Meet your Pike County Candidates

By Editor | June 21, 2022 |

Candidates were sent a survey by the River County News Regional Editor, each with the same list of questions. The following does not represent the entire list of candidates, these are the only ones who responded.

Pike County Board

Andrew “Andy” Borrowman

Republican

• Why are you running?

I am running because of 12 years experience and I believe I have more to give Pike County.

• What is the most significant duty of the office in which you are running?

We as Pike County Board members set the budget for all the Pike County offices and help the office heads oversee the county budgets. We also oversee the Pike County Highway and Pike County Ambulance system. We meet monthly to approve all bills and set payment.

• What would you hope to accomplish if elected?

I hope to continue to help the county to move forward in services provided at a minimal cost to residents. We also hope to attract new business to Pike County through the Pike County Economic Development office.

• How are you qualified to help lead?

I am qualified by serving 13 years on the Pike County Board with 10 of those years as Chairman of the Board.

• What is the biggest issue facing the office in which you are running, and how would you address it if elected?

There are many issues facing the new Pike County Board and the new board will tackle all issues as they come.

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James Sheppard

Republican

• Why are you running?

I have always had an interest in local government and the county board gives me a chance to give back to my community in a manner that I feel that I am well suited for.

• What is the most significant duty of the office for which you are running?

That would be the preparation of the county budget and setting of the tax levy. The careful allocation of the county’s limited resources in a manner that does not increase the burden on the taxpayers.

• What would you hope to accomplish if elected?

A balanced budget that actually moves this county forward technologically. Increased economic development that doesn’t shortchange the ag community that is our basis.

• How are you qualified to help lead?

I have 30 years experience in business management, lifelong resident, working relationship with the office holders, and bachelors degree in ag finance.

• What is the biggest issue facing the office for which you are running?

The answer will always be money. whether it be determining how to spend it so that it has the most impact in serving the needs of our county or how to acquire more. This requires careful study and deliberation before decisions are made. Education is the best approach.

Pike County Clerk

Natalie P. Roseberry

Republican

• Why are you running?

I am running for Pike County Clerk to continue the mission that I began four years ago. I ran for election to improve our election and network security. I also am running to continue to fix the provable significant historical burden on taxpayers.

• What is the most significant duty of the office in which you are running?

A County Clerk holds many duties I would deem significant. The one that I feel is most universally important is the Chief Election Official. It is the duty of the County Clerk to ensure accurate and fair elections and be the defender of democracy in our jurisdictions.

• What would you hope to accomplish if elected?

I would like to finish our budgetary transformation for Pike County and optimize our ability to have more accessible information for the public. Within the first four years, I have been able to offer the public remote access to our land and property records, as well as employees’ remote access to their payroll information.

• How are you qualified to help lead?

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Western Illinois University and am working towards a Masters in Business Administration. I currently serve on the Pike County Chamber Board, am a member of Rotary of Pike County, as well as the Vice President of our County Clerk Association Zone 2.

• What is the biggest issue facing the office in which you are running, and how would you address it if elected?

The biggest issue facing the County Clerk’s office is the lack of financial congruency between accounts and our financial processes. While updating our payroll accounting from a pay in advance structure to a pay in arrears structure, we have uncovered multiple inconsistencies on the financial structure of the County. It is my goal, and we are currently working towards this, to correct the historical errors, clean up our financial data, and allow for more transparency.