ELECTED OFFICIALS

Entitled, “Township Government: Building for Tomorrow,” the conference provided the opportunity for township officials across Illinois to participate in educational sessions and learn about the latest developments in township government. The prestigious award recognizes Busse’s 24 years of dedicated service and his innovative leadership in providing social and mental health services to township residents. “Being named Supervisor of the Year for social services is an incredible honor, but it’s truly a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our entire team at Elk Grove Township,” Busse said. “Together, we’re building a stronger, more supportive community. I’m very proud of what we’ve accomplished to better serve the needs of our 95,000 residents, and particularly, those most in need.” Born and raised in Elk Grove Township, Busse has deep family ties to the community, with a family legacy of County, Township and Village public service dating back to 1848. He follows in the steps of his great grandfather, John Rohlwing, who was the Elk Grove Township Supervisor in the early 1900s. A retired Navy captain and former chairman of the Mount Prospect Finance Commission and Police and Fire Commission, Busse served Elk Grove Township as a trustee for 14 years, clerk for six years and was elected supervisor in 2021. Under his leadership, township services have evolved to meet the rapidly growing social support needs of its residents, including: • Expansion of township staff to meet a 400% increase in food pantry usage and a 225% rise in social service assistance applications.• Hired additional mental health therapists and established a partnership with the Josselyn Center to provide psychiatric and medication services to township residents who previously faced long wait lists.• Strengthened senior social services through the hiring of a Senior Benefits Specialist to manage the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), senior fairs and wellness groups, and the expansion of the Township transportation program which provides free rides to seniors and disabled residents.• Established new Bicycle Safety and Challenge courses. The Bike Safety Course offers rules of the road classes for schools and other groups, and the Challenge Course is used in connection with the township’s youth programs and focuses on building social skills, teamwork, and self-empowerment. Attendees of the TOI Conference represent nearly 11,000 officials from 1,426 townships in Illinois. The conference is part of TOI’s mission to strengthen township government by providing ongoing education and support. TOI Executive Director Jerry B. Crabtree noted, “New and returning officials all learn more about the changes in the laws and their duties by attending our conference. There is much to be gained from these educational sessions.” Elk Grove Township elected officials, and staff are regular attendees of the annual TOI conference. The educational opportunities and ability to share ideas with other townships were cited by Elk Grove Trustee David Perns as primary reasons for attending. He also noted that being able to celebrate the extraordinary contributions of Supervisor Busse this year made attending particularly meaningful. “I’m glad we were able to be present to help recognize George’s years of visionary leadership and determined effort to make our Township a thriving and supportive community for all its residents.” For more information about Elk Grove Township’s programs and services, visit elkgrovetownship.com.

“I served with George (Busse) as a Township official for 16 years and I can’t think of a better successor,” said former Supervisor Mike Sweeney, who is relocating out of state this summer. “I have thoroughly enjoyed serving the residents of Elk Grove Township as the Clerk and then as Supervisor for the past eight years. I sincerely thank them for the opportunity they gave me to do so.” In his new role, Busse stated that he will follow in Sweeney’s footsteps, “providing residents with quality, essential services in a fiscally responsible and transparent way.” He emphasized the importance of several Township services which provide significant value to residents, including tax appeal/exemption assistance, counseling, senior/disabled transportation services, an employment support center, and a client choice food pantry. He pointed out that these services, and an ever-growing list of new services, have been provided to residents without an increase in Township taxes for more than eight years. “One of my goals as Supervisor is to ensure that all Elk Grove Township residents know about, and have access to the important services the Township offers,” Supervisor Busse said. “Over the years, I’ve encountered residents who don’t know the Township exists, let alone it provides free access to services. This is unacceptable. My objective is to ensure every resident is aware of our programs and enjoys full access to the services that fit their needs.” The new Board of Trustees and Supervisor Busse look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the Elk Grove Township community in line with the Township’s motto to “Empower People Through Community.” For more information, please visit elkgrovetownship.com or call 847-437-0300.