Chad Kalecki
County Board Member
District 3
 

  MainSource Bank
421 Brown Blvd.
Bourbonnais, IL 60914
Phone: (815) 937-1300

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What is your party affiliation and how do you represent that through your leadership?

I am a republican, and proud of that. I represent my party and our views through my leadership by supporting conservative measures and opposing spending on frivolous matters.

How long have you been an elected official?   

I've been an elected official for one year now. My first anniversary with the county board was July 11, 2007.

What other, if any, elected offices have you held?

This is the first elected office I have ever held.

Tell us about your district... 

District #3 is a very large rectangle-like district, without straight boundary lines. I represent the entire village of St. Anne, most of Wichert, and even Southwestern Momence. There are four voting precincts in my district; St. Anne #1, St. Anne #2, Ganeer Township #1 and Momence Township #2.

Many would say you're a young whipper-snapper, how do you deal with the pressure of representing your community at such a young age?

The most important way I deal with the pressure of representing my community at such a young age is to never let the nay-sayers get me down. As a politician, you need to have a steadfast belief that what you are doing is right for your constituents. Granted, you can never make everyone happy, and arguments will always arise, But these arguments are based on the issue, and are natural and healthy for our political system. That being said, being as young as I am ads a new "universal criticism" to the equation. No matter which way I vote on an issue, I can be criticized by ad hominem arguments about my age. However, I trust that the people of my district will support me and the choices I make.

What do you want to achieve at the County Board level for your district?

I want to see the economic development of Kankakee, Bradley and Bourbonnais grow to a point where people move to Kankakee County to work, and not leave Kankakee County to find work. That being said, I believe that the rural St. Anne area is a perfect place to live. We have a quiet rural way of life, and a clean environment. I try to encourage economic growth in the villages I represent, but small businesses don't always fare well in rural areas. The most important thing for me to concentrate on for district #3 is the continuation and improvement of county-wide public services (police patrols, road maintenance, transportation issues, etc.) that benefit us all daily.

What three things are always in your refrigerator?

I always have string cheese, iced tea and ketchup in the fridge, and no I don't eat them together!

What is your favorite community landmark?

My favorite community landmark is "downtown" St. Anne. I remember when I was a kid walking with my friends and family down Station Street in St. Anne near the bank and grocery store. To this day, every time I see this area I get very nostalgic, and remember exactly why I chose to make St. Anne my home permanently.

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