Batavia Illinois – The 5th Ward

Uncontested Candidate Forums

Kane County Board District 11

Candidate Julie Forbes delivered an uncontested statement focusing on strategic planning, human services, and managing regional development. The discussion centered on balancing economic growth with social equity, reflecting the district’s need for comprehensive infrastructure and social support.

• Forbes identified transit, affordable housing, supporting farmers, and public safety as her primary focuses.
• She emphasized a need for transparency regarding the infrastructure and environmental impacts of data centers and surveillance technologies before they are approved in county budgets.
• Forbes expressed strong support for protecting the rights of the LGBTQ+ and immigrant communities.
• She advocated for working with state and federal legislators to bring resources back to the county, ensuring fair tax contributions from top earners.

Kane County Board District 13

Candidate Nicolás “Nico” Jimenez presented an uncontested statement emphasizing grassroots representation for working families and sustainable local growth. The context of his address highlighted the rising cost of living and the necessity of transitioning local infrastructure to accommodate long-term environmental goals.

• Jimenez identified his top priorities as housing affordability, fiscal responsibility, and environmental protection.
• He proposed investing in community land trusts as a specific mechanism to help young families get started and allow seniors to remain in their homes.
• He advocated for examining new progressive forms of revenue to expand services and balance budgets without burdening working-class taxpayers.
• He called for thoughtful consideration in transitioning the county toward 100% clean, green energy.

Kane County Board District 15

Candidate Kate Monteleone delivered an uncontested statement framing local county government as a necessary guardrail against federal and state actions. Her statement underscored the political and financial pressures facing local residents, pointing to broader national economic trends as a catalyst for local intervention.

• Monteleone highlighted concerns over inflation, high grocery and utility costs, and the slashing of federal grants that fund local education and research.
• She cited a recent measles outbreak in Kaneville as an example of localized challenges requiring strong health and safety infrastructure.
• She emphasized protecting due process, voting rights, worker rights, and the right to privacy at the county level.

Illinois Senate District 33

Candidate Michele Clark delivered an uncontested statement centering on affordability and the financial pressures facing suburban families. The political context of her remarks focused on the everyday struggles of working-class and fixed-income residents navigating an increasingly expensive housing and healthcare market.

• Clark highlighted the high cost of health care insurance and rising property taxes as her primary legislative concerns.
• She cited the specific challenges seniors face with Medicare coverage for necessary medications, using her mother’s battle with Parkinson’s as an example.
• She noted the difficulties young adults face in affording homes, pointing out that the average age for a first-time homebuyer in Illinois has risen to 40.

Illinois Senate District 42

Candidate Jared Ploger delivered an uncontested statement focusing on the compounding pressures of affording basic needs. His statement addressed the tension between rapid suburban expansion and the lagging infrastructure required to support it in Kane County.

• Ploger pointed out the struggles of younger generations facing high rent and utility bills, while seniors on fixed incomes simultaneously struggle to afford dignified care.
• He highlighted the need for infrastructure—specifically mentioning traffic congestion on Randall Road and Route 34—to keep pace with the rapid population growth in the 42nd District.
• He argued for a shift in the tax burden, stating that those who can afford to pay more must be asked to do so to provide relief for working families.

Contested Candidate Debates

Kane County Board District 2

Opening and Closing Statements

• Kelly Burke: Opened by highlighting her background as a local entrepreneur and farmer with property in the county, emphasizing that she directly deals with the consequences of county board decisions. She closed by reiterating her commitment to critical thinking, relying on subject matter experts, and providing an independent voice that works across the aisle for the next generation.
• Ellen Nottke: Opened by stressing her 30 years of local activism and deep understanding of the district’s unique split between unincorporated areas and municipal boundaries. In her closing statement, she emphasized that experience and local knowledge matter, positioning herself as an effective representative ready to put her record to work for the county’s future.

Land Use, Affordable Housing, and Agriculture: Candidates Burke and Nottke debated the management of unincorporated rural lands versus municipalities, revealing competing pressures regarding land use, resource allocation, and commercial development. The principal disagreement centered on whether to strictly preserve existing agricultural zoning or to selectively incentivize new technological and commercial developments.

• Data Centers and Land Use: Candidate Nottke argued that the county must strictly adhere to its 2040 comprehensive land use plan to protect rural farmland, emphasizing that the county board lacks jurisdiction over municipal development but must safeguard unincorporated areas and groundwater. She strongly opposed data centers in these zones, citing her 37-year history in the district and past success organizing residents to defeat a proposed scenic parkway that would have redirected truck traffic onto rural roads.
• Innovation and Agriculture: Candidate Burke, who serves as a livestock commissioner with the Illinois Department of Agriculture, argued for a case-by-case evaluation of commercial impact for developments like data centers. She suggested incentivizing developers to use bio-based materials and LEED certifications, and emphasized collaborating with institutions like the University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University to secure federal agricultural grants for crop diversification and the manufacturing sector.
• Affordable Housing: Candidate Nottke argued that the county must establish firm environmental criteria regarding groundwater and infrastructure before prioritizing affordable housing developments in rural areas. Candidate Burke, drawing on her experience sitting on the Community Development Board, countered that the county must lean into affordable housing programs to offer homes to workers entering new growth sectors in edge communities.

Fiscal Policy and County Services: The candidates debated how to fund necessary county services while mitigating the tax burden on residents, focusing heavily on evaluating current expenditures and avoiding permanent dependencies on temporary funding.

