Public strategist and funeral home employee vie for Winnebago County Board seat
Angela Fellars says public safety entails building safe, strong neighborhoods stabilized by residents with living-wage jobs.
Doug Mark says there is more to public safety than simply making arrests. It's crime prevention and deterrence.
Fellars, the incumbent District 19 Winnebago County Board member, is being challenged by Doug Mark, a former Rockford City Council member, for the county board seat in Tuesday's election.
The district is a large, jagged area straddling the Rock River and extending from East State Street to the south up to West Riverside Boulevard to the north.
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Both candidates identified public safety and economic development achieved in part by local governments working together and pooling resources as important issues.
Candidates were asked to help residents understand their respective platforms by responding to a questionnaire. Here are their responses:
Name: Angela Fellars
Age: 45
Family: Three children ages 13, 11, and 9
Education: Kelley School of Business, Indiana University Bloomington; The Training Center and Conservatory at Second City, Chicago; College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, University of Illinois Chicago.
Profession: Public policy strategist and consultant; tech startup founder; business owner; writer; speaker. Former director of finance for a Big Three auto manufacturer.
Memberships and associations: United Auto Workers, Next Rockford, Rockford Day Nursery board member, Blackhawk Learning Center board member
Political experience: Winnebago County Board Representative for the 19th District since December 2020
Endorsements: U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, State Sen. Steve Stadleman, Rockford Aldermen Jonathan Logemann and Bill Rose, Alderwoman Gina Meeks, Northwest Illinois Alliance of Realtors, Northwest Illinois Building Trades Association, United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 364, Plumbers & Pipefitters Union Local 23, Operating Engineers Local 150, Carpenters Union Locals 790 & 792, Teamsters Council 25, Teamsters Local 325 & 710, Sheetmetal Workers Union Local 219, Iron Workers 498, and AFSCME Council 31.
What are the top three issues in your race and how do you plan to address them if elected? Building safer, stronger neighborhoods through appropriately funded public safety and public services: I'm proud of my 100% voting record on public safety and the public services that prevent crime and violence. I will continue working to build safer, stronger neighborhoods by fighting for the things that make people safer, healthier, and that prevent crime and violence. Things like social and community services, healthcare, education, fair wage jobs, and support for working families, veterans, and seniors.
Tech infrastructure and economic development:We need jobs that will support families. We also need to protect the ones we have now from the COVID fall-out. I will continue working to modernize and expand internet and tech infrastructure, work to expand services like workforce training, childcare, and healthcare, and support our small businesses so that we can all get to work safely and quickly.
Fiscally responsible leadership/thriving within our means:I understand the needs of our community and remain committed to fiscal accountability. It’s crucial to taxpayers in our county that we balance needs with the realities of our budget. I will continue working with our county departments, community leaders and community organizations to find common ground, bring allies together and craft creative, mindful, common-sense solutions to the complex financial issues threatening our county’s solvency and stability.
Name: Doug Mark
Family: Sally, wife of 40 years; children, Andy (Beth) Mark, Tom Mark, Alison (John Paul) Toldo, Charlie Mark, John Mark and Matthew Mark; and six grandchildren
Age: 64
Residence: Rockford
Education: Guilford H.S. class of 1976, attended Rock Valley College and Illinois State University
Profession: Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory – Business Development and Family Services, UPS part time supervisor
Memberships and associations: Downtown Rotary, Rock River Development Partnership Board/ City Market, cantor at Cathedral of St. Peter
Political experience: Rockford alderman 3rd ward, 2001-2013; Rockford Township trustee, 2020-current
Endorsements: Winnebago County Board Chairman Joe Chiarelli; Sheriff Gary Caruana; States Attorney J. Hanley; County Circuit Clerk Tom Klein; County Clerk Lori Gummow; County Coroner Jennifer Muraski; State Sen. Dave Syverson; State Rep. Joe Sosnowski; Rockford Aldermen Tim Durkee, Chad Tuneberg, Kevin Frost, Frank Beach; former Aldermen Pat Curran and Jamie Getchius; former State's Attorney Paul Logli; Retired Air Force Gen. John Borling.
What are the top three issues in your race and how do you plan to address them if elected?
The top issue is crime and public safety. Public safety is the culmination of our criminal justice system and our ability to deal with crime. Arresting criminals is not enough. We need to use our resources and our criminal justice system to prevent and deter crime. I would have supported the resolution by the county board calling on our legislators to repeal the Safe-T Act.
Economic development and the expansion of the tax base is important so that we can pay for services and infrastructure without raising taxes on existing taxpayers. I would support the freezing of property taxes and an aggressive plan to expand our economy and job opportunities.
I support more cooperation between the city and county, as well as townships. All of these entities have resources and staffing that should be more integrated in order to achieve more sharing of resources including law enforcement. Where we can we should work together. My experience as both a Rockford alderman and township official make me uniquely qualified to lead that initiative. Our goal should always be to serve our constituents and be good stewards of taxpayer dollars.
Chris Green: 815-987-1241; cgreen@rrstar.com; @chrisfgreen
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Veteran politician and incumbent vying for Winnebago County Board seat
