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Name:
Clint Hull
What office are you seeking?
Mayor, City of St. Charles
What is your political party?
The mayoral race is non-partisan
What is your current age?
57
Occupation and employer:
Retired Circuit Judge, State of Illinois, 16th Judicial Circuit, Kane County
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Chief Judge of the 16th Judicial Circuit (2019-2023). Responsible for leading an Illinois Judicial Circuit serving 500,000+ residents, including St. Charles. Administered a $26.2 million budget, managed 31 judges, 26 courtrooms, 300+ employees and provided oversight of the Judiciary, Court Services, Public Defender’s Office, and Law Library.
First Assistant State’s Attorney of the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office (2004-2009). Served as second in command, the highest position in the department. Managed 56 attorneys and 74 support staff and administered an $8 million budget.
President of St. Charles Park District Board (2002-2004). Assisted in facilitating the acquisition of state land, James O. Breen Community Park, a 348-acre parcel valued at over $26.5 million at NO cost to St. Charles taxpayers.
City:
St. Charles
Campaign Website:
Education:
Juris Doctor | DePaul University College of Law, Chicago, Illinois
Bachelor of Arts – Speech Communications | University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana, Illinois
Graduate | St. Charles High School, St. Charles, Illinois
Community Involvement:
I am a HardyStrong Foundation board member, a St. Charles Booster Club board member, a St. Charles Kiwanis Club member, the head of the District 303 Distinguished Alumni Award Committee, and serve on the Jodie Harrison Lifetime Achievement Award Committee.
I volunteer for District 303 as the co-creator and presenter of Worries of the World Wide Web and as a frequent speaker at area schools, including Too Good for Drugs assemblies, National Honor Society inductions, teaching law to students, and guest speaking at the Human Relations Award ceremony.
As a result of my lifelong dedicated service to the St. Charles community, I am proud to have received the 2017 Charlemagne Award, which is a lifetime achievement award presented by the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce and is bestowed on an individual with a long history of volunteerism and dedication to our community. I am also proud to have received the 2018 William D. Barth Award presented by TriCity Family Services which recognizes one individual each year who has made a significant and positive impact through community service.
Marital status/Immediate family:
My wife Amy and I have been married for 32 years. We have raised our four children in St. Charles, all graduates of St. Charles East High School.
Questions:
How important is sustainability/eco friendly energy? Major factors in decision to renew IMEA contract?
Sustainable and eco-friendly energy is essential for St. Charles’s future. These initiatives help cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, improve public health, and boost our local economy by creating jobs in renewable energy sectors. Recent advancements in technology, such as solar and wind energy, must continue to be explored as we move our City into the future. By focusing on sustainability, St. Charles can continue to lead the state as a community, ensuring a healthier, vibrant future for all its residents.
Major factors in decision to renew the IMEA contract?
1). Timing. The original contract did not call for a renewal decision until 2030, so there is no need to make a decision now. We should not feel rushed to decide before having all of the information we need about our options.
2). Integrated Resource Plan. We need to understand our options before making the decision to renew. We should request an Integrated Resource Plan to help identify, understand, and evaluate our current and future energy needs before deciding on renewal.
3). Community Input. Our residents have a vested interest in this decision. We need to listen to our residents and consider their input when evaluating our options.I believe the City of St. Charles should follow the same path recently approved by a fellow IMEA member, the City of Naperville, and hire an energy consultant to assist the city council, city staff, businesses, and citizens in understanding and evaluating all available options before deciding on early renewal. Hiring an energy consultant will supplement and enhance the information and recommendations provided by city staff and put the City Council in a better position to understand its options when procuring energy and the ancillary services for the City of St. Charles for generations to come.
Is keeping the dam important to you? Why?
Yes, keeping the dam is important to me. As a lifelong resident and elected member of the Park Board from 1996-2004, I understand the importance the dam has played in our City’s history. The Fox River has been instrumental in developing the City of St. Charles, providing its citizens with recreational and economic opportunities, and playing an essential role in the lives of St. Charles residents. Whether walking its banks, canoeing or kayaking, fishing or cruising the river in a motorboat, it should remain for people to enjoy. We, of course, should continue to work to enhance the river’s health.
