Ricky Gleason, a candidate for Kendall County Judge, is promoting a community-driven leadership model that positions county government as a partner to residents rather than an adversary. This approach comes as Kendall County faces significant growth pressures, public safety challenges, and strained infrastructure that require coordinated solutions.
Gleason's platform centers on proactive listening to residents, first responders, businesses, school districts, and municipalities. He believes leadership involves creating conditions where local ideas can thrive, particularly in critical areas including road and bridge planning, emergency management for flash floods and wildfire risks, fire and EMS services, and economic development that preserves community character. The candidate argues that Kendall County currently lacks a unified strategic vision despite increasing pressures from growth, environmental hazards, and infrastructure demands.
The candidate points to Comfort Vision 2050 as evidence that collaborative, ground-up planning can be effective. This community-crafted roadmap, developed by Comfort residents across generations and professions, highlights decentralized decision-making, transparency, and coordination principles that Gleason says should guide county governance. While not a county plan, Gleason views it as a proof of concept for engaged, resident-led planning that demonstrates citizens willingly define shared priorities and practical solutions when invited into the conversation.
Gleason stated that at its best, county government should be a partner to its citizens, with the County Judge setting a tone that brings people together rather than pushing them apart. He emphasized that leadership starts with service, requiring listening first, communicating clearly, and remembering that authority exists to help people succeed rather than control them. The candidate argues that the County Judge must convene voices, align partners, and ensure innovation happens with the people, not to them.
This governance model matters because unified counties are stronger counties, according to Gleason. When government works alongside its people, communities can solve problems faster, make better decisions, and preserve what makes them special. The approach addresses immediate concerns about infrastructure coordination, emergency response capabilities, and growth management while establishing a framework for long-term resilience and community preservation.