• Taxes and Services: Candidate Nottke warned against relying on temporary federal COVID-19 relief dollars to permanently fund county programs, arguing that initiatives lacking measurable results should be phased out entirely rather than shifted onto local taxpayers. Candidate Burke described herself as fiscally conservative and emphasized the need to identify spending overlap, stressing a critical evaluation to ensure the county is receiving adequate value for physical and community development initiatives.
• Grant Funding: Candidate Nottke cited her experience raising over $450,000 in grant money to refurbish a Victorian house in Aurora to serve as the area’s first women’s halfway house. Candidate Burke cited her non-profit grant writing experience for her organization “iRise” and her active lobbying work in Springfield to bring USDA grants to Illinois.
• Unfunded Mandates: Candidate Nottke expressed a strong commitment to lobbying state legislators in Springfield to eliminate unfunded mandates, which she identified as a major drain on county resources.
• Immigration/ICE: Both Candidate Nottke and Candidate Burke briefly agreed that superseding federal immigration law is not a county board issue and falls outside their legislative jurisdiction.

Kane County Sheriff

Opening and Closing Statements

• Amy Johnson: Opened by stressing that the Sheriff’s role extends far beyond patrol, encompassing court security, a 24-hour jail, and complex budgeting. She closed by framing her campaign around accountability, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and public safety, promising to support employees, protect victims, and safeguard taxpayer dollars with integrity.
• Rob Russell: Opened by highlighting his 33 years of law enforcement experience and his track record of improving operations and efficiency as the county coroner. He closed by defining leadership as having the courage to make tough decisions and the humility to listen, stating his goal is to make the department stronger and more transparent rather than tearing it apart.

Public Safety Priorities, Training, and Mental Health: Candidates Johnson and Russell engaged in a debate focused on the operational direction of the department amid rising concerns over drug trafficking and mental health in the justice system. The candidates differed in their administrative focus, with Russell emphasizing his prior experience as coroner and a focus on drug crimes, while Johnson emphasized fiscal responsibility and expanding existing preventative programs.

• Top Priorities: Candidate Russell drew on his law enforcement experience to argue that disrupting fentanyl and drug trafficking networks must be the department’s top priority. Candidate Johnson countered with a focus on fiscal transparency, community awareness, and breaking down barriers by utilizing youth outreach and Cadet/Explorer programs to meet residents directly in schools and churches.
• Domestic Violence: Candidate Johnson pointed to her involvement in establishing the county’s first domestic violence unit alongside the State’s Attorney and former Sheriff Pat Perez, advocating for a specialized victims unit for both men and women. Candidate Russell emphasized the immediate dispatch of domestic advocates alongside patrol officers to calm situations and ensure victims can access orders of protection, while criticizing the current practice of naming victims in press releases.
• Mental Health (In-Custody): Candidate Johnson highlighted the creation of a dedicated mental health unit within corrections to address the estimated 30% to 40% of inmates requiring clinical care, utilizing partnerships with the Ecker Center and WellPath. Candidate Russell advocated for immediate mental health screenings at intake, staff training to prioritize clinical intervention over disciplinary action for crises, and continuous care coordination for detainees upon release.

Law Enforcement Policies and Technologies: The candidates debated the deployment of surveillance technologies, gun control measures, and interactions with federal agencies. Both candidates exhibited broad agreement on law enforcement philosophy, consistently framing their roles as enforcers of existing law rather than policymakers.

• Flock Cameras: Candidate Russell compared the surveillance technology to the LEADS database for identifying stolen vehicles, but emphasized the need for strict data retention and access policies to prevent the monitoring of law-abiding citizens. Candidate Johnson agreed on their utility but stressed that monthly audits are already required and that any inappropriate use by personnel must be met with punitive charges.
• Immigration / ICE: Candidate Russell affirmed he would cooperate with federal authorities on legitimate criminal investigations but stated his deputies would not violate Illinois law by participating in civil immigration enforcement. Candidate Johnson emphasized the department’s “Clear Path” program aimed at fostering dialogue, demystifying law enforcement, and building trust within immigrant communities to ensure they feel comfortable reporting crimes.
• Assault Weapons: Both Candidate Johnson and Candidate Russell agreed that their role is strictly to enforce laws rather than create them. Both pledged to follow state and federal firearms legislation as written while protecting constitutional rights and focusing enforcement on individuals legally prohibited from possessing weapons.
• Inter-Agency Cooperation: Candidate Russell framed the sheriff’s role as a servant-leader assisting smaller municipalities—such as Hampshire and Gilberts—that lack full-time detectives. Candidate Johnson provided specific examples of bridging municipal resource gaps, such as deploying county bomb trucks, robots, hostage negotiators, and evidence technicians to underfunded local departments.

Voter Resources

For official information regarding upcoming elections, voter registration verification, early voting dates, and polling locations, consult the Kane County Clerk’s Office.

Candidate Information (Attended or Not)

Race / Office	Candidate	Campaign Website (Assumed)
Kane County Board District 2	Kelly Burke	electkellyburke.com
	Ellen Nottke	Couldn’t find: Ballotpedia link
Kane County Board District 11	Julie Forbes	julieforkane.com
	William C. Collins	collinsforkanecounty.com
Kane County Board District 13	Nicolás “Nico” Jimenez	Facebook Page
	Ryan Deniz	denizforkanecounty.com
Kane County Board District 15	Kate Monteleone	kateforkane.com
	David Young	youngforkane15.com
Illinois Senate District 33	Michele Clark	micheleforilsenate.com
	Danielle Penman	daniellepenman.com
Illinois Senate District 42	Jared Ploger	jaredforillinois.com
	Edgardo “Eddie” Perez	kanegop.org page
Kane County Sheriff	Amy Johnson	amyjohnsonforsheriff.com
	Rob Russell	russell4sheriff.com

Author: Jim Fahrenbach

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