety Committee and the Heroin Coalition, now renamed the HOPE, (Heroin-Opioid Prevention and Education) committee. As a result, I believe the county board pay is appropriate. In earlier years, as I was starting out at the county, I did not accept the pay raises that were passed.With DuPage County's budget being squeezed by the state funding reductions, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?As stated above, I have focused on consolidation to lower the cost of government. Successful consolidation efforts will not only lower the cost of county government but other local governments thereby reducing the need for state funding. While consolidation is still being worked on we can share services or purchase contracts with other units of government to save money on items such as road salt. One of my other efforts to reduce the cost of government has occurred over the last 3 years when I worked to obtain flexibility for the County Sheriff to hire Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;Court Security OfficersÃ#402;â#8364;#339; instead of Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;Sworn DeputiesÃ#402;â#8364;#339; in order to complete a portion of the security work at the courthouse. Court Security Officers would most likely be retired police officers that have been trained and authorized to carry a gun for over 20 years. I practice law in Kane, Will, McHenry and Lake counties, as well as DuPage, and each county uses Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;Court Security OfficersÃ#402;â#8364;#339;. In DuPage County we have approximately 67 sworn deputies in the courthouse on the regular Monday-Friday schedule. By switching only 10 sworn deputies to court security the County is estimated to save $500,000 annually. Another way to save money is to avoid costs by saying Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;NoÃ#402;â#8364;#339; to new programs. Although body cameras may well become standard issued equipment in the future, outfitting the 100 patrol Deputy Sheriffs would cost the County approximately $600,000 at a time when Springfield has reduced funding to the County by 3.8 to 4.6 million dollars.What are your thoughts about the county's Accountability, Consolidation and Transparency Initiative? What role should DuPage play in efforts to streamline and consolidate local government?DuPage County has done a fantastic job of working on all three phases of ACT initiative A(Accountability), C(Consolidation) and T(Transparency). Regarding accountability, in 2010 the county hired the firm of Crowe Horwath, to review the boards to which the county appoints representatives, but which are often outside the public view. The Crowe Horwath report made many recommendations for many of the boards so that the boards were using best practices in their operation. Regarding transparency, each board was requested to adopt the county ethics ordinance and to ensure that each meeting was publicly noticed so that the public could view its operations. In addition, the County web page created the Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;Transparency PortalÃ#402;â#8364;#339; to assist the public in finding organizational and financial information about the County Board and the agencies that the County Board appoints such as access to board membership and terms of service along with agency financial reports, district boundary maps, websites, qualifications for service, meeting/agenda postings and other pertinent information. The use of consolidation has saved the DuPage County millions of dollars. DuPage County obtained special state legislation in 2013 to empower the County to facilitate consolidation. Other than the examples set forth above, the County has looked for opportunities to reduce the cost of government by consolidating everything from Ã#402;â#8364;#8482;PaperÃ#402;â#8364;#339; fire protection districts, to sanitary and lighting districts. DuPage County's success has led other counties to ask for legislation authorizing them to take the same steps DuPage County has taken to lower the cost of government.What initiatives, if any, do you have in mind for your specific county board district?Continue the Consolidation efforts outlined above to maintain the lowest possible tax rate and the flat tax levy that we have enjoyed over the last 10 years. As a member of the ETSB (Emergency Telephone System Board) I want to continue to work to have the two new dispatch centers, Du-Comm (DuPage Public Safety Committee) and ACDC (Addison Consolidated Dispatch Center) open over the next year. Once the centers are fully operational response times to emergencies will continue to decrease and public safety will increase. As a member of the Animal Care Control committee I want to continue to work with the Foundation and its volunteer members to complete the second phase of the expansion to the animal shelter. As Co-chairman of the Hope (Heroin-Opioid Prevention and Education) I want to continue to combat the Heroin epidemic in the County by: a. educating the population about the situation b. supporting the Narcan program which revives individuals that have overdosed on heroin c. expanding RX box system which over the last nine years collected 42 tons of unused and overprescribed drugs thereby taking them away from possible addicts d. continuing the lawsuit against the pharmaceutical companies that I believe created the epidemic e. finding innovative ways to treat and pay for the treatment of individuals that have become addicts.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?In central and eastern DuPage County we are built out to a considerable extent. Therefore, we need to maintain the infrastructure that we have created in the past and correct the items that are proved to be inadequate. Storm water management continues to be very important and the County has worked with the City of Wheaton to find Federal funding to purchase 6 homes that were in flood prone areas of Wheaton. We also need to maintain our watersheds so that they will continue to be able to obtain, retain and slowly discharge storm water thereby keeping the water away from residential and commercial structures. Regarding transportation roads need to be maintained as we completed construction projects on Bloomingdale Road., St. Charles Road, Geneva Road and Glen Ellyn Road in the north section of County and District 4 in 2017. However, the largest road project is to finally create western access to O'Hare airport. Route 390 was expanded in that direction in 2017 but we need to work with the airlines to concurrently build additional gates while building the road to those gates. As this project nears completion we will have enhanced economic developments around the O'Hare area and to the west. Over 10 years ago, as Chairman of the Economic Development Committee, I worked with the municipalities around O'Hare to build consensus and support for the plan. Consolidate the Board of Election and the County Clerk's office.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. Even if you disagree with him he isn't just bashing the opposition but is putting forth proposals to solve problems.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Do onto others as you would have them do onto you and don't complain unless you are going to do something about it.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have worked at a Chicago law firm before establishing my own firm in Wheaton.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. I am working to make sure my area of the world does not repeat the mistakes of the past.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I don't have children. I would tell all children that there are no short cuts and you need to work hard in all you do.