Meet Lemont Township Highway Commissioner Candidate: Mark Labno

LEMONT, IL —Mark Labno is one of two candidates running for Lemont Township Highway Commissioner. Labno is the project manager and head estimator for Hoppy's Landscaping, and currently serves as the highway commissioner.

Labno recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and his answers can be found below:

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, please email andrea.earnest@patch.com.

Name:

Mark A. Labno

Age (as of Election Day):

47

Town/City of Residence:

Lemont Township

Office Sought:

Township board (highway commissioner)

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race):

Township First Party

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education:

I have an associates degree in horticulture and landscape construction from Joliet Junior College.

Occupation:

I am the project manager and head estimator for Hoppy's Landscaping Inc. I have worked there for 32 years managing multimillion dollar projects. I also coordinate all of our GPS guided earth moving equipment to complete a number of excavation and site utility services.

Campaign website: Can be found here.

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

I am currently Lemont Township Highway Commissioner.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Based on our pavement evaluation performed by an independent engineering firm, our roadway conditions are the most pressing issue. A number of roadways within the township road district are rated as poor condition. The highway department has worked over the past four years to improve these conditions. However, we have a long way to go and I will continue to address the roadways with the lowest scores first. The highway department has also addressed a number of flooding concerns. Unfortunately, a vast number of the issues the department is facing regarding flooding is due to substandard subcontracted work performed prior to my term as highway commissioner. The highway department has corrected a number of these issues, but our work is not complete. We will continue to recognize, evaluate, and correct these issues within our township right of ways.

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?

N/A

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

N/A

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?

N/A

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?

Local pharmacies have directed our township residents to township offices. Our Lemont Township staff has worked relentlessly with our township residents to help them with moral support, registration, and transportation during the pandemic. Our seniors that have difficulties with technology have benefited by our township services getting them registered for local vaccinations.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The biggest difference between myself and my opponent is that I recognize the leaps and bounds the highway department has made over the last four years. We have grown into a department that has become proactive in addressing issues within our township right of ways. The department is out on the front-line repairing potholes, regrading ditches, restoring ditches with topsoil, seed, and excelsior blanket and installing drainage culverts. This is in addition to mowing our right of ways and maintaining the landscaping at our township facilities. The burden of the previous highway department superintendent has been lifted by the current highway department supervisor. We now have a fully operational highway department to service our township right of ways with proper scheduling and organizational skills. This is a vast improvement from how our highway department's day-to-day activities were previously managed. The highway department supervisor strives for perfection and accountability on every facet of highway department services. This winter we experienced 18” above normal snowfall and the highway department staff did an outstanding job keeping our roads open. The highway department has great potential and they need to be recognized for all the hard work and dedication that put in all year long.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

As highway commissioner I look forward to working with the Township Board, the Village of Lemont, the Lemont Police Department, the Lemont Fire Protection District, and all of our other governing taxing bodies. My platform is not to alienate myself from anyone that may have different views, but to listen to their views and look for common ground to develop solutions to rectify problems. Regardless as to how the highway department and the township general funds are separated fiscally, there will continue to be a common goal between our township government. That goal is to provide the very best services for our entire community. I will not sacrifice the benefits that our residents deserve over an inability to work with others. I want to continue repairing our roads and drainage systems to the best of our abilities.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Over the last four years the Lemont Township Highway Department has been able to reduce engineering costs by 10% by being able to self-evaluate issues within our right of ways. We also have reduced subcontracted services by 15% by enabling our crews to address right of way issues in-house.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

The accomplishment that I feel would determine success in my term in office is for our residents to recognize their tax dollars working for them. Tax dollars being used to improve our roadways and drainage systems throughout the unincorporated areas. Please visit my website and Facebook page for additional accomplishments that have been made by the highway department.

Why should voters trust you?

My allegiance is solely to the residents of Lemont Township. I will make sure that new developments from our neighboring communities are in the best interests of our Lemont residents.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

The highway department has been very responsible with taxpayers dollars. We have upgraded our equipment so we can perform our snow removal services without interruptions from breakdowns. We have also replaced some aging equipment to enable our crews to perform repairs that were previously subcontracted out saving taxpayer dollars. We will continue to be fiscally responsible with all of our decisions.

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:

If you don't know the situation fully, you can't offer an informed opinion.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Every day at my full time job I work to solve similar problems that the highway department faces. The tasks that face the highway commissioner come as second nature to me. I ask the residents of Lemont to allow me to continue improving our township roadways and drainage systems. I am a lifelong resident of Lemont and have been involved within the community most of my life. I have served on the Lemont Chamber of Commerce, coached youth football for many years with the Lemont Hornets, and have worked with Eagle scouts to bring their design and ideas to life for our community just to mention a few. As the most qualified candidate for the position of highway commissioner, I look forward to continue to serve our great community and strive to make sure that it is the very best it can be for our township residents!