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Position for which you are running: Putnam County Board.
Town of residence: McNabb.
Where you work now: Popurella Law Office and Bureau County Public Defender's Office.
Age: 42.
Education: B.A. History, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Juris Doctorate – Northern Illinois University.
Experience: Fire chief, McNabb Fire Protection District, 2011-present; Granville Village attorney, 2014-present; Magnolia Village attorney, 2013-present.
What are your Top 3 goals, if you are elected: The first goal I have if elected is to take a fiscally conservative approach to the way the county board manages its finances. We need to be much more aware of what is coming in and what is going out. Senseless spending should be stopped.
My second goal is to promote the vast resources of our county to make Putnam County more welcoming for businesses to locate here and employ our citizens.
My third goal is to promote law enforcement and education for our children so that our kids will grow up in a safe and healthy environment.
Is there a way the county can improve its financial situation without further increasing taxes on its already overburdened residents? I believe the current county board chairman has not provided the leadership that's needed in these tough financial times. Buying a $12,000 time clock for a courthouse that employs less than 20 hourly employees is a huge waste of resources.
We cannot continue to ignore specific warnings from our auditors to increase income and/or decrease expenses. The county should be run more like a business, and that means not running at a loss.
How can the county improve chances for further development in the Enterprise Zone despite the state's unwelcoming business environment? We need to better trumpet all of the wonderful things that our county has to offer. The former LTV site is a perfect example of a location that can accommodate a business with access to rails, interstates, and the Illinois River. We need to remind businesses of the high-quality workers that worked at the steel mill, and that this area can produce and promote high-quality materials.
Why should voters cast their ballots for you: I have been able to work within budgets at the fire protection district and still provide services in a cost-effective manner. This includes purchasing new equipment to help better protect the public. Working with budgetary constraints is nothing new to me. We need to realize and recognize the outstanding police work that we have in this county. I hope to bring some fresh ideas and perspectives to the county board and to help make this county a great place to live for all and to raise our kids.