GUILFORD TOWNHALL ♦ 1973 W. RAWLINS ROAD ♦ ELIZABETH IL 61028
PHONE: 815 – 777 –  3577 — — — FAX: 815 – 777 – 4866

All of our township officials are happy to help answer any questions or concerns you may have. If we do not have the information you require, we will try to find it and get back to you promptly.

Supervisor, Francis Wachter,  phone:  1-815-777-1638

Operating a third generation family farm, Francis was born and raised in Guilford, graduated from Scales Mound High School and attended college at Western Illinois University. He has previously served Guilford Township both as Road Commissioner (1977 to 1981) and as Township Supervisor (1981 to 2001). Francis was re-elected to the position of Township Supervisor in 2009, is Chair of the Multi-Township Assessing District Board and the Elizabeth Community Ambulance Service Board, and has attended District Education Programs conducted by Township Officials of Illinois.

Highway Commissioner, Nick Distler,  phone:  1-815-777-3577

Nick Distler was raised in Guilford Township and graduated from Scales Mound High School. He and his family operate a fifth-generation cow / calf beef farm and raise crops for feed. Nick’s earliest ancestors came over in 1856 with the first mention of the Distler name in the Township’s record book in 1884. Nick was elected Highway Commissioner for Guilford Township in 2017. Nick attends Jo Daviess County Highway Commissioners Association meetings and annually takes the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Course.

Clerk, Emily Winders,  email:  clerk@guilfordtownship.org

Emily was raised in the countryside of Savanna, Illinois and attended college at Illinois State University. She received a BA in Elementary Education with endorsements in Mathematics, Science, Reading, and Language Arts. In 2023, she received a Masters Degree in Educational Technology from the American College of Education. Emily currently teaches 6th-8th Grade Mathematics and 6th Grade Robotics for the River Ridge School District in Hanover, Illinois. In addition, she is the 8th Grade Advisor and 7th Grade Volleyball Coach. In 2018, Emily and her husband, Zeke, relocated to Guilford Township residing in close proximity to Zeke’s childhood home, where his parents still live. Emily was appointed to the Guilford Township Board in December of 2023.

Trustee, Gary Diedrick, phone: 1-563-581-3699

Gary was born in Moline, Illinois, and received a college equivalency degree from University of Maryland while serving 25 years in the U.S. Navy and Navy Reserve. He was employed by Iowa-Illinois Gas & Electric Company/Mid-American Energy Company as a Utility Land Agent and Right-of-Way Agent, attaining professional certification as Senior Right-of-Way Agent. Gary is a current member of Jo Daviess County’s Planning & Development Board, member of Jo Daviess County’s Ad Hoc Economic Development Sub Committee, former member of The Galena Territory Association’s Civic Affairs Commission, and past member of the Honor Flight of Greater Dubuque Committee. Appointed to the Township Board in January 2015, Gary was elected to the Board in 2017.

Trustee, Thomas Moser,  phone:  1-815-777-9153

Born and raised in Galena, Tom spent as much time at his grandparents’ farm as he possibly could. On weekends, when his grandparents came to town to get groceries, they would come out of the store to find him waiting in the car to go back to the farm with them. When school was out during the summer months, he spent nearly every day at the farm. After graduating from school, Tom worked in construction for a time. He was previously a volunteer with the Galena Fire Department. Today, Tom and his family operate a 4^th generation cow / calf beef farm and raise crops for feed. Tom was elected to the Township Board in 2017.

Trustee, Ron Babcock,  phone:  1-815-776-9988

Ron has dedicated 44 years to teaching Mathematics and Computer Science, making significant contributions to education. As a township resident for 17 years, he has become deeply involved in the community, leaving an indelible mark at Scales Mound High School in various roles such as part-time math teacher, internal substitute teacher, and dedicated school board member for six years. Presently, Ron serves on the Curriculum committee and volunteers as the timer for Junior High and High School athletic events, showcasing his commitment to both academics and extracurricular activities. Beyond education, Ron is an active member of the Galena Territory Association Civic Affairs Commission, demonstrating his engagement in broader community initiatives. Honored as the Kane County Educator of the Year in 1984, Ron’s dedication to faith, family, and community service embodies the essence of a true educator and community leader. Ron was appointed to the Guilford Township Board in March of 2024.

