PROPHETSTOWN – There’s no mistaking that Bud Thompson loves politics. Just walk into his office at his Prophetstown home.

There, overlooking the Rock River, Thompson is quick to show a visitor a wall photo of himself with Ronald Reagan in 1982. And he has other pictures with Reagan’s successor, President George H.W. Bush.

In 1982, Thompson, now 81, presented Reagan with a picture of a double rainbow ending at the president’s birthplace in nearby Tampico. It happened the day before the Gipper’s 1980 election. The photo was turned into a postcard.

A former chairman of the Whiteside County Republican Party, Thompson calls himself a fiscal conservative and a social liberal.

“We need to help those in the shadows – people with physical or mental problems,” he said.

On abortion, he is pro-life. As for gay marriage, he used to be against it, but he said he has changed his view.

“I don’t like gay marriage, but I can understand it,” he said.

A true love of art

When Thompson was growing up, he wanted to be a professional artist. He gave up that dream when his father’s health worsened and Thompson went to help with the family livestock trucking business. He retired in 1985.

Thompson hasn’t given up his love for art. He has done paintings and sketches for years. And he has worked with local high school students to do murals around town.

Over the years, Thompson has held a number of positions in government. He served on the Prophetstown school board from 1960 to 1978 and the state school board from 1978 to 1993.

He was Prophetstown’s mayor from 2001 to 2009. Since December, he has served on the Whiteside County Board. He plans to run for re-election next year.

Thompson said he was proud of the city’s accomplishments during his time as mayor. Eclipse Square Park was one of them. It includes monuments to veterans, police officers, paramedics and firefighters at the site of the old Eclipse lawnmower factory.

“We raised over $300,000 for it, not one cent of taxpayer dollars,” he said.

Also during those years, the city created a tax increment financing district on the east side of town, which allowed for the construction of 10 houses, he said.

It was the minor issues that became frustrating for Thompson. As examples, he cites calls about neighbors’ boundary disputes and barking dogs.

“Small towns are unique. Everyone knows everyone else,” he said. “There are drawbacks – people can get nosy.”

SFlbA lonely effort for smaller board

On the County Board, Thompson pushed a reduction in the number of members from 27 to 18. But that idea won very little support, despite Whiteside having one of the largest county boards in the state.

The Lee and Carroll boards decided to reduce their numbers, but Whiteside stuck with the status quo.

Jon Hinton, another Prophetstown Republican, agreed with Thompson on the membership issue.

In an interview over the summer, Hinton said he would like Thompson to be the chairman if Republicans get a majority in the 2012 election.

“He’s a former mayor of Prophetstown. He has a lot of experience,” Hinton said.

For more than 20 years, the Democrats have dominated, electing Rock Falls’ Tony Arduini as their chairman.

Thompson said he didn’t know Hinton too well, but he called his Prophetstown ally a “very knowledgeable person.”

Thompson said he wants to be on the board for a couple of years before becoming chairman. He praised the 90-year-old Arduini.

“I’ve known Tony Arduini for years and years,” Thompson said.” He’s a good person. He’s honest, and I respect him.”

He had similar things to say about the sheriff, the state’s attorney, the coroner and the county administrator, among others.

But he said the county needs a new focus – economic development.

One of Thompson’s proposals is to abate taxes for anyone who builds a home, which he said would help to spur the area’s economy.

He credited Gov. Pat Quinn for supporting Main Street groups, which seek to revive downtowns.

“I take pride in walking in our downtown and seeing so many cars parked and so much activity,” Thompson said. “Many towns in the Midwest have downtowns that are ghost towns.”

He said people sometimes ask him why he doesn’t retire completely.

Howard “Bud” Thompson

Age: 81

Occupation: Ran livestock trucking business

Political experience: Prophetstown school board, 1960-1978; state school board, 1978-1993; Prophetstown mayor, 2001-2009; Whiteside County Board, 2010-

Hobbies: Painting and sketching

Family: Wife, Shirley, 80; son, Mark, 60; daughter, Becky Lambert, 58; four granddaughters; and two great-granddaughters.

“I tell them that I’d rather wear out than rust out,” he said.