Incumbent Davoust vies with challenger Gripe in District 14 primary race

ST. CHARLES – Incumbent Kane County Board member Mark Davoust, R-St. Charles, is facing challenger Jonathan Gripe in the March 19 primary for the Republican nomination for District 14.

Davoust, who is president of a manufacturing company in Batavia, is seeking his sixth term on the board. Davoust has served as chairman and vice chairman of several committees, including Administration, Human Services and Judicial/Public Safety.

“As a small-business owner, I bring those things with me to the board to have a perspective of watching every penny, making sensible choices,” Davoust said.

Gripe, a financial adviser, is newly retired and said he can devote a lot of time to the board.

One thing Gripe said he can do is encourage better behavior, based on a three-hour county meeting where “my jaw had been on the floor the entire time.”

“It was not what was said, but how it was being said. How board members disrespected each other,” Gripe said. “I expected some kind of politeness.”

Gripe serves on several nonprofit boards, including Fox Valley Hands of Hope, Anderson Humane, St. Charles Kiwanis and Lazarus House.

“I know how passionate people can be. The boards I sit on are not always peaches and cream,” Gripe said. “I can be the person to promote conversation, even with people you disagree with. ... Could the Republican Party do better? And I think the answer is yes.”

Taxes and spending

Among Gripe’s issues are reducing taxes, term limits and cutting spending.

Davoust said he’s been part of holding the line on taxes for years, including most recently.

“I did not believe we should be taking any increase in the property tax levy other than new growth,” Davoust said. “Ultimately, eight Republicans convinced enough Democrats to say no to the chairman and we prevailed. ... I helped lead the effort to say no. ... I helped vote that down. It was a group effort.”

Still, Gripe said excessive spending on the board is a problem for both Democrats and Republicans.

“A lot of federal money was poured into the county and if we are acting like this spigot turns on and will never run out, that’s not true,” Gripe said.

Term limits or elections

Gripe said he also is focused on term limits.

Davoust said when he was first elected he didn’t have a set time period in mind to serve.

“I tend to think those are elections,” Davoust said of term limits. “The [election] cycle came up and I asked myself do you believe there is work to be done still? And do you enjoy doing it? Yes to both.”

Gripe said he would approach term limits by working with other people who would agree not to seek more than a couple of terms and to campaign against candidates who won’t self-limit their terms.

“Part of the problem is we have people elected who think it’s for life,” Gripe said. “I am willing to work with people to try and get term limits. ... I’m sure as heck going to try. ... I’m a newbie in politics, not a newbie in conflict or a newbie on Earth.”

While Gripe sees Davoust’s longevity on the board as a liability, Davoust has endorsements from local public officials including state Sen. Don DeWitte; state Rep. Dan Ugaste; Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke, who is also chairman of the Kane/Kendall Council of Mayors; Campton Hills Village President Barbara Wojnicki; Maple Park Village President Suzanne Fahnestock; Geneva Township Supervisor Patrick Jaeger; St. Charles Township Supervisor Ron Johnson; and St. Charles City Council 5th Ward Alderman Steve Weber.

Without naming Gripe, DeWitte said in a Facebook post that “county government is not a good place for on-the-job training in a segment of local government with so much responsibility.”

But if incumbents are not doing everything they should, maybe it’s time to vote for someone else, Gripe said.

“How many times in politics have we seen this? ‘We loved him before, but something’s changed, it’s not clicking,’” Gripe said.

“We know you, Jon, and we know you could throw yourself at this and we know the kind of person you are and that you could be a very positive effect on all the board,” Gripe said his supporters told him.

Cannabis infusion vote

Gripe took issue with Davoust’s votes, such as his support in July 2023 for a special use zoning permit for a cannabis infusion plant in Elgin Township.

Gripe’s campaign literature states Davoust voted in favor of it although “90% of the citizens rejected this.”

Gripe could not say how the 90% was measured, other than there was a survey.

When told there was no evidence of a survey, Gripe said, “What I am relying on is people I trust to give me information of things that happened.”

Davoust said the issue was neighbors having misinformation about the nature of that cannabis business. It was to infuse products to be sold at dispensaries.

“There was no sales involved,” Davoust said. “It kind of reminded me of 2004 with all the hullaballoo about building the jail. People had horror stories. We got some facts straight, that infusion and dispensary are different things.”

Board packet size

Gripe also said he had an issue with the size of the board packets for county meetings that can run as many as 900 pages.

“I would go to the people [who are] vomiting words all over the page and on and on and on,” Gripe said. “How is that good for anybody?”

Davoust said that reducing the pages in meeting packets serves no purpose.

“This is the work that we have,” Davoust said. “This is what goes into an agenda. If we didn’t do it, there would be groups saying, ‘What are you hiding?’ ”

Meeting attendance

Gripe also cited Davout’s meeting attendance, saying he missed county board meetings in 2023 until he had a primary opponent and has not missed a meeting since.

Records show Davoust missed two meetings in June, the regular one and a special meeting, and the August meeting.

“If I can’t get myself to meetings without somebody breathing down my neck as a competitor, what does that say about me?” Gripe asked.

Davoust said his meeting attendance has nothing to do with the election.

“I don’t do the job based on having an opponent,” Davoust said.

More information about Davoust is available at www.facebook.com.

More information about Gripe is available at gripeforkane.com and on Facebook.