Donald R. Little Files For Re-Election For Jersey County Board

JERSEYVILLE - Donald R. Little files for Re-Election for Jersey County Board.

Little notes experience, accomplishments, and goals for continued service.

Donald R. Little is a candidate for re-election to the Jersey County Board in the June 28, 2022, Democratic Primary election in Board District 4.

Initially elected to the County Board in 1988, Little is currently the Jersey County Board Chairman, a post he has held since December 2014. Prior to serving on the County Board, Little was active in municipal and township government, serving on the Brighton Village and Piasa Township Boards, and the Southwestern School Board from 2011 to 2019. According to Little “Public service has been a central part of my life.” Little’s working career includes more than administration work. He has over ten years’ experience as a citizen advocate with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, handling consumer affairs and crime victim cases, and over 25 years as a fraud investigator with the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Before retiring at the end of 2020, Little’s investigative work focused on uncovering consumer fraud, stopping price gouging, and ending deceptive and dishonest business practices. “Fraud can touch and damage the lives of individuals and families dependent upon repairs to homes or the ability to conduct a business that provides support to a family and employees,” Little said

Service in local government, Little noted, requires the ability to “listen to people” and “identify ways to stretch resources and setting effective priorities.” As Chairman of the County Board, Little believes success has been achieved through “respect for fellow Board members, regardless of partisan party affiliation, sharing information and seeking opinions from both Board members and county officials regarding county problems and solutions.” Previous Boards tended to be mired in manufactured turmoil based on partisan political concerns, personal attacks, and squabbling on trivial matters while more serious concerns of public policy often went unaddressed. In contrast, Little said, the County Board over the last seven years has been an “excellent collection of individuals prepared to deal with serious issues without concern for politics, only effective results.” Currently, Little noted, the Board consists of an even division of six Republicans and Democrats as serving members. Based upon the behavior coming from Congress in Washington, or the General Assembly in Springfield, it might be logical to assume that nothing would be accomplished, “but you would never know it that any partisan political divide existed,” according to Little. “We approach problems as an opportunity to work together, and I love being a part of it,” Little said.

Little noted that strides have been made by the County Board in strengthening public safety through coordination with county and local leaders and setting realistic priorities. We have collaborated with the Sheriff in updating patrol vehicles with computers and radios for faster communications and record acquisition, updating the internal surveillance system for prisoner monitoring in the jail, and working in coordination with the Sheriff in expanding the 911 center to provide a better facility for receiving and dispatching emergency requests for law enforcement, fire, or medical assistance. The County Board, utilizing funds from the voter-authorized “Public Safety Sales Tax,” has purchased radios for Grafton and Elsah police cars to improve communications for law enforcement, and has current plans to support improvements for local fire departments.

The County Board continues to oversee several projects. Repairs and facility improvements to the Courthouse and Frank Yocom Law Enforcement Center are on-going. The upgrades are needed to improve safety for employees, building visitors and prisoners housed in the jail. Also, new cyber security measures to protect county service offices are being implemented to prevent “system hacking” or infiltration of “ransomware” that would threaten computer systems and cost the taxpayer thousands of dollars to correct. “Funding for these projects comes primarily through the federal American Rescue Program Act funds,” says Little. “instead of property tax dollars.”

“Finally, the issue of the future confronts Jersey County and what are our priorities,” Little said. “Each time a need arises, we have met it,” Little said. He points to Jersey County’s partnership with other counties to establish a multi-county transit system as one example of the County meeting a need. When advocates for senior and disabled citizens, and others with limited transportation options approached the County Board seeking assistance in identifying options to get them to a doctor visit, or the grocery store, Jersey County partnered with other counties to secure the funding needed to establish a transit system. Today, the system has an ever-increasing ridership. This essential service enables individuals seeking just a little help to maintain their independence and avoid feeling like a burden to anyone else.

Little views the future of Jersey County, and that of the region, to contain economic development and jobs. One of the most effective ways to stem the departure of people from the area is to supply a reason to stay and build families. “Right now, Little said, the job market is strong, but better-paying jobs and opportunities tied to new and expanded business development is a central part of economic security for the future.” Efforts made in Jerseyville to grow the community’s economic engine is a major building block toward that future. A railroad and truck intermodal project means new business development, a feeder activity to existing business and agriculture, expanded job opportunities and a stronger tax base to provide an opportunity for property tax relief. “As a serving member of the County Board I have supported that effort,” Little said, “and as a reelected member of the Board I pledge to continue that commitment.”

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