Carbondale Reporter

Jackson County board member Andrew Erbes says he chose a career of public service due a family legacy and a strong belief that the political process and community service are important to a successful life.

"My family’s involvement in Illinois politics goes back at least 100 years,” Erbes told the Carbondale Reporter. “It was actually my intention to run for state representative, but I was asked by party elders to consider a run for county board instead, and so I did, and I won—twice now. I also serve as a trustee for the Township of Murphysboro and have been twice elected to that position.”

Erbes has been a part of many community initiatives in his time as a county board member, such as assisting during the Christmas-New Year’s flood of 2015-16. 

Andrew Erbes

“I was very hands-on in helping residents and instrumental in setting up a place for residents to get boxes and packing supplies, and to get up-to-date and, most importantly, correct information about the river stage and whether or not an evacuation was mandatory,” Erbes said. “I also helped locate and secure storage space for large agriculture equipment and helped the citizens in Grand Tower make a determination on when to go and where to go if the levee did indeed break.”

Erbes says he wants to be always accessible to his constituents. 

“I am not necessarily always able to help someone, and I may not be able to truthfully answer their question(s) in the way that they would like, but I always work diligently to find an answer or at least send them in the right direction,” he said.

In his time in office, Erbes adds, he is committed to helping Jackson County—particularly in its budget department — be the best it can.

“I would like to see Jackson County become more financially stable, and find a way to grow our tax base - this would of course require some property tax relief—another long-standing goal of mine,” he said. “It is my hope that through my service to our citizens, I can continue to demonstrate that, and entice more people to our beautiful county.”