When I ran for office 8-years ago, there was only a few reasons people told me they wanted me to look out for.

As I spoke to people while out canvassing, Keeping Hillcrest Village a quiet and pleasant place for those that live here was the most important thing.

And just as I found it, anything that affected our bills was going to be questioned, should be refused or made to be explained how it made our lives better.

Watching out for what the Village Trustees were doing to our bills and the overall Village milieu. I did that that by becoming a Trustee through being elected.

Not joining any kind of cliques or trying to get my friends in positions of power, employment or financial influence over us was a main focus to an honest record.

AND (after taking office):

It was discovered by new President Steve Dodson that all of the Village computers had their hard drives removed.

I’m still questioning why the Hard Drives to all of the Villages computers were taken and not returned.

I called the police when we found out but nothing was ever done about it.

But why am I abrasive? I mean and rude person?

Under President Kim Whalen, we had a Lawyer on a retainer fee of $4000.00 a month. That’s $48,000 a year. She didn’t do that without approval from a majority of trustees voting yes.

That Lawyer was removed by a majority vote of Trustees.

Ask the Board of Trustees what our attorney fees are now. They usually are less than a quarter as much now.

There was a Sewer System put into a limited amount of places without even one record of any actual failing Septic Tanks.  The Village was put into debt of over a Million-Dollars to put in a Sewer System when not even one septic Tank was examined to justify that debt.

And our Water and Water tank issues were utterly ignored.

We had a police force . . . it appeared, that was not accountable to anyone for when, where and how they worked.

That they all walked off the job announced on the front page of Rochelle’s newspaper. That is something that should never be forgotten.

The very first conversation that came up about it with a resident was very telling. They said that they didn’t even know we had four officers working for the Village.

That says a bundle.

And besides, we are all paying taxes to employ the Ogle County Sheriffs Department and always have been.  The Village of Hillcrest exists within their coverage and they have always done a good job in responding in as timely a manner as they voluminous Ogle County allows.

But maybe it’s time to look within the newly open budget to employ our own ways to keep Hillcrest safe, secure and financially sound. Maybe we should start using camera’s and a Neighborhood watch program.

And now we can afford more Speed Bumps.

Am I abrasive?

Um, to be forthcoming about that, YES.

Everything I say at the Board meetings is recorded.

For example, I said that if people don’t like Speed Bumps in the Village . . .

Tough.

If you don’t speed, then slowing for a speed bump is as easy as slowing for a speed bump.

If my voice and vote for wanting a safe place to live for our children and neighbors upsets anyone, then if I run for office again, a no vote will say all you need to say.

If you want to come to a Board Meeting and step up to the Podium and speak you mind, I will listen as well.

But be prepared for me not to be silent in response.

I was not elected to “vote my conscience,” I was voted in to do what the residents of Hillcrest wanted me to do.

And safety within the Village and its streets – which have NO SIDEWALKS – was an issue that the majority of people I spoke with wanted protected.

Protecting our bills from rising in stupid ways was paramount.

Not turning our streets into a race track.

Keeping Hillcrest a lovely place to live.

Looking out for the oldest parts of Hillcrest FIRST.

Always thinking and acting like a neighbor and not a politician. 

Thank you,

Tim Ball – Trustee