Kojzarek running for Kane board Dist. 19

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Updated: November 16, 2011 1:50AM

Elgin Township Clerk Kurt Kojzarek announced Thursday that he’ll seek the Republican nomination for Kane County Board, District 19, in the March 20 primary election.

The newly drawn 19th District in northern Kane County encompasses the Elgin subdivisions of Eagle Heights, Valley Creek, Century Oaks and Willow Lake, and Timber Trails in neighboring Gilberts.

Kojzarek may be running against fellow Republican and current county board member Cathy Hurlbut.The Elgin attorney lives in the new disctrict’s boundaries. She has served on the county board since 1994 and chaired the task force that ultimately cut the number of districts from 26 to 24. Hurlbut has not made a public announcement about running again.

Kojzarek said he was pretty sure in July he would run but wanted to talk with more supporters, family and friends to solidify his decision. He said he announced his candidacy more than six months before the primary in part to be the first one to declare for the seat, as people typically start passing around petitions in September.

In a press release, Kojzarek said, “People across the nation are begging their elected officials for fiscal responsibility. Our community knows me. They know my record and trust my leadership. I have been overwhelmed with the support I’ve received so far.

“County government is facing an unprecedented period in which strong fiscally responsible leadership is desperately needed. Across the nation, the growing sentiment among voters is that we need to stop the spending, rein in waste and put people back to work. Kane County is no different. We cannot continue to nickel and dime our businesses with increased taxes and fees if we expect to grow the economy and attract new businesses to our region,” Kojzarek stated in the release.

Kojzarek, 32, said he has lived in the district in which he intends to serve most of his life. He was elected an Elgin Township trustee in 2005 and became township clerk four years later.

Kojzarek works as the director of operations for Property Specialists Inc., a privately owned residential property management firm.

According to the press release, his resumé also includes a stint as government affairs director for an Illinois not-for-profit group advocating affordable housing, and he served since 2008 as the Kane County representative to the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning Citizens’ Advisory Committee.

Kojzarek and his wife Elissa live on Elgin’s west side near Kimball Middle School. They are members of Epworth United Methodist Church and are expecting their first child in December. He is an active member of the Elgin Township Republican Central Committee, serving as precinct committeeman for Elgin 37.

More information about Kojzarek’s campaign is at www.kojzarek.org.