PROSECUTORS PERSPECTIVE
In early November 2022, I was asked if I could assist temporarily as General Counsel (GC) for Kendall County if Commissioners Court could not find a replacement for the attorney retiring December 31st.
I was happy to help, and no one thought the county would still be looking for a GC past January. I worked to wrap up some projects and make plans with my office so I could step into the general counsel role if needed.
Jan. 1, 2023, came with no GC hired, so I stepped into the role of interim GC. Four months later, I’m finally transitioning out of that role. I had no idea what I signed up for, or how much it would change how I viewed things in our county.
Our new County Judge Shane Stolarczyk and two new Commissioners, Andra Wisian and Chad Carpenter took office and hit the ground sprinting. I very quickly realized I was in for a challenge and threw my running shoes on to keep up. Immediately my e-mail filled with assignments, opinion requests, and contracts to review. My specialization is in criminal law and legal research. If there is one thing I do well, it is finding answers and figuring things out. And I was doing a lot of figuring out. I felt a bit like the little Dutch boy with his finger in the dyke trying to keep it from bursting, but I was not doing it alone. Bob Lipo, one of my assistant criminal district attorneys was helping me with public information requests and a few other assignments. I called on colleagues working as government attorneys in other jurisdictions for advice, and our County Auditor Corinna Speer was an invaluable resource for me.
Corinna is a perfect example of the kind of public servant our county employs. She is one of the most brilliant and competent individuals that I know. It’s almost impossible to know all the things Corinna takes care of for this county. She is always willing to uplift and assist so this county can operate at its best with the resources we have.
Elected officials and department heads came to me with a variety of unique and challenging legal questions. GC is unique in that one must be knowledgeable in a variety of things such as torts, contracts, employment law, government and county regulations, real estate, and the list goes on and on.
It was certainly demanding, and I have been putting in some insane hours. However, I loved helping. I enjoyed getting to see first-hand the work that is put in by different departments and the dedication of our county employees. Whenever I would get stressed or feel overwhelmed, I would think about how hard others were working and it renewed my determination. I used to think only law enforcement really worked after hours and weekends regularly, but I got calls almost every evening and on weekends from members of our commissioners court, elected officials, and department heads with various questions.
Our community truly cares about this county, and they reach out to our County Judge and our commissioners with concerns. It is encouraging to see that those concerns are taken seriously and not ignored. Judge Stolarczyk is a work horse with an intense drive, a passion for improving things, and he takes decisive action. Commissioner Christina Bergmann is calm under pressure, steady in her approach, and finds unique solutions to problems. Commissioner Wisian fights for what she believes in, does not give up, and asks probing questions to be more effective. Commissioner Richard Chapman works fervently to protect the interests of the county and its citizens and takes a commonsense approach to problems. Finally, Commissioner Carpenter speaks up for the interests of our county, zealously advocates for his constituents, and makes it a point to check in on others.
What I realized after working closely with our commissioners court is they all want to do the right thing, the right way. They all care deeply for this community, and they are all putting in long hours to make things better. You or I may not always agree with every decision they make, and that is okay. They may even make mistakes from time to time, but everyone does, including myself. What is important is they work hard, learn from mistakes, want the best for this county, and have good intentions.
What has also been rewarding is to see how hard every other department is working. I’ve had the pleasure of working with our criminal justice members. Through the years we have struggled to keep up with increasing work in a rapidly growing community. What I did not realize is that every other department is facing the same challenges just in different ways. From our custodians to road and bridge to development management to the tax office and everyone in between, they are all dedicated to excellence, and they get the job done.
I could truly sing the praises of so many individuals, but I was given a word limit for this article, which I am probably already over. However, to anyone I have been blessed to work with in these past four months, please know that you have my deepest admiration and respect.
Luckily, the county found a wonderful GC, Matthew Grove, who started April 1. He comes with the experience and knowledge that our county needs, and he has been doing a terrific job. I will continue to help wherever I’m needed, and I am so thankful for the opportunity and experience I was given. However, I am relieved the County now has a highly qualified full-time General Counsel in that role.
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