Name: Marty Mohr
What office are you seeking: McHenry County Board District 8
What is your political party?
What is your current age? 54
Occupation and employer: Vice President of Risk Management; CJ Drilling, Inc.
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Elected Offices:
President, Marengo Park District Board of Commissioners (Elected 2019, 2023)
Republican Precinct Committeeman Marengo Precinct 4 (Elected 2022, 2024)
Bedford Township (Michigan) Park Board Trustee (Elected 1998)
Appointed Offices:
Marengo Cemetery Board of Commissioners (Appointed 2018)
Marengo Planning and Zoning Commission (Appointed 2022, Current Chairman)
McHenry County Community Development and Housing Grant Commission (Appointed 2020)
City: Marengo
Campaign website:
Education: Extensive professional background in risk management and public safety
Community involvement: Knights of Columbus, Marengo Park District Foundation, Sacred Heart Catholic Church (Marengo)
Marital status/Immediate family: Single no children.
What are your top three priorities for this district?
Community Safety: Leveraging my background as a former firefighter and risk management professional to ensure robust public safety services.
Responsible Growth & Land-Use: Utilizing my experience as Chair of Planning and Zoning to ensure development is smart, sustainable, and respectful of our rural character.
Sound Financial Stewardship: Bringing a proactive, risk-based approach to the county budget to ensure taxpayer dollars are used efficiently without compromising essential services.
The county board chose to allocate $500,000 in RTA sales tax dollars for squad cars in the current budget. The county historically has used RTA sales tax money for transportation, but can use the funds for public safety as well. Do you believe the county should keep those funds for transportation? If not, what transportation projects or initiatives would you be willing to postpone or cancel? What sort of public safety initiatives should those dollars fund?
My career has been dedicated to identifying and mitigating risks to ensure stability. Public safety is a fundamental responsibility of government. While transportation infrastructure remains vital, I support the flexibility to use RTA funds for public safety initiatives, such as equipping our Sheriff’s Office with necessary tools like squad cars, provided it is part of a comprehensive, long-term capital plan that does not leave critical road projects unfunded.What should be infrastructure priorities and projects over the next four years?
What is your position on data centers? Should the county be open to their development?
The county should be cautiously open to data center development. While these facilities can provide a significant boost to the tax base, they must be evaluated through a rigorous lens of responsible land use. As Chairman of a Planning and Zoning Commission, I understand that we must carefully weigh the benefits of tax revenue against the potential impact on our water table, power grid, and local environment. We should welcome growth that fits our community’s long-term vision but avoid projects that create long-term risks for our residents.
The county board is expected to have another tight budget season this year. If you’re an incumbent, please explain your vote on the current fiscal year budget, or, if you’re a challenger, how you would have voted. Looking ahead, if you must decide between raising the property tax levy or cutting programs, what would your choice be? What specific areas of spending would you seek to find cuts?
When I was elected to the Marengo Park District Board of Commissioners, the District was in a dire financial state.We didn’t solve it by just asking for more; we solved it through disciplined management and prioritizing essential services. I would bring that same mindset to the County Board.Before considering a levy increase, I would look for internal efficiencies and ensure we are maximizing every dollar we already have.
One financial stressor is the end of COVID-19 relief dollars. What should the county do with programs funded by federal COVID-19 dollars?
One-time federal dollars should never be used to fund permanent, ongoing obligations. As these funds expire, the Board must conduct a rigorous, line-item audit of every initiative they supported to determine its actual impact on the community. My professional background as a Vice President of Risk Management involves identifying and mitigating long-term liabilities to ensure stability. Applying that same proactive approach to the county budget, I believe non-essential programs and positions should be eliminated rather than being shifted onto the backs of local property taxpayers.
McHenry County is limited in its ability to regulate solar farms under state law. What is your stance on solar facilities on agricultural land? Does the risk of lawsuits factor into your stance? What about battery storage?
I am open to renewable energy, but I am firmly opposed to the state’s current approach, which strips local communities of their decision-making power. Illinois Public Act 102-1123 has “hamstrung” our county by preempting local zoning authority over commercial solar and wind projects. This is an unacceptable infringement on local governance.
The county must work aggressively with the Illinois Legislature to return these zoning rights to local government, where they belong. While some on the board have been hesitant due to the threat of litigation, I believe that standing up for our residents’ property rights and the protection of productive farmland is a fight worth taking to court. We should not allow the fear of a lawsuit to dictate our willingness to defend the rural character of McHenry County and the voices of the people who live here.
My stance on battery storage is the same: the authority to site these facilities must remain at the local level. As a professional in risk management, I am particularly concerned about the safety and environmental implications of large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), including fire suppression and thermal runaway risks. The state’s “one-size-fits-all” mandate ignores the unique geographical and safety concerns of our local fire protection districts. We must regain the legal right to enforce strict, local safety standards and zoning requirements for these installations, rather than being forced to comply with state-mandated minimums.
What is your stance on slaughterhouses in unincorporated McHenry County? What regulations should the county place on them?
My stance on battery storage is the same: the authority to site these facilities must remain at the local level. As a professional in risk management, I am particularly concerned about the safety and environmental implications of large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), including fire suppression and thermal runaway risks. The state’s “one-size-fits-all” mandate ignores the unique geographical and safety concerns of our local fire protection districts. We must regain the legal right to enforce strict, local safety standards and zoning requirements for these installations, rather than being forced to comply with state-mandated minimums.
County board members receive a $21,000 base salary and are eligible for benefits, like medical and dental insurance. Should the county board be eligible for benefits? Should the board raise its salary?
Being a Board member should be an honor and a commitment to the community, not a full-time career. While it is appropriate for board members to be compensated for the significant time and responsibility the role requires, this position should not come with additional benefits like medical and dental insurance at the expense of the taxpayers.
In my leadership roles with the Marengo Park District my focus has always been on sound financial stewardship rather than personal compensation. I do not support raising the board’s salary or providing taxpayer-funded benefits.