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Name:
Timothy Hoeft
What office are you seeking?
Huntley Village President
What is your political party?
Independent
What is your current age?
45
Occupation and employer:
Engineer/Excavation Contractor
What offices, if any, have you previously held?
Huntley Village President 2021-Current; Village Trustee 2015-2021; and Planning and Zoning Commission 2011-2015
City:
Huntley (I am a 40+ year resident).
Campaign Website:
Education:
Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Agricultural Business/Engineering, University of Wisconsin Platteville, 2002
Community Involvement:
Huntley Harvestors 4-H Club Leader for 25 Years+, Huntley Fall Fest Committee, and Huntley Lions Club for 10 Years.
Marital status/Immediate family:
I’ve been married to Melissa for 17 years. We have a 15-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son.
Questions:
Huntley is due to get a stop on the new Chicago-to-Rockford train line. Where should the station go? Should Huntley make any changes to downtown to try to accommodate a station?
The Village of Huntley (VOH) was told to be ready to accept passengers downtown in 2015. The VOH completed engineering, and then the project was cancelled. Since that time and under my leadership, the VOH has added public parking lots and re-developed the originally proposed property. In that redevelopment process, the VOH left room for the train platform that was proposed for 2015. In July 2023, the VOH was informed that the passenger rail plan was in place for 2027. I, along with VOH staff, met with various officials from the State of Illinois, Metra and McHenry County in August 2023 to do an on-site review in downtown Huntley. I believe looking at map was not the same as visually evaluating the area. I felt it was crucial to express logistical and traffic concerns of a station located with the proximity to RT 47 and Main St.
The VOH has other possible locations for a train station; however, the VOH has several unanswered questions. The VOH continues to ask these questions without resolution. For example, what does ridership look like? What is the financial impact to the VOH (i.e. construction, maintenance, public safety, traffic congestion)? What are the proposed train schedules? How many trains per day? I will not decide or propose a plan to our Board without knowing these vital answers. Additionally, the VOH needs to know from our residents if they want passenger rail service to stop in Huntley. We have one chance to do this and do it right. I do not believe it is wise to speculate what we are going to do without knowing the full potential impact on our village.
What businesses should Huntley try to recruit?
The Village of Huntley’s Economic Development Team is constantly reaching out to businesses to make Huntley their home. Under my leadership, the VOH hired a national consulting firm who specialized in retail/restraint recruitment. I wanted to make sure the VOH is doing everything we could to attract new businesses. The VOH has thrived the last 4 years with balanced growth in all sectors. With our proximity to I-90 and Route 47, Huntley is a prime location for all types of business from warehousing, manufacturing and logistics to the small businesses and restaurants we have seen in our vibrant downtown district. The VOH and prior Boards have carefully planned our growth over the last 35+ years. We continue to attract many different types of business to invest in our community that can benefit our Village and the region. I believe we need to keep recruiting all types of businesses to maintain the balance that meets the ever changing world we live in.
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 believe in balanced growth. For years, Huntley has needed more multi-family housing. As of February 1, 2025, Huntley has two approved multifamily developments and one more proposed development that has been in front of our Board conceptually. I think these three developments offer a variety of multifamily options, from apartments to duplex style and traditional town house options. This is a trend that is market and consumer driven. This type of development makes a well-rounded housing option. Balanced growth across all sectors has always been and will always be a priority to me.
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 have been working towards attainable housing in the Village of Huntley. The VOH is actively addressing this concern as noted with the developments mentioned in the previous question. Furthermore, one of these developments are planning to offer single family homes that will be priced to help fill this need.
Should local law enforcement cooperate with ICE to identify and deport immigrants who do not have legal status to be in the United States?
Local law enforcement cannot impede a federal law enforcement operation. “Immigrants that do not have a legal status” means only one thing … Illegal. Our police department is on call 24/7 to protect our residents from all illegal activity.
What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?
1. Public Safety is always at the top of my list, and we have a talented team with the various VOH departments, community partners, as well as our volunteer groups. Our various departments and groups continue to earn various accolades for our commitment to public safety.
2. Balanced economic development/fiscal responsibility - Since I took office as Village President in 2021, there has been a balanced budget every year and we voted to maintain the Villages portion of your property tax levy. We need leadership in place that knows how to balance the high level of services we expect while maintaining the lowest cost possible.
During the last 4 years, the Village of Huntley has experienced growth in all areas of our village. Residential, Commercial, e-commerce and manufacturing. We need to welcome new business and development opportunities to help reduce the tax burden to our residents. Growth must not only pay for itself, but also provide future financial and community benefits to our residents.
3. Infrastructure improvement/maintenance - The Village of Huntley has an annual infrastructure program that we use for the maintenance and reconstruction of our existing infrastructure. The funds needed for these projects have been part of a multi-year plan which include motor fuel tax dollars. Huntley grew at a very fast pace during the early 2000s. As a result of that early 2000s growth, much of our infrastructure is aging at the same rate. I will not put infrastructure maintenance or replacement on the “back burner” because neglecting it will only cost us more down the road.
How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?
The VOH has guidelines to ensure development meets certain guidelines, including landscaping. I am also an advocate of growth pays for growth. With that being said, we have one development that has reserved space for a dog park, and another development is adding a park. We are also always evaluating infrastructure to ensure sustainability.
What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?
The Kreutzer Road realignment has been on my list for more than 5 years. The VOH is in the final stages for the widening and realignment project. MCRide is a public transportation option for our residents in McHenry county.
What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?
We have staff within our organization that focus on economic development and business retention. As Elected officials, we must listen to the needs of our business community, just as we listen to our residents. I believe our formula is working based on the economic growth in the VOH under my leadership.
What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?
Public Safety is at the top of my priority list. Under my leadership, the Village added the new role of Emergency response and Preparedness Manager. The world we live in is everchanging. In my opinion, the more prepared we are the better off we all will be. This individual has enhanced the communication and preparedness for our community.
How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?
The Village of Huntley has a very diverse population, from young families through our active adult parts of our community. When the VOH plans an event, we make it a priority for them to be all inclusive and to appeal to a variety of interests. For example, our Farmer’s Markets have different weekly themes and spotlights.
Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?
The State of Illinois has specific statutes regarding potential conflicts of interest for elected officials. I encourage our officials to recuse themselves from events where a conflict may be. I have had one instance during my term where a trustee recused themselves to avoid a conflict of interest. As elected officials, we have an ethical obligation. The laws are in place to maintain public trust along with avenues available to avoid conflicts shall they arise. In my role as Village President, I can make suggestions, but it is up to each elected official to know the law and receive their own legal advice regarding potential conflicts, and how to handle them accordingly.
How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?
I make it a priority to be accessible to our community. My family and I attend as many of our village/community events as possible. I especially enjoy the neighborhood meetings in Del Webb and welcome the opportunity to speak to neighborhoods in all areas of our village. In addition, my phone number and email are listed on our village website.