The Person

For those of you that don't know me, let's take a moment to get acquainted.  I grew up just down I-70 from Greenville in Fayette County, outside Brownstown, IL.  I first became part of the greater Greenville community in 2000 when I began studying physics at Greenville College.  After earning my bachelor's degree in 2004, my wife and I moved away from the area for a year before returning to Greenville in 2005.  We have been proud to call Greenville our home ever since.  My wife, daughter, son and I are frequent users of all the Park District has to offer.  From the playgrounds to the pool, we spend hundreds of hours every year enjoying the fine spaces and programs of the Kingsbury Park District.  That is my daughter Alice and I in the picture above enjoying the fall foliage at William S. Waite Park last year.  It is this frequent use of the parks that motivates me to improve the Park District by serving as a Commissioner.

In the decade that my wife and I have lived in Greenville, I have been an active member of the community.  I volunteered at the Simple Room from 2008 - 2009, served as a founding member of the Bond County Independence Day Festival Association as well as its President from 2013 until the present.  I began my service as a Commissioner of the Kingsbury Park District in 2013 as an appointment to a seat vacated when a previous Commissioner moved out of the district.

Since then, I have had the pleasure to be a part of many positive developments in the Kingsbury Park District.  Some of the District's most significant accomplishments during that time are:

• The expansion of the youth soccer program to its highest levels of participation ever,
• The award of a $400,000 grant for improvements at the pool,
• The completion of the Patriot's Park meeting room,
• The development of the Patriot's Park disc golf course,
• The replacement of the ball field lights at Jaycee's Park.

These are just a few of the accomplishments that I have been fortunate enough to support in my service to the District.  

In addition to my volunteer service to the community, I also serve our region in a professional capacity as Dean of Student Success at Kaskaskia College.  My work at Kaskaskia College has given me a solid understanding of public administration, finance, and grants that help me serve the Kingsbury Park District more effectively.  My expertise in this area is valuable for helping navigate the complexities of state funding and regulation which effect the Park District on a daily basis. 

With your support, I look forward to continue lending my knowledge and time in the service of the Park District.  By working together, we can make the Kingsbury Park District an even stronger part of our community than it already is.

The Platform

The Kingsbury Park District is one of the finest park districts in Southern Illinois.  The Kingsbury Park District offers great spaces, both natural and recreational, along with many great programs for all ages.  As a commissioner of the Kingsbury Park District, I would work to improve upon these strengths while expanding recreational programs and community partnerships.  My three main points of focus will be:

• Expanding year-round recreational programs for all ages,
• Seeking grant funding for improving park facilities,
• Partnering with local organizations to better serve our community.

Let's look at each of these in a bit more detail.

Expanding year-round recreational programs for all ages.

The most important role of the park district is to engage the public in activities that promote health and well-being.  The park district has a long history of exceptional recreational programs that serve our youth.  From softball to soccer, tee ball to tennis, our community has long benefited from programming that encourages our youth to live active, healthy lives and to build strong relationships with their neighbors.

As a commissioner of the Kingsbury Park District, I would work to expand these recreational programs.  I want to strengthen adult and winter programming to ensure that there are year-round opportunities for all ages.  Since I started serving on the KPD Board nearly 18 months ago, I have worked toward this goal.  Those efforts have resulted in the development of two new programs -- tumbling and martial arts -- that will begin this spring.

Seeking grant funding for improving park facilities.

A diverse set of parks not only beautifies our community but provides us all with access to space for exercise, for play, for gathering with our families and friends, and for enjoying nature.  The Kingsbury Park District offers a diverse array of parks for all sorts of activities.  The mix of natural, sporting, and sheltered spaces is second to none for a community of our size.

To preserve and enhance these spaces, I will aggressively pursue grant funds from state, federal, and private sources.  Grant funds leverage your local tax dollars to maximize the value for our community.  The use of grant funds for capital development ensures that we have the best parks we can while minimizing the burden on the tax payer.

In the last year, I supported the pursuit of grants that resulted in a $400,000 award from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.  The funds received from this grant will be used to complete major renovations at the Kingsbury Park District pool.  Nearly $150,000 of those renovations were required maintenance items that had to be completed for the pool to remain open.  By applying for a matching grant from the IDNR, we were able to double the return on the community's investment.  The result will be a first-rate pool and splash pad that local families will enjoy for decades to come.

Partnering with local organizations to better serve our community.

As a small community, it is imperative that our many governmental and philanthropic organizations work together.  By being collaborative, rather than competitive, we can better meet the needs of our community without unnecessary duplication and waste.  As a Kingsbury Park District Commissioner, I will work to build strong partnerships with other local organizations whose missions align with the Park District.  In so doing, we can be most effective at promoting the common good in the Greenville area.