Clint Hull: 2025 candidate for St. Charles mayor

Bio

Office Sought: St. Charles mayor

City: St. Charles

Age: 57

Occupation: Retired Circuit Court Judge 16th Circuit

Previous offices held: Chief Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit; First Assistant State’s Attorney of the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office; St. Charles Park District Board President; Illinois Association of Park Districts, Chair.

Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? Also, what makes you the best candidate for the position?

I am running because I want to continue serving the community I have lived in and championed my entire life. My motivations to run are based on my belief that St. Charles is the best city in the state and my desire to work every day to ensure St. Charles remains an affordable and attractive community to live, work, and raise a family.

I am the most qualified and experienced candidate for the job as my 30+ years of leadership and management experience in the public sector is unmatched. I have served as a chief judge entrusted with leading Kane County’s court system of 550,000 residents, a First Assistant State’s Attorney, prosecuting serious crimes, and a St. Charles Park Board President, elevating and protecting our green spaces. My leadership style will focus on bringing the city council together so that, unlike now, all 10 alderpersons have a voice and are heard.

My passion and energy for St. Charles is off the charts. Throughout my entire life, I have worked side by side with people, businesses, and charitable organizations who help our community in numerous ways. I will work each day to encourage, inspire, motivate, and support the people, organizations, and missions they serve.

What is the most serious issue your community will face in coming years and how should leaders respond to it?

The most serious issue is making a decision about future energy. The current contract with the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency runs through 2035. IMEA has requested we renew its contract until 2055 and has given the city a deadline of April 30, 2025.

This crucial issue is the subject of city council meetings and community meetings and will continue until a decision is made. Including sustainable and eco-friendly energy in its energy mix would allow St. Charles to lead Illinois as a community that ensures a healthier, vibrant future for all its residents.

The mayor must lead from the front as the person who guides the city council, residents, businesses, intergovernmental partners, and city staff through their decision-making process. The decision’s importance requires a leader with experience solving complex problems and guiding a large organization through the process.

As Chief Judge, when COVID hit and our courthouses were closed, I faced creating a solution to provide all of Kane County (550,000+ residents) with safe access to our courts. I spearheaded transitioning 26 in-person courtrooms into a fully remote court system as the first circuit in the state.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

St. Charles remains financially stable, with assets exceeding liabilities by $314.6 million. The city’s general fund balance of $32.7 million is a financial cushion for emergencies. Revenue streams remain steady, with sales and property taxes as primary sources, but the city also holds $88.4 million in long-term bond debt.

Top Priorities:

1. Public safety: Primary focus on funding for police, fire, and first responders.

2. Infrastructure upgrades: Illinois has mandated lead pipe replacement, a critical but costly project estimated at $75 million over the next decade to ensure safe drinking water. We also need to address upgrading our aging water and sewer systems, scheduled road maintenance, and identified bike and pedestrian improvements.

3. Economic development: Revitalization efforts, including addressing Charlestowne Mall, which currently has no redevelopment plan.

My goal is to hold the line on taxes. Given the unforeseen mandate on replacing lead pipes within the 10 years and the need to fix our aging water and sewer systems, nonessential expenditures that do not align with public safety, infrastructure, or economic growth should be reviewed to ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

The replacement of the lead service line is the most important infrastructure project. Lead pipes have a direct impact on the health of our residents, especially children.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has mandated all cities must identify and replace lead piping within 10 years. This is an unfunded mandate that St. Charles must comply with and could not plan (budget) for.

The estimated cost to the city is approximately $75 million over the project’s lifetime or $7.5 million annually. To pay for the project, the city should pursue low-interest Illinois EPA funding and work proactively to find other grant funding that may be offered to help offset the cost.

Regarding what projects can be put on the back burner, the city must always be vigilant when evaluating future projects and the potential cost to taxpayers. The key is to focus and prioritize those projects that must be done to continue to provide its residents and businesses with what is needed and expected.

A specific project that could be put on the back burner is the renovation of the city council chambers and conference room project. This is a project that is not essential and could be deferred.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

My leadership style is to build diverse teams reflecting a wide range of perspectives, including gender, cultural and ethnic backgrounds, age, educational experiences, etc. I believe in active listening, seeking out opinions especially if they are different than my own and encouraging discussion to reach common ground. This builds trust, enriches innovation, creates consensus, and enhances problem-solving to achieve best results.

I have led teams as a Chief Judge, First Assistant State’s Attorney, Park Board President, and head of community organizations resulting in outcomes I am extremely proud of:

• Building out a designated courtroom to better serve abused/neglected children in Kane County.

• Working with local law enforcement to create No Refusal Weekends, an initiative that has led to the arrest of hundreds of drunk drivers.

• The creation of the STC Underground, a teen center for St. Charles students.

• Bringing Mark Potter, a nationally recognized speaker on mental health issues to St. Charles high school students and staff.

• Founding executive board member of HardyStrong Foundation, a charitable organization to bring awareness to stomach cancer and honor Justin Hardy’s memory.

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

I would advocate that the city council create a new commission whose sole focus would be understanding and meeting our senior citizens’ needs. The city has several commissions, including a youth commission, but nothing focuses on our seniors.

As our population ages and their needs grow, the city of St. Charles must help our seniors stay in the community they supported and raised their families in. Currently, the city only has a webpage and resource guide devoted to our senior community. We can and should do better.

As I have knocked on doors and communicated with residents throughout my campaign, I have learned that many seniors living in St. Charles need assistance and are unsure where to go and who to ask. The goal of the commission would be to bring our senior citizens together to share their thoughts and concerns on the issues that are important to them (city fees and taxes, affordable housing, transportation, social/mental well-being, etc.)

The commission’s focus will be on bringing our entire community together to collaborate on ways to make sure our seniors needs are met and that they can continue to thrive as St. Charles residents.