Crystal Lake Mayoral Race: Donald Kountz

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL — Three candidates are running for the Crystal Lake mayoral seat this election. Here is the profile for Donald Kountz:

Age (as of Election Day): 60

Town/City of Residence: Crystal Lake

Office Sought: Village board or city council

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: BS Electrical Engineering Purdue University

Occupation: Retired Senior Director Advanced Projects Northrop Grumman 35 years experience

Campaign website: Don Kountz for Mayor Facebook page

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: None

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.: Over the past four years, I have seen many examples in which the Mayor and City Council did not put in their due diligence or ably direct the city staff to work with and communicate with other local governments. A vote for me is a vote for renewed leadership that looks out for the welfare and pocketbooks of all Crystal Lake residents and taxpayers.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?: Yes, Black Lives Matter. Demonstrations that are peaceful are protected and encouraged. Large scale demonstrations inform elected officials of the importance of enacting change and correcting wrongs. However, when individuals turn demonstrations to looting, violence, arson, and destruction then those individuals must be held accountable.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?: I think the City Council believes it has done enough to support racial equality; however, the only way to determine if it has is to do an assessment. With the results of an assessment Crystal Lake can take the necessary steps to address its weaknesses and build on its strengths.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?: The differences between the national and Illinois coronavirus response created confusion and made the problem worse. Medical experts inform us that the coronavirus spreads very efficiently from person to person, through respiratory droplets. Hence, I support a local mask mandate.

Wearing a mask is as easy as wearing a seatbelt. At the start of the pandemic with very limited knowledge of the coronavirus, if your priority is on the health of the population and prevention of the spread of the virus, you can expect restrictions, however, if your priority is on fiscal matters, you can expect concerns from small businesses and their owners because they are hurt first and usually to a greater extent. I would support a rigid mask mandate and would ease restrictions on the operation of non-essential businesses. For dining, since patrons can not wear masks the only alternative remains social distancing. That is why the quicker everyone in Crystal Lake can get vaccinated, the quicker restrictions can be lifted for these businesses.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?: I agree the vaccine distribution should be based upon need and priority. The published criteria for establishing an individual’s priority is reasonable. However, a search and review of Crystal Lake’s website shows leadership has struck out. One example, each community could submit its best site for consideration with factors such as vaccines per hour, parking, social distancing, etc. Then the McHenry County Health Department could establish a schedule for which sites are open on which day(s), thereby providing fairness and coverage across the county. At that point citizens could begin registering for appointments. Then emphasis could turn to addressing the needs of the shut-ins.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?: I am not a rubber stamp; I dig into the details. When the Crystal Lake City Council approved the recent electrical aggregation agreement, I uncovered that the vendor assisting the city had continued to get this contract sole source no bid every two years. While that may be ok, what the city staff and City Council missed was that the vendor raised its charges from $53,000 to over $141,000 for the same amount of work. When I notified the mayor and asked for a meeting with him and the city staff to discuss a resolution, I received a form letter.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency): Let us look at the coronavirus. Crystal Lake could have done much more and much better. For over a year we knew a mass vaccination site would be needed and the city has not identified nor helped prepare a mass vaccination site. Why? Is it lack of leadership or an inability to work with other units of government? Once elected, I’ll work with city staff to find suitable sites and the McHenry County Health Department to get the site up and operational.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: Crystal Lake is one of multiple governmental members of our community. Yet Crystal Lake struggles with communicating with its peers. When Crystal Lake enacted the municipal utility tax it exempted government agencies within the city limits, but it didn’t inform the county or School Districts 47 and 155 to review their utility bills. I discovered Crystal Lake improperly received over $80,000 it was not entitled to from Districts 47 and 155. I alerted the county and school districts so they could recover their money thereby helping their budget. As mayor I will work to strengthen the communication between Crystal Lake and our government neighbors.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?: I’ve been both a member and a leader of teams tasked with solving difficult and complex problems for over three decades. Trained as an electrical engineer, I bring these skills with me. I understand being elected carries with it responsibilities. That is why I pay attention to the details. I dig to find and anticipate the problems before they happen. I trust but verify to ensure the information is correct and complete so the job is done right.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?: As coronavirus has shown us, you never know what tomorrow will bring. I’ll work to find successful solutions to the problems as they present themselves to both Crystal Lake and its residents. Then having a citizen say “I’m glad I voted for you and I would do it again” is the best accomplishment from the ultimate critic.

Why should voters trust you?: I spent 35 years working at Northrop Grumman’s Rolling Meadows facility. One of its primary products is protection equipment for the United States Department of Defense. I started as an engineer where my job was simply make sure no one dies. It was challenging, stressful, and rewarding. Every day when I went home, I asked myself did I do my best for all those I’ll never meet to get home safely. I’ll continue work to the best of my ability to do the best for the people who call Crystal Lake home.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?: I understand every dollar Crystal Lake takes in ultimately comes from its residents and I will work to be a good steward of their money.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?: No.

The best advice ever shared with me was:: You and you alone are the only one responsible for your integrity.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?: Bettering the community is looking to the future and when looking to the future, it is providing both stability and job growth. I believe Crystal Lake should establish an incubator facility to support job growth which benefits our residents, creates jobs, and protects home values. I understand senior citizens face challenges and I will be an advocate for them. My wife Linnea and I have lived in Crystal Lake since 1986. We have two sons Erik and Brian. Both attended Glacier Ridge, Lundahl and Crystal Lake South High School. We are members of Bethany Lutheran Church. I have been an officer for my homeowners association since 2002 and been a volunteer judge for FIRST competitions. As the son of a steelworker and a nurse, I retired after 35 years from Northrop Grumman as Senior Director of Advanced Projects responsible for yearly sales in excess of $100M. I graduated from Purdue University with a BS in Electrical Engineering.