Candidate Application
Champaign County Board District 1 Appointment Committee
Please answer the questions below and submit your completed application to Treasurer
Habeeb Habeeb (info@champaigncountyrepublicans.org or fax 217-355-5100) by 5 PM
on Wednesday, July 20 for consideration to be appointed to fill the County Board District
1 vacancy.
PERSONAL
Name (Including middle initial):
Gary W. Maxwell, PE, PLS
Date of birth (month/day/year): 10/26/1940
Gender (please circle): Male
Address (Please include town and zip code):
1802 E. Lakeshore Dr.
Mahomet, IL 61853-9314
Home Phone:
217-586-5482
_____
Work Phone:
Retired
Cell Phone:
217-493-0535
E-mail Address:
maxwell.gary58@gmail.com
Website/Blog(s)URL:_____________________________________________________
Twitter:________________________________________________________________
Facebook URL:_________________________________________________________
How long have you lived in Champaign County? 15 years at present address, 34 years_
total
_____________________________________
Occupation(s) (for how many years): Civil Engineer and Land Surveyor, 45+ years
Employer and work address: Retired
Prior Work Experience: Project Engineer and Land Surveyor, HDC Engineering,______
Champaign, IL, 1997-2010: County Supt. of Highways / County Engineer, 1970-1997,_
Cumberland and Jasper Cos., Richland and Wayne Cos. (Retired while serving jointly in
Richland and Wayne Cos.); Illinois Division of Highways Engineering Technician,_____
1958._________________________________________________________________
Education: BSCE, UIUC, 1964; Master of Pub. Adm. SIUE, 1992
Spouse’s name: Sheila (nee Marron) Maxwell_ (Married to Sheila 47 years)
Children (names and ages): Leslie Anne Maxwell, PhD, Age 46 (Patent Attorney),_____
Thomas Maxwell, Age 43 (Recently retired SCPO US Navy Seabees).
EXPERIENCE
Prior experience as candidate (Please list prior offices – be specific -- for which
you have run, successfully or not):
1. Until Fall of 2010 I never ran for public office for 2 reasons. 1. Illinois Div. of
Highway Engineers were cautioned against registering for either party. Many County
Engineers also refrained from doing so. I never participated in a primary until a few
months before my retirement from public service. 2. I took the ERI from IMRF and was
prohibited from serving in public office in Illinois until permissive legislation was enacted
a few years ago.
Election date:
Outcome (circle one): Won
Lost
If won, dates served in office:
2. .I collected signatures and filed as a candidate in the February, 2010 Republican
Primary for County Board District 1. I withdrew from the race for the good of the Party.
Election date: February, 2010
Outcome (circle one): Withdrew
If won, dates served in office:
3.
Election date:.
Outcome (circle one): Won Lost
If won, dates served in office:
Prior political experience other than as candidate: (Include appointments to
municipal, library, park or school boards or committees; campaign work for other
candidates; other political activities.)
1. I assisted my current State Representative during his 2010 election campaign with
signs and contributions. I have volunteered for and contributed to his next race.
Date: Nov, 2010, Spring 2011.
2. I contribute annually to the National Republican Organization, I contributed last year
to the Brady for Governor Campaign, Friends of Chapin Rose, Sharron Angle campaign
against Harry Reid, Brown for Senate campaign in Massachusetts and the Champaign
County Republican Organization. I tend to contribute to candidates who I believe are_
doing a good job or those who will help the Party succeed nationally.
____
Date: 2010, 2011
_________
3.
Date:
Civic, church and community activities of recent years:
1. Member of the Immanuel Lutheran Church at Flatville. I also attend my wife’s church.
Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mahomet.
Date: 1996-present.
2. Construction Manager, for Catholic Build, Habitat for Humanity House Project
Date: 2002
3. Part time volunteer, Provena Medical Center, Urbana, IL
Date: 2009 to present
4. Charter Member National Trail Chapter, Illinois Professional Land Surveyor’s_______
Association.
Date:
1983-Present.
Military service and honors:
I never served in the military.
Date:
QUESTIONS
Please answer the following questions in 200 or fewer words per question.
1. Why are you seeking this appointment? Is there a particular issue that motivates
you, and if so, what is that? What will be your main priority in office?
I worked for many County Board members during my career in public service. I
admired and learned from many of them. I would like to try working on the Policy
making side of the Board table. There is no particular burning issue that
motivates me to serve on the Board. Nor do I seek personal gain or political
power from Board service. Rather, I owe much to the people of Champaign
County for my education and living. I offer to serve on the Champaign County
Board as a means to repay part of that debt. County finance would be my main
priority while serving on the Board. Every service County government provides or
is unable to provide is tied to the sound management of the available financial
resources.
2. List your 3 most significant accomplishments.
a. I was one of the few Illinois high school graduates in the late 50s and early
60s who were selected to attend a 90 day Illinois Division of Highways
training course and then were sent out to play a significant role in the
construction of the interstate highway system in Illinois. I am especially proud
of having been named one of the “Boys of I-74”.
b. Elected to serve as the State President of the Illinois Association of County
Engineers, 1985. (Life Member of IACE)
c. I was one of the County Engineers that successfully lobbied for SB-1750, the
Township Bridge bill and built the first structure on the township system under
this bill in Illinois. I went on to manage the construction of more than 100
structures during my career.
3. Please list and explain any other issues or priorities that motivate you to seek this
County Board seat.
I am interested in the County’s physical plant including jail issues. I have
experience working with a County Building Commission. The Commission was
used to make the Courthouse accessible and jail upgrades. I am interested in
County zoning and land use in part because of my engineering, land surveying
and farming backgrounds. I am interested in the health and affordability of the
County Employees’ pension systems. County Highway matters will always
interest me. I fully understand the difference between the policy making and
administrative functions of County government. I would not seek to administer as
a Board member. However, I believe my training and experience would be useful
to current Board members and County Officials.
4. What has been your involvement in the Republican Party? How have you helped
to build it and how will you remain engaged if you are appointed to the County
Board?
In order to avoid redundancy please see items 1 and 2 under Prior Political
experience and item 1 under Prior experience as a candidate above. I voted a
Republican ballot at a primary election shortly after I moved back to the County in
late 1996. I often donated to Republican Candidates and have become more
active in recent years. Engineers are conservative by training and temperament
so Republican Party principles suit me. I pledge to continue supporting the Party
and if appointed to the vacant seat would seek election to a full term in District 1
in 2012.