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Open Letter on Hope Creek Vote

Sue Golden

Downsizing Board

2014 Draft Budget

Hope Creek

Courthouse Future

County Board Meetings

Hope Creek Town Hall May 28th

RICo in violation of Open Meetings Act

Update Speech

The Oath I took

Rock Island County Budget:  2013-2014

Bill to Allow Courthouse Without Voter Ok

Jim Wozniak Interview

Progressive State Tax

Committed to placing downsizing issue on ballot as soon as possible

I am committed to put a referendum on the ballot to give the people a voice to downsize the Rock Island County Board PRIOR to the 2022 decennial reapportionment. I will educate the public on the pros and cons to this and they will have the final say.

Short speech at Ronald Reagan Barbeque on October 10, 2014

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKFsGiOglM8

Referendum I presented at full county board meeting brought to Governmental Affairs

The referendum I drafted and made a motion to move to Governmental Affairs for placement on the next available ballot.

Link to Governmental Affairs Packet

Alternate Link to Governmental Affairs Packet

Interview on Jim Merten's "The Cities" on WQPT

The Illinois Attorney General has ruled that the board can be downsized prior to 2022. 

County Board Member Don Johnston and Drue Mielke discuss the released opinion from the Attorney General that states the board can be downsized sooner than 2022 if the "method of election" is changed by the people.

Watch the interview here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKFsGiOglM8

Motion made by Drue Mielke for referendum to downsize board

The Illinois Attorney General has ruled that the board can be downsized prior to 2022.  I took the next step to put a biding resolution on the next ballot and to begin drafting in Governmental Affairs Committee. 

Link to September 9 2014 county board minutes

WQAD News 8 examines the downsizing issue

WQAD News 8 reporter Shane Simmons asks what happened to Rock Island County board downsizing issue, finds out who's holding up the process, what it costs to run the current board, and compares what's happening in Rock Island to Scott County.

Monday, May 12th, 10pm WQAD News 8. 
"We are going almost a year out here and I've not heard anything. It certainly isn't going away. The people demand an answer because they should."

Our State's Attorney requested a new opinion from Attorney General Lisa Madigan last March. That question asks if a county board can be reapportioned at a time other than a non-decennial census.

I have had bipartisan support to ask for an update on this request last October with fellow Rock Island County Board Member Scott Terry. This request was denied but now one year has passed.  The issue remains open and is not forgotten.
 

Your Rock Island County Board Report-  District 22 Newsletter is currently being distributed

I have hand delivered 90% of my district.  If you haven't received a newsletter, you can view below.  I will deliver an updated newsletter to the homes that I could not reach before the primary on March 18, 2014. 

You can view the newsletter here:   Spring 2014 Rock Island County Board District 22 Newsletter

• The threat of a lawsuit over the condition of the court house
• The public building commission referendum
• The task of working on a new referendum to address the court house
• A referendum regarding single member districts- a question that confused the voters and obscured the will of the people
• Addressing issues in the county highway department
• The Clean Line Wind Farm Transmission Line issue that affects Chris Filbert’s district and all rural district. 
• Working to receive a new opinion from our Attorney General on downsizing- not an opinion from 1974 and awaiting its 40th anniversary.

I have been busy working on several issues specific to my district.

But in addition, despite much pushback, I continue in my pursuit to answer the question whether the county board can be downsized before 2022.

I am obligated to answer this question as 72% of the electorate voted in favor of board member reduction. I am pledged to do my job to assure we listen to the voters.

I have received veiled threats to intimidate-- and it only tells me I am on the right path and doing the right thing. I won’t back down from doing what I think is right.

I am not here to protect the few or to feather my nest. I am here to serve the public.

As Abraham Lincoln said “Right makes might, And in that faith, Let us to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.”

I believe that. It gives me strength.

I continue what I started on the Coal Valley Village Board.

• Informing residents in my district by sending out a county board report to everyone in my district and maintaining my web site.
• Continuing to work to assure that I give voice to the vulnerable and oppressed in my district, who do not have a voice.
• Continuing to assure that the laws set in place to protect residents are also applied to those who need protection the most.

I received an email last week thanking me for real, visible progress that is occurring. By far….I didn’t work alone. But I assured that progress would happen.

I spoke up!


On the county board--- we’ve moved the mark.

• We’ve moved the mark- by offering leadership that looks out for the real interests of the residents rather than the interests of the few.
• We’ve moved the mark- by providing honest and accountable government rather than machine politics and business as usual.

But we still have a long way to go…

We are looking forward to even better days for our Rock Island County Board as we deliver on our promises of:

• Limited Government
• Government that is Effective
• Responsible
• Responsive
• and Adheres to the Will of the People

In closing… I would like to tell you what a tremendous honor it is to serve on your Rock Island County Board!

Thank you!

 

April 13, 2013- 

I want to tell everyone that I am not intimidated nor going to back down from my obligation to serve the people who voted for me and to whom I took an oath to fairly represent.

I am not sure why the November 6th referendum even mentioned single or multiple districts. It's direction was to decrease the size of the board.

You may view the discussion on this topic from the minutes of the October 2012 county board meeting here.  Excerpt from county board minutes on this referendum.

I have just included the portion that dealt with the issue but the full minutes are on http://www.rockislandcounty.org/CountyBoard.aspx?id=34617#CB

The reason given by the past board for adding this was "to help alleviate misinformation and confusion on the existing question on the ballot regarding possible reduction in board members."

It is my opinion that adding this referendum to our ballot on April 9th was in reaction to the November 6th referendum but not a service to the residents. I believe this referendum should have been removed as it confuses the voter (they just voted on this in November) and it will likely REMIND the voter that nothing has happened in response to their last vote. I have had several residents tell me it angers them to be asked again. I don't like when voters get angry.

Rather than looking at ways to follow the will of the people in looking at possible paths to downsize the board prior to 2022, we are now looking at similar issue. I was the only board member to aggressively pursue whether it is POSSIBLE to downsize the board outside the mandatory reapportionment. I believe it can be done and no one has presented evidence other than opinion from the Attorney General in 1976 that it cannot.

When I ask the downsize question, I don't get a "no." I have gone to Springfield and spoken to the Illinois State Board of Elections which agrees that the board could be downsized in 2016. When I ask the question, I get "well, it would be difficult but with a skillfully worded referendum, having all board members terms ending on the same time, and the county board passing an ordinance reflecting 15 members" it can be done. That's not a "no". Should the board be downsized? That's not the question I am working on. I am working on "can" not "should".

But to follow the will of the people in the last vote, I feel obligated to follow through and pursue downsizing that 72% said to do.

I support single-member districts as I wish to assure the rural areas of our county maintain the districts that represent them.

But, I find this question to be empty and not meaningful or helpful. It's my opinion that this referendum should have been removed given that 72% voted to downsize the board and this just muddies that issue. Personally, I favor single member districts but I served on the Coal Valley Village Board for 6 years as trustee and we all were serving at-large, meaning we had "one district".

Here's what I see as the pros and cons:

Pros for single member districts:

• One person in which to contact
• Your board member would have a smaller district in which to concentrate his efforts
• Smaller districts make it easier for "the average guy" to campaign to be a public servant

Cons to single districts:

• I really can't think of any. I think single member districts work.

Pros to multi districts:

• You have more than one person representing you which implies that you can contact the person with whom might likely best understand your issue.

Cons to multi-districts:

• Representation to rural districts may be diminished. Those districts would be combined with suburban districts
• Candidates would have a much larger area to campaign, which would drive up campaign costs which implies people like me would find it difficult to enter that arena of public service

December 7, 2012-

Thank you!
 

Over the last year, I went out to meet everyone in our district-  many people who I represented on the Coal Valley Village Board and many that live in Moline and South Moline and Coal Valley townships. 

During the campaign, I have stressed that as an elected official, I represent ALL residents-- including the vulnerable who do not always have the loudest voice.  It was a close election and in my acceptance speech I stressed that now that the election is over I become the representative for all.  On the Rock Island County Board, I pledge to continue my mission to assure that the vulnerable in our community have a voice and to be accountable in how our county is run.  

There were many issues in this campaign but the one that stands out the most is the public’s will to decrease the size of the Rock Island County Board.  I will work with my fellow members on county board to begin the work that will achieve this goal.

We have much to do to make Rock Island County even better than it is.  Your thoughts and prayers were very much appreciated during the campaign and I ask for your prayers and ideas as I become your new Rock Island County Board member for District 22.  Please feel free to contact me.  I always listen.

Ready to serve,
 

Drue

5:00 airing on Wednesday, November 7th