I believe it is in the City’s best interest to continue to monitor the actions and requests of the Army Corps and Illinois Department of Natural Resources before taking action on the dam’s future. Additionally, the City should prioritize working collaboratively with the River Corridor Foundation to consider the different initiatives they have put forward for consideration and surrounding municipalities to see their plans for their dams.
Unless future studies demonstrate that maintaining the dam “as is” is cost-prohibitive or endangers the safety of our residents, I am in favor of keeping the dam operating as it has been to continue providing recreational and economic opportunities for our residents.
Are there any businesses you would not accept campaign donations from?
I am and will continue to vet each campaign donation made to me to ensure the contribution is made in strict compliance with the Illinois State Board of Elections regulations.
When we talk about campaign donations, we are also talking about ethics and transparency. I consider it essential to be honest and upfront about the businesses and people contributing to my campaign.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
My 30-plus-year career as a prosecutor and judge has been spent following and enforcing the law. The Illinois Trust Act, enacted by the Illinois General Assembly in 2017, states that a law enforcement agency or official in the State of Illinois may not participate, support, or assist in any capacity with an immigration agent’s enforcement operations without a federal criminal warrant. The St. Charles Police Department must follow Illinois law. If a federal criminal warrant has been issued for an individual, the St. Charles Police Department should follow the law and cooperate with ICE in executing the warrant.
We also need to recognize that this area of the law creates anxiety and stress for members of our community. We must always be mindful that we must treat everyone with respect and dignity in all interactions.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
As Mayor, my philosophy will always be to make decisions that are in the best interest of all of St. Charles’s citizens being mindful of the need for fiscal responsibility and keeping taxes in check without sacrificing our quality of life.
My top three priorities for the City are:
1). Redevelopment of the Charlestowne Mall property
The Charlestowne Mall property, except for Van Maur and Classic Cinemas, has been closed since 2017. This is the number one issue our community talks to me about, and while I recognize that it is a tough one to solve, it does not mean that it is unsolvable. To succeed in redeveloping this property, we must first find out why others have pulled out of the project to learn what we can do differently to achieve a successful outcome. We need to talk to our surrounding cities, such as Aurora (Fox Valley Mall), Bloomingdale (Stratford Square Mall), and West Dundee (Spring Hill Mall), to find out how they attracted developers and approved mixed-use plans to redevelop their aging malls. And finally, we need to be transparent and let our citizens know what is happening. Our City’s website has one page with limited information on a project that has been ongoing for over eight years.I have been attending City Council meetings for the last 15 months, and minimal conversation has occurred at meetings about this project.We owe it to our City to bring a viable solution.
2). Redevelopment of the old police station site
The St. Charles Police Station moved into its new site on Main Street in September 2019, leaving the property on Riverside Avenue available for potential redevelopment.This is the second biggest issue I hear constituents raise when I go door-to-door and have face-to-face meetings with voters. I support the City Council’s decision in 2024to hire consultants to conduct a feasibility study about the site. This will provide important information and help all parties decide the best path forward.If elected, I will immediately contact and seek input from the various stakeholders on which the redevelopment project will impact. Regardless of the feasibility study results, understanding the concerns of the affected neighborhoods, businesses, and other governmental agencies about the site’s future is critical to ensuring the site’s redevelopment.
3). Building consensus among council members
Building consensus among all alderpersons is key to successfully implementing my top two priorities for the City. The City works best when all 10 alderpersons from our five wards feel heard and respected. I have brought people together my entire life even in times of crisis, and that is what I will do as your Mayor.
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
The key to balancing economic development with environmental sustainability in our community is prioritizing our communication and collaboration with local businesses when making decisions impacting their ability to operate and expand. There is a recognition that we need to reduce greenhouse gases and transition to finding more sustainable and eco-friendly energy sources. However, the City must also recognize that in some cases, implementing environmentally friendly codes/ordinances may increase costs for our residents and businesses and impact their ability to succeed. The key to success is ensuring everyone has a seat at the table when making decisions that affect our future. We should also use resources like the Greenest Region Compact, an initiative of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus to work with surrounding communities to “leverage the strengths of municipal government to build vibrant, sustainable communities across the Chicago Region.”
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
St. Charles officially adopted a Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan in September 2023. The plan recognized that our citizens want to make St. Charles more walkable and bicycle friendly. To accomplish that goal, we must find more ways to bring people downtown without driving. Public transportation is the best way to do that.
I would enhance public transportation by working with other inter-governmental agencies like Pace to see what options are available to increase service to downtown St. Charles. If their financial constraints make increased service unlikely, we can and should still look for innovative ways to fund smaller initiatives like a trolley system, ride-sharing initiatives and adding more bike racks that may help ease traffic concerns. I also prioritize working with our local County Board members, State Representatives, Senators and surrounding municipalities to advocate for additional services.
Before we focus on enhancing the infrastructure, the City must prioritize and find funding for the current infrastructure needs that impact the day-to-day operations of our City. City Staff have identified several large projects that must be addressed to improve the City’s infrastructure. These projects include but are not limited to updating an aging water and sewer system, replacing lead piping over the next ten years at an approximate cost of 80 million dollars, and road resurfacing. My plan for addressing the infrastructure needs of our City starts with working with the City Council and staff to prioritize the most pressing needs, working with local legislators to learn if there are State grants available to help fund them, and then working on each need top-down.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
The city council should continue to work directly with the St. Charles Business Alliance, the Chamber of Commerce, Metro West, and business organizations to identify existing and future opportunities to support businesses and economic growth. We need to explore models that have been successful in neighboring communities, such as incubating small businesses and resource sharing.
I favor reasonable and responsible economic incentives to existing businesses to help them grow and expand and to help attract new businesses.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
For over thirty years as both a judge and a prosecutor, I have worked with the St. Charles Police Department to protect our community and supported the St. Charles Fire Department and other first responders my entire career. As the First Assistant State’s Attorney at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office (2005-2009) I worked hand in hand with the St. Charles Police Department on public safety issues by conducting trainings, providing legal advice, and prosecuting individuals who committed crimes in St. Charles. I will bring this wealth of experience when making decisions affecting our residents’ and visitors’ welfare and safety. My top priorities are:
1). Prevent/reduce violent crimes
2). Prevent/reduce Driving Under the Influence of Drugs and/or Alcohol
3). Traffic enforcement of speeding prioritizing residential neighborhoods
4). Work with our school resource officers to work with students on topics like digital safety, vaping and alcohol and drug use.
5). Work cooperatively with the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office to prosecute individuals who commit crimes in St. Charles.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
As a resident and Mayor, I want St. Charles to be a community where everyone feels welcome, respected, and included. I am proud to be a lifelong resident and feel the City has always been welcoming and embraced diversity.
In 2023, the City Council approved the creation of an Equity and Inclusion Commission. The Commission’s purpose “is to create recommendations…to foster an inclusive community that is welcome to all residents, businesses, employees, and visitors.” I will rely on the Commission’s recommendations and listen to individuals and groups to promote inclusion for all residents.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
Yes, I support requiring all government officials to disclose potential conflicts of interest publicly. Throughout my professional career as an attorney and judge, I had an ethical responsibility to disclose all potential conflicts of interest to avoid any appearance of impropriety. The Mayor and City Council must be held to the same standard. If elected, I would require all city council members and anyone appointed to commissions/committees to attend an educational session to ensure everyone understands what a conflict of interest is, the importance of disclosing them, and to teach them how that should be done.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
1). I will keep regular office hours to remain accessible and approachable
2). I will respond to all emails/letters sent to me, and I will return your phone calls. I care about what you have to say.
3). I will continue to hold meetings throughout the year and at varying times to reach multiple sectors at convenient times for them.
Communication is the key to a successful government. Some government officials use surveys, state-of-the-city presentations, press releases, etc., to communicate with their constituents, but this is not good enough.
Throughout my campaign, I have met with residents face to face in Study Room 4 at the St. Charles Public Library. I feel in-person communication is vital to learning our citizens’ needs. As your next Mayor, I will continue to prioritize each voice in all matters related to our City’s success.