Trustee, Dan Cogan,  phone:  1-815-777-2828

Dan grew up in Guilford Township on the family farm next to The Galena Territory and attended all 12 grades at Scales Mound schools. After graduating from Loras College in Dubuque, he completed graduate studies at the University of South Dakota. He was subsequently hired as a federal employee by the Department of the Interior and worked on various projects for the National Park Service and the Bureau of Reclamation. To be closer to family and raise his kids, Dan returned to the family farmhouse in 2005 and started farming part time and running a GIS consulting business. Dan’s family roots can be traced back to early Township history with the first mention of a great-great ancestor in 1879 who held a number of elected offices. Dan’s father was elected township clerk in 1965 and served until 1978. Dan was appointed to the Township Board in September 2017 to fill the unexpired term of long-time neighbor and friend Wayne Wienen, and was elected to the Board in 2021.

Freedom of Information Act Officers

The Township Clerk is the designated Freedom of Information Act Officer. The Township Supervisor is designated as alternate FOIA Officer. See the Information Center Page for additional details.

Below are the duties and responsibilities of our township officials.

SUPERVISOR

• The township Supervisor serves as chief executive officer of the township. The Supervisor’s duties and responsibilities include serving as Chairman of the Township Board of Trustees, Supervisor of the General Assistance program, and Treasurer of all town funds including General Assistance and Road and Bridge funds.
• On taking office, the township Supervisor must post a surety bond equal to the maximum amount of the funds in custody at any given time. A copy of the bond for town funds must be filed with the Town Clerk. A copy of the road funds bond must be filed with the County Clerk.
• The Supervisor submits an annual tax levy for the following year to the township Board of Trustees for certification prior to the last Tuesday in December.
• Thirty days before adoption of the Budget and Appropriations Ordinance for the township, the Supervisor submits to the township Board of Trustees a tentative budget. The proposed budget is then available for public inspection and review for 30 days before final action.
• The Supervisor may make or second motions, participate in all legislative discussion, and should exercise voting power on all issues before the Board.
• The Supervisor maintains sole jurisdiction over the General Assistance office.

HIGHWAY COMMISSIONER

• The township Highway Commissioner is responsible for the construction and maintenance of all roads and bridges in the Road District. The Highway Commissioner submits an annual tax levy for the following year. Levies are submitted to the township Board of Trustees for certification prior to the last Tuesday in December. The Highway Commissioner’s levy may be subject to review by the Trustees, but the Board cannot alter the levy.
• Thirty days before adoption of the Budget and Appropriations Ordinance for roads and bridges, the Highway Commissioner submits to the Clerk and township Board of Trustees a tentative budget. The proposed budget is then available for public inspection and review for 30 days before final action. Once the Budget and Appropriations Ordinance is adopted, the Highway Commissioner has statutory power to expend the funds according to the line items established in the appropriation ordinance.
• In many respects, the township Road Department is a separate government. Neither the township Board of Trustees nor the Supervisor has any jurisdiction over the Highway Commissioner or the Road District’s employees.

CLERK

• The township Clerk is the keeper of all township records except for active General Assistance cases. The Clerk is required to keep accurate records of all township Board meetings and maintain records of the Board’s executive (closed) sessions.
• During town Board meetings the Clerk records roll call votes. (Certain questions require roll call votes, such as appointments to fill vacancies, establishing salaries, etc. Other votes can be taken by voice. Secret ballots are never permitted on any issue facing the township Board.)
• The Clerk also serves as the local election authority and is responsible for accepting petitions concerning township elections and/or referendums. In this capