Lake County Board Republican incumbent J. Kevin Hunter is facing Democratic challenger Michael Conway, a longtime area attorney.
District 5 includes the Villages of Fox Lake and Lake Villa, portions of Antioch, Grant and Lake Villa Townships, along with most of Ingleside.
Hunter has served on the board since 2022. His previous elected positions include Grant Township precinct committeeman, trustee with the Village of Fox Lake and a school board member with Grant Community High School.
Hunter was also a volunteer with the Fox Lake Volunteer Fire Department from 1991 to 2017, and served on the Lakes Region Sanitary District from 2017 to 2021. He’s lived in District 5 for more than 30 years.
With one term on the County Board under his belt, Hunter said he hopes to continue his work with another term.
“I can hit the ground running,” he said. “I’ve got a record that I feel is very good as it sits right now.”
There were big projects in the works, Hunter said, including the Regional Operations and Communications Facility in Libertyville, something he’s been a “huge supporter of,” working “in the trenches getting the executive board together.
“It’s going to be pivotal to public safety in Lake County for many, many years to come,” he said.
He emphasized his background in public works for his efforts to keep “our water clean and delivered in a safe manner.” Hunter said his ability and willingness to listen make him ideal for the position.
“I think listening is a key cornerstone to anybody involved in an elected office,” he said. “Elected officials tend not to be engaged, and I get engaged in my district.”
Conway is an attorney by trade and has practiced law for more than 30 years with a focus on criminal defense, family law and juvenile court. He’s worked for the Lake County Public Defender’s Office for seven years.
A lifelong Lake County resident, Conway has been on the Lake Villa District 41 school board for 17 years, serving as board president for 12 of those years. He’s also taught at the College of Lake County for 25 years.
Conway highlighted two current issues — a recent inmate transport crash, and the potential sale of an area of Savannah Forest Preserve.
On Sept. 4, a transport van carrying jail inmates to McHenry County was involved in an accident with another vehicle in Grayslake, police said. Conway said Lake County’s budgeting wasn’t sufficient to staff the Lake County jail, leading to inmates being transported outside the county.
The Waukegan Airport has plans to build a 7,000-foot runway that would extend into land currently in the Waukegan Savanna, owned by the Lake County Forest Preserves District. Conway said he considers himself “pro-environment,” but called for a compromise and said he supports the sale.
“There is a substantial risk of losing significant business and business tax dollars for the county if the land weren’t sold,” he said.
Other issues include making sure taxpayer dollars are being used most effectively and looking for ways to reduce taxes, Conway said. District 5 includes the Chain O’ Lakes, an area requiring “focus and protection,” he said. It is a “vital natural resource” for business, tourism and the environment.
“I’m running because I truly consider myself a public servant,” Conway said. “I don’t consider myself a politician, and my goal is to get to know the people of my community.”
The election will be Nov. 5.
