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Name:
Josh Hagen
What office are you seeking?
Trustee for the Village of Johnsburg
What is your political party?
Independent
What is your current age?
40
Occupation and employer:
President & Owner - Prem Magnetics & Remington Industries
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
I have been a Trustee in Johnsburg for nearly 8 years.
City:
Johnsburg
Campaign Website:
citizensforaunitedjohnsburg.org
Education:
Carthage College ’07 - Degree in Business Administration, Degree in Marketing, Minor in Economics
Community involvement:
Village of Johnsburg Trustee – 2 terms; Village of Johnsburg Economic Development Committee Chairman – 2 terms; Johnsburg Area Business Association - Current Board Member and Past President; The Markets of Remington Farm Farmer’s Market and Community Garden - Co-Founder; Johnsburg Boy Scout Troop 455 - Board Member; Safe Families for Children foster parent; former DCFS foster parent (until we adopted our girls)
Marital status/Immediate family:
My wife Sarah and I started dating when we were at Johnsburg High School, and got married during college. We are about to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We have 5 children ages 18-12 – 3 boys and 2 girls.
Questions:
Should the village continue the lawsuit against the Pistakee Yacht Club? If not, how would you seek to resolve the dispute? Should the village have a plan in place if the club chooses to close because of the lawsuit?
I’ve been a Regular voting member of the Pistakee Yacht Club for 4 years, and a Social member for many years before that. As a member of both the Village of Johnsburg and PYC, I’ve abstained from all direct discussions and votes. However, the effects of this lawsuit will have much broader implications for village residents and stakeholders, specifically properties with a variance or special use permit. If the village no longer agrees with your allowed use, they reserve the right to remove your variance at their will, which I believe to be a misuse of authority.
Many of the new housing developments planned or recently built throughout the McHenry County area have been multi-family rather than single-family, and many are rentals rather than owner-occupied. What are your views on this trend? Do you support this type of development? Why or why not?
I do support this type of development, because Johnsburg needs a diverse mix of housing options. The village has long desired to have single family homes situated on large lots. However, as consumer tastes and macroeconomic realities have changed in recent years, we need to be open to a larger mix of residential choices to accommodate these preferences. We are fortunate that the village has a lot of options for people to consider in current developments and available land for future developments.
A recent study commissioned by the McHenry County Board found a need for more workforce housing in the county. Do you support any form of subsidized housing to address that need? Is there enough affordable housing in the community and, if not, how would you attempt to address that?
I do support the expansion of workforce housing, as affordability has become a major issue. I voted in favor of the Berkshire development in downtown Johnsburg, as I felt that was a very good, converted use for the former Bush School. However, I voted no on the recent workforce housing development at Rt. 31 and Johnsburg Rd., because I did not believe that to be the best location or use of that commercial property. I pressed the developer to allow us some additional options from their portfolio that included a retail/residential component but was outvoted. If another development were presented that fits our plans and goals, I would be happy to consider it.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
This is a multifaceted issue with strong arguments for both sides. Village Trustees are not typically involved in these decisions through the Illinois TRUST Act, but if it were presented to us, I would listen to all arguments and make a decision based on what’s best for our community.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
- Business Growth & Support: As an owner of multiple small businesses in Johnsburg (as well as business chamber board member and current Economic Development Committee chair), I feel that small businesses are the lifeblood of a community. The village needs to work with these businesses to build up and thrive, instead of constantly throwing roadblocks and unnecessary regulations in their way. We also need to expand our marketing efforts to allow more potential developers to find us. Finally, we need to be flexible in reviewing new ideas that may not match our original comprehensive plans but could provide a benefit to the village.
- Transparency/Communication: We need to work hard to keep our residents well informed about what their government is doing. We should strive to meet them where they are, by making information easily accessible on our website or social media, making meetings easy to attend either in person or live streamed, and giving them all the information available, not just the bare minimum.
- Improve Relationships: The village needs to foster collaboration among all our local organizations – the school district, other government entities, civic organizations, and businesses. Together, we can work to build a stronger community based on trust and common goals, instead of spite and ill will.
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
Johnsburg needs to be selective about the type of business that we allow to go in certain locations. I am a big proponent of expanding development, but not at any cost.
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
I commend past village boards and staff for the arduous work of building out the village’s infrastructure over time. Through good planning, solid fiscal responsibility, and pursuing grants, we’ve consistently added improvements in a sustainable way. During my 8 years as a trustee, we’ve continued to make improvements with the sewer expansions, streetscape improvements, and the new municipal center, as well as many other projects. The village should continue to prepare engineering plans for potential projects, and work to secure additional grants to offset the costs to our residents. Regarding public transportation, I support the local transportation programs but would like to see some additional options available if they could bring down the cost.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
The Board of Trustees plays a crucial role for small businesses and the local economy. As a business owner and board member of the Johnsburg Area Business Association (as well as my degrees in business and marketing, and focus on economics), I’ve worked tirelessly to promote and advocate for our local businesses. And while the village cannot make businesses come to Johnsburg, we can work diligently to provide opportunities and support regulations that allow them to be successful. One example is the soon-to-be-released website that the Economic Development Committee and I have been championing. This will allow potential developers and businesses to easily find relevant information and showcase the benefits of coming to Johnsburg. I’ve also developed a commercial property search page to make it easy to find available space. Finally, with my marketing background, I worked on a strategy to get in front of a broader audience and allow Johnsburg to be seen. Unfortunately, the project was hindered by administrative roadblocks before it was truly allowed to take off.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
Johnsburg and other municipalities have difficulty maintaining the proper number of staff in their police force. Fewer applicants over the past several years have decreased the pool of available officers, putting a strain on maintaining daily operations. Additionally, more regulations from the state make it more difficult and expensive for the department every year. Finally, I believe our laws and ordinances should be enforced consistently across the village.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
This goes back to my point about transparency and communication. Residents and stakeholders don’t want to feel misinformed because they don’t belong to the right group. Information about what is happening in their village should be easily accessible and broadcast on various channels. This will also be a major benefit of our new website. No one should feel like an outsider if they’ve lived in Johnsburg for “only” 10 years, as we’ve all heard many times.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
Yes – Proper disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is necessary to build public trust, and transparency in government needs to extend to the individuals running for office. However, I believe there is some confusion about what’s required to be disclosed, so additional training for elected officials would be useful. This includes the Statement of Economic Interest forms.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
Since I was elected in 2017, I’ve included my cell phone number on my village business card that’s available to text or call, or my village email is always available. My business is also in town, so I encourage residents and stakeholders to stop by my office to discuss anything on their mind.