Editor’s note: This is one in a series of stories looking at contested races in the Aurora area in the March 17 primary.
Five Republicans are seeking the nomination for three seats on the Kendall County Board for District 2 in the March 17 GOP primary.
The GOP candidates are incumbents Matthew Kellogg and Tony Giles, former Kendall County Board member Dan Koukol, former Oswego Trustee Joe West and Gabriella Shanahan.
Three candidates are running unopposed in the Democratic primary for the three board seats from District 2 – Mary C. Murray of Oswego, Karen E. Novy of Oswego and Elizabeth Flowers of Montgomery.
GOP candidate Kellogg grew up on his family’s 1846 farmstead in an unincorporated area near Yorkville.
“I am the seventh generation living on the farm,” Kellogg said.
He grew up on the farm but spent a lot of time in more urban areas while going to Oswego High School just as the growth was starting to take off, he said.
“I was one of about four farm kids in school, so I have a feel for both the urban and rural areas of Kendall County,” he said. “I don’t think our farms are going away. I am more concerned that the voice of the farms has diminished.”
Kellogg farms and has a retail chemical and seed business.
Giles, of Oswego, would like to see more intergovernmental cooperation on roadway projects and for the county to allocate more funding for existing road improvements.
“We are devoting tens of millions towards certain road expansions but yet we are not putting some of those funds towards fixing and improving some of our current roads,” Giles said.
Giles served eight years as a trustee on the Oswego Village Board. He ran for village president in 2015.
“County works a little bit slower than the village, mainly because of the need to go through committees,” he said.
Koukol, of Oswego, says he’s an advocate for taxpayers.
“The middle age people are really hurting. We can’t afford any more taxes,” he said.
Koukol served six years on the board from 2010 to 2016. He did not win re-election in 2016. He campaigned for a seat in District 2 in 2018.
“We need somebody in there who will say “no” to the wants and look for the best price possible on the needs,” he said.
Koukol is a managing real estate broker and owner of D K Trailer and Tractor Co. The county needs commercial and industry to generate real estate taxes, he said.
“We need larger projects to reduce the burden on residential properties,” he said.
West, a U.S. Marine veteran, served a four-year term as trustee on the Oswego Village Board. He campaigned for village president in Oswego last year.
He would be an advocate for veterans, he said.
“There are no veterans on the county board. I have a lot of knowledge to better represent veterans in the county,” West said.
West is a commander of the Oswego American Legion Post 675. Through his experience he would be a board liaison with the Kendall County Veterans Assistance office to address issues of concern, he said.
“One of my main goals is to work with younger veterans who might not be aware of the services available to them”, he said.
West retired as a director/chief engineer for a hotel in downtown Chicago.
Shanahan says she is running on her prior experience working in offices of elected officials.
“I feel the Joliet area in southeastern Kendall County is sometimes overlooked,” she said. “I am looking to bring a fresh perspective from the southeastern part of the county to the county board level.”
Shanahan is raising her three children ages 1, 4 and 17 and teaches figure skating. She interned in the office of former U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk in Washington, D.C., and in the Illinois office of U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger of the 16th District.
She said the county needs commercial, industry and manufacturing to add to the tax base and create new jobs.
“I would bring a fresh perspective because I am a young woman with political experience. Kendall County needs to progress our county effectively into the future,” she said.
Shanahan said she could be a liaison for local communities such as Oswego that is researching whether to get Lake Michigan water through a connection in Joliet.
“I spoke at the Joliet council meeting expressing my support for Lake Michigan water and for Joliet to be the supplier to surrounding communities. Joliet as the third largest city in Illinois definitely has the ability to be the supplier in the area going forward,” she said.
The candidates have differing view on bringing Metra commuter train service to Kendall County.
“I have no interest in the Metra dream,” Kellogg said.
“Not only is the price tag ridiculous to (build it) but I would rather have citizens stay in the county to spend their money rather than see them leave to go to Chicago,” he said.
Kellogg is opposed to Kendall County taxpayers paying for an RTA sales tax as is done in Cook County and in the collar counties of Kane, DuPage, Lake, McHenry and Will.
“It’s a polarizing subject,” Kellogg said.
Giles is a social studies teacher at Oswego East High School. He supports having a Metra extension in Kendall County. However, he does not support an RTA tax across the county.
“To impose the tax on the entire county for limited service would not be fair to our taxpayers. Until I see there is a greater commitment for ridership, it’s not worth the extra tax for the vast numbers of people who won’t use it,” Giles said.
“I am definitely in favor of the study being done for the Metra extension in Kendall County. I feel it will be a long time down the road for those who are hopeful of it coming,” he said.
West supports the current Metra study being done.
“This is at no cost to our residents, so I think that those results will tell us more about both next steps and long-term. I am not in favor of an RTA tax but ultimately it would be up to the voters to decide,” he said. “Before we consider a tax, we should look at alternate methods of funding such as user fees paid by riders to support a Metra station.”
Shanahan supports the Metra commuter extension in Kendall County.
“We are the only collar county that does not have a Metra station and commuter service. With our growing population, it is much needed. Commuter rail service brings economic development,” she said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
