Rock Island Today

Henry County District 1 board member Kippy Breeden said she will continue to offer the stability and understanding of the region's “past practices” if re-elected.

Talking to Rock Island Today about her decision to run for the board again, Breeden said she wants to stay involved in the important decisions the local government makes concerning tax dollars.

“It’s my civic duty,” said Breeden, who promised to “continue to serve all the residents of the county with my past experience in running a smooth, efficient operation."

Kippy Breeden

The major issues the Henry County board must tackle in the next three years are the budget, taxes and zoning issues, according to the incumbent. Among the challenges the county faces is “unmandated requirements from the state," she said. 

Breeden added funding is needed for departments to run efficiently, and she said county departments work very hard to control costs and growth to increase the tax base without destroying valuable farmland.

Her campaign's focus is to work with the diverse public and the requests that they have of the board in dealing with the issues they believe are important.

“The challenge is keeping the board to work together in a positive direction for the residents of Henry County,” she said. “Our current board is proactive in many issues and addresses quickly the unexpected needs to keep our county government running efficiently.”

The board currently is tasked with a number of projects, including overseeing the needed repairs to keep the courthouse building safe and up to code.

“It’s a historic, beautiful architectural building that needs attention,” Breeden said, noting Henry County also owns Hillcrest Nursing Home, which has a 5-star rating. 

“Again, the board works diligently to keep it up-to-date and offer the high-quality services at competitive prices," she said.