Thanks to everyone who came to my fundraiser at Two Olives and a Pepper and gave to my campaign. It was an important step toward victory in November. Click to read the rest of this blog entry to see pictures from the event.
Click on a photo to see a larger version.
The chocolate fountain.
On April 19, the State Journal-Register published the following letter to the editor which I wrote:
Dear Editor,
In the January meeting of the Sangamon County Board, I appreciated hearing county board member Tim Moore speak out against politically motivated appointments to county committees.
Moore objected to the appointment of Sangamon County Democratic Party Chairman Tim Timoney to the Springfield Metro Sanitary District because he felt politicians should be kept off such committees. I agree that county committees should be filled by those with expertise in the subject area instead of those who are merely being rewarded for service to either political party.
During the April county board meeting, Sangamon County Republican Party Chairman Tony Libri was nominated to the same Springfield Metro Sanitary District to which Tim Timoney was previously appointed. Tim Moore seems to have forgotten his objections to politicians serving on that committee because he voted in favor of the appointment without comment.
After searching the minutes of other county board meetings I have yet to find one example of Moore voting against the appointment of any Republican elected official to a county committee.
True reformers speak out against politically motivated appointments made by both parties, not just the opposing one.
Sincerely,
Will Reynolds
On April 12 I sent the following statement in a press release to announce the official opening of my campaign website and blog:
I’m excited to launch my website to provide voters with more information about this race and my ideas for County government. Decisions in local government should be made with as much public involvement and disclosure as possible. In order to advance that goal, I will use my website and blog to detail my views on local issues and seek comments from voters. If elected, I will continue operating my blog to further engage the public.
The County Board should make better use of the internet to publicize its activities, including making resolutions considered by the board available online before a vote is taken.
The process of selecting a new voting system for Sangamon County is a powerful example of a time when the County Board should have made greater efforts to involve the public before a decision was made.
The day before the county board voted to authorize contract negotiations with Populex in September, the State Journal-Register had an article which referenced my opponent. It stated, “County Board member Tim Moore, chairman of the board's election oversight committee, declined to identify before Tuesday's meeting which vendor has been selected tentatively.”
The next day, no members of the public were invited to speak on the issue before the Board voted to authorize contract negotiations for a new voting system.
As Chair of the County Board Election Oversight Committee, Moore should have been the board member making the greatest effort to inform and involve the public in the process of choosing new voting machines. Had I held his position I would have used all available resources, including holding press conferences and placing notices on the county website, to disseminate more information about all voting systems under consideration and solicit comments from the average voter. There is no indication that the Board took these actions.
The advisory commission deserves recognition for their hard work and efforts to evaluate different voting systems. However, I find it unfortunate that their meetings were not more widely publicized. Most voters did not learn of the advisory commission until after their work was completed.
It’s too late for the public to offer feedback on the new voting system, but it isn’t too late to change the way county government operates. As a County Board member I will maintain a commitment to solicit public input and make the operations of county government open to all of its citizens.
Please join me for a fundraiser on Thursday, April 20, at Two Olives and a Pepper in the Vinegar Hill Mall, 107 W. Cook, from 5:00PM – 7:00PM. Hors d'oeuvres and appetizers will be served.
The Republican Party has a "Sangamon County Board Republican Election" fund that last reported having over $30,000, much of which is in non-itemized contributions. Their report can be viewed at the State Board of Elections website. This war chest will be used against any Democratic candidate who is seen as a threat to their overwhelming 25-4 majority on the County Board. I'm asking for small contributions from friends and supporters to ensure that I raise the necessary funds to win this election.
Individual tickets are $20 per person and $35 per couple.
If you would like to become a sponsor at the $200 or $100 level, please send a check in advance to:
Citizens for Will Reynolds
P.O. Box 13341
Springfield, IL 62791
You may also pay at the door. Of course, donations of any amount from anyone who can't attend the event will still be greatly appreciated.
I wrote the following letter to the editor which was published in the State Journal-Register in March:
Dear Editor,
I was fascinated by the Thursday State Journal-Register article on the Community Needs Assessment released by the United Way of Central Illinois. I was surprised to learn that it found health care to be the greatest area of need among Sangamon County residents.
During the protracted debate regarding the City and County Health Department merger, there was a great deal of discussion about who would control jobs and how the budgets of local units of government would be effected. While those issues are not unimportant, I hope that the community can now move on to a different debate about how the newly merged Health Department can best alleviate the greatest area of need among local residents.
Clearly, much was at stake for local leaders who negotiated the merger. The focus now should be on those for whom even more is at stake. We don’t have to wait for the state or federal government to step in and address problems in Sangamon County. We know what our needs are and its time for county government to re-evaluate what can be done to bring quality health care to more residents.
Sincerely,
Will Reynolds
When I filed for office in December the following appeared at the end of a State Journal-Register article by John Reynolds about the filing of another candidate. You can click on the image for a larger version.
Thank you for visiting! I'm starting this blog to help facilitate a dialogue with Sangamon county voters. I will make regular entries about issues in the community, my views, campaign news and events. I believe elected officials should take advantage of every opportunity to hear from the public and include as many people as possible in the decision making process. For that reason, I'm using the internet to enhance that process as a candidate and I will continue to maintain this blog if I am elected. If you haven't done so already, please visit my campaign web site at www.willreynolds.us .
I'm going to allow comments in response to entries I write on this blog to encourage dialogue. Comments will require approval before being posted, but I will not censor any comments unless they contain personally insulting or libelous remarks directed toward anyone. I won't let this blog become a forum for ugly gossip or personal accusations against anyone, including my opponent. My focus will be on the issues. All entries on this blog will be written by me personally.
Will Reynolds