Name: Bill Bloom

Party: Republican

Address: 3420 52nd St., Moline

Age: 58

Education: Graduate Alleman High School; undergraduate in history, Eastern Illinois University; history and Russian language undergraduate, SIU Carbondale; Masters of Business Administration (MBA), SIU Carbondale.

Occupation: Retired as manager with Deere & Co. in 2008. Consulting with the Deere & Co. Parts Division, Dealer Parts Management

Previous elected offices: None.

Which approach to modernizing county offices do you support: Consolidation at the Quad Cities Industrial Center, new construction or some other plan?

Having personally surveyed about 25 businesses in downtown Rock Island, I know moving would be devastating to the retail environment. We should look at the costs of a multiple-year improvement plan, followed by build downtown, with moving offices out of the downtown as a last resort.

Should the county hire a professional administrator to oversee day-to-day operations?

I am open to studying this. The absence of professional management has been evident in issues such as hiring practices and in the cycle of deficits and property tax and fee increases. I would look first at a "committee-of-the-whole" approach built around a smaller board with more than one monthly meeting.

Do you support reducing the size of the county board?

Having attended several board meetings, it's evident that three to four people run the county and the rest contribute almost nothing. A smaller board can do the job with lower costs to the people. Consideration has to be made to keeping the rural areas engaged and represented.

What are your goals generally for the county, if you're elected?

1.) Reduce costs to the taxpayer with a smaller board, and review salaries for county administration 2.) Increase cash reserves. 3.) Today, it appears that all decisions are made by the chairman. We need to drive decision making to the lowest levels possible. 4.) We should consider selling the acreage owned near Sherrard and other unnecessary assets and use the proceeds to either reduce debt or support business development.

Name:Phil Banaszek

Party: Democrat

Age:53

Address: 3514 56th St. Place, Moline

Education: Alleman High school & Black Hawk College

Occupation: State of Illinois Department Of Corrections Fireman

Previous elected office: South Moline Township Trustee, Moline City Clerk.

Which approach to modernizing county offices do you support: Consolidation at the Quad Cities Industrial Center, new construction or some other plan?



I believe that some Rock Island County buildings do need to be replaced or renovated. I would like to see the county contact professional local developers, engineers and architects for their input and, if a consensus is reached, follow that advice.

Should the county hire a professional administrator to oversee day to day operations?

Illinois county government has constitutionally elected administrators (sheriff, coroner, county clerk, etc.). I do not believe the county requires another level of bureaucracy, especially when in 1996 voters overwhelmingly rejected the county executive form of government.

Do you support reducing the size of the county board?

At the next opportunity that the county has to review it's reapportionment I will be guided by the mandate of the 2012 referendum concerning this issue.

What are your goals generally for the county, if you're elected?

To continue to be a good steward of the taxpayers' dollars. Looking for other sources of revenue. Being less reliant on property taxes. Updating technology, equipment and facilities to serve the citizens of Rock Island County in the best and most cost-effective manner.