As part of this year’s election coverage, the Commercial-News is running a series of election stories.
In part one, we explored three statewide advisory questions which will be posed to voters this year. In part two, we asked candidates for Illinois Senator, 52nd Legislative District, to answer a few key questions regarding important issues. In part three, we looked at what the City of Danville’s Election Commission is doing to prevent voter fraud.
In this fourth part of the series, we learn more about the three candidates for Vermilion County Board from District 6 — Incumbents Lon Henderson and Mark Steinbaugh, and challenger William (Bill) Donahue.
Candidates were limited to three sentences each in their answers. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Tell us about yourself, your experience, and your family.
Bill Donahue: “I am a Democrat, a career prosecutor with 41 years of trial experience, and a previous County Board member and Board Finance Chair. My name is William, but most call me Bill. I have four brothers and one sister, and my parents are deceased. I am single and I have no children, except for a disabled godson I help out, and his sister.”
Lon Henderson: “I am a Republican, a retired educator, and I am married to Nancy. We have 2 adult sons and two grandchildren.”
Mark Steinbaugh: “I am a Republican, currently serving as a Vermilion County Board member for District 6 since April 2022, a Newell Township Trustee for over 20 years, a Vermilion County Farm Bureau Foundation Secretary/Treasurer, and a member of CrossRoads Christian Church. I retired from Birkey’s after 37 years of service to area farmers and businesses, so serving those within his surrounding community is a priority. I am married to my wife Teresa and have two daughters, Laura Webb and Rachel Campbell, and five grandchildren, all in Vermilion County.”
What is your position on the development of wind and solar farms in our county, and how would you approach balancing community concerns regarding possible environmental impacts with economic opportunities?
Donahue: “Having written the first wind farm and solar ordinances and a large part of the current updated ordinances, the tools are in the ordinances, if properly used and worked through by the Board, and currently they are not- possibly due to bad advice.
The key is involving community input and a review panel that is guided by a leader to review the proposal and using all of our resources from GIS mapping to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources environmental impact study to explore all issues, from conservation to agricultural issues, and not waiting until too late to make a proper record, at the review panel level.
By being directly involved and rigorously comparing the proposal with the requirements of the statute and ordinance we would either have a sound basis for denial of a permit, or a planned development that met the needs and concerns of the community as well as negotiating for the maximum community economic benefit, particularly for communities that want this development.”
Henderson: “There will continue to be an ever-increasing need for energy. Landowners and their neighbors should have a say in the development of wind and solar on their land. Unfortunately, the supermajority of Democrats in Springfield has severely limited any say that we have in the county for decision making on this issue.”
Steinbaugh: “While not in favor of wind or solar farms, the legislation of the State of Illinois requires county board members to approve such requests when put up for vote by majority of board members as long as requirements are met per request. Once approved, the environmental impacts and economic opportunities are somewhat questionable to the landowner, neighbor(s), or all involved.”
What steps would you take to address the condition of the animal control building, and how would you prioritize its replacement?
Donahue: “The Animal Control Building and staff deserve the proper tools to do a critical job and should not be treated as a second class arm of the County as they are now.
I would look at all sources of financing from municipal bonds that funded our courthouse and jail remodels, to a phased-in development weighing the costs of a remodel or a total reconstruction to minimize the cost but get the job done, and not excluding a solicited fundraising for a capital project.
I would also ask the Public Building Commission to assist in managing the project with a competent construction manager on the County’s side to ensure taxpayers are best served and the job done properly once and for all.”
Henderson: “I have visited the Animal Control building, and it needs renovation. I have supported additional dollars in next year’s county budget for that work, and I continue to push for a review of a 10-year-old agreement with the City of Danville as an independent evaluation showed that the city is underfunding the services they receive by over $300,000. These dollars would assist in making the needed renovations.”
Steinbaugh: “While this is an ongoing issue from the past and the future, the replacement of current facilities are dollars that would have to be budgeted in future annual budgets and monies available through taxpayer’s dollars. It seems unreasonable to suggest an increases to the residents of Vermilion County as a whole. If there is an alternative, those ideas and needs need to be determined and put forth to all concerned.”
How would you respond to recent concerns about illegal immigrants being sent to our county and the possible impact on our strained social services?
Donahue: “As a career prosecutor, I cannot and will not support anything illegal, but we need to reflect that our families were all immigrants once and there is nothing wrong with legal immigration.
Any immigrants must be documented and authorized, and in fact the law requires that any immigrant must be documented to work and the employer must file an I-9 to prove it, as we cannot be a home to unemployable people.
It is critical though that elected officials and community leaders need to be very careful about stoking community fear by spreading false rumors about “immigrants” to avoid discrimination against people who are properly documented and hard workers, or are already citizens but might look different, to avoid unjust and dangerous results to individuals.”
Henderson: “Our community’s social and mental health services are already strained in meeting the needs of our county. There is no need to challenge these services with individuals that have illegally entered our country.”
Steinbaugh: “Illegal immigrants are ILLEGAL. Enough said.”