ELECT
Kelli Wegener
McHenry County Board Chair

Kelli was elected to the McHenry County Board on November 6, 2018

• Vice-Chair of the Finance Committee

• Law & Government Committee Member

• Public Health and Community Services Committee Member

• Liaison to Workforce Network Council

• Member of McHenry Council of Governments

• Stormwater Commission 

• Liaison to the McHenry Conservation District

• Member of Special Census Committee 2019-2020

• Member of Rules Committee  2019

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Other Roles She Plays in the Community

• Board Member - Home of the Sparrow

• Board Member - Community Foundation of McHenry County

• Board Member - McHenry County Democratic Women

• Founder - McHenry Sr-TechConnect program

• Member - McHenry Chamber of Commerce

• Member - NOW

• Tutors Seniors to use Technology

• People in Need Steering Committee

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Kelli's Priorities:

• Ensure McHenry County is fiscally responsible with their tax & grant revenue by closely reviewing budgets & expenses.

• Increase economic development by attracting businesses & employees to McHenry County. The county needs more manufacturing & businesses to reduce the tax base for its residents. This includes agri-tourism

• Ensure workers in McHenry County have a fair wage, benefits, & upward mobility.

• Ensure our county residents have the services they need in order to be successful.

• Reduce our carbon footprint & encourage alternative energy to protect our planet.

• Expand infrastructure for high speed internet fiber throughout the county

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Kelli's accomplishments since being elected:

• Currently working to aid residents in Holiday Hills afford connection to a sewer system currently being installed.

• Currently review $29 million in grant requests for ARPA community grants.

• Created a Business Evaluation Grant Panel to participate in an independent review of business grant applicants.

• Created questionnaire and outspoken advocate for the installation of a stoplight at the Walkup entrance of Prairie Ridge High School

• Arranged & moderated a meeting between the County Chair, Sheriff & various group representatives who advocated to cancel the ICE Contract between the federal government and our county.

• Pushed (and succeeded) in getting drop-boxes for Vote-By-Mail ballots. One of these sites is a permanent dropbox located at the County Administration Building.

• Pushed (and succeeded) for increased communication from the county government.

• Worked with staff to create the first version of the Covid-19 informational portal on the McHenry County web site.

• Raised over $17,000 to house homeless individuals through Hope Takes Action during the frigid weather in 2021 and 2022

• Recruited & coordinated volunteers for two vaccine clinics held at McHenry County College where over 400 people were vaccinated.

• Fed over 150 county citizens on Christmas Eve 2018 who otherwise would not have had a warm Holiday meal.

• Attended County Strategic Planning meetings, QPR training, the Farm, Food & Conservation Event, Planning and Development Consolidated Plan meetings, Lauren Underwood Townhalls, 50th Anniversary of the MCCD Event, Food Shed meetings, Redistricting of Illinois Districts meetings & townhalls, Agestrong meeting, People In Need Forum, McHenry County Water Forum, McHenry County Fair, McHenry County Economic Development Corporation meeting, & more!

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Kelli's Background

Kelli moved to Crystal Lake in 2003 with her husband, Phil. Kelli and her family still live in the same house, and their family has grown to 3 children (ages 15-21) and their dog, Izzie. Kelli loves to sing, garden, and read.

 

She graduated with her MBA from Depaul University and has focused her career in the Finance and Accounting fields.  She was a Bank Examiner at the Federal Reserve Bank, accountant in a trading firm in the Chicago Board of Trade, a Project Manager at the Board of Trade Clearing Corporation, and works as the Financial Director at First Congregational Church in Crystal Lake.

 

Kelli became interested in politics during 2016 and decided that she was not satisfied in the way the local, state and federal governments were being run.  It seems that many of the elected officials were more interested in party politics and keeping their elected position rather than actually representing the people. 

 

Volunteering and public service have been a way of life for Kelli.  Growing up, she helped her parents donate their time and talents through service projects at church. She has been the Treasurer of multiple non-profit organizations, coaches Let Me Run (a self-esteem, lesson-based running program for boys), coordinated many large projects and benefit events for various non-profits, schools, taught Sunday School, and organized collections for disaster stricken Haiti.

 

When someone needs help, Kelli is usually one of the first people to jump in to respond. Admirably, Kelli and Phil are raising their children to understand their responsibility and personal value in helping others.  They have participated, as a family in many outreach programs and events.  It's not just a lesson, their children enjoy what they're doing and have voluntarily participated in projects without their parents involvement.

 

Kelli is the founding member of McHenry Sr-TechConnect, a project which provides tablets to isolated seniors allowing them to connect "face-to-face" with their family and friends using an on-line meeting software.  The program is funded by various grants, so tablets are free to the seniors, include a data plan, and also allow these seniors to attend online meeting or telehealth visits with doctors.

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In 2017 and 2018, Kelli organized the local participation for the Women’s March-Chicago and coordinated transportation for 230+ people to Chicago on the day of the march. She also co-organized the March for Our Lives-Woodstock in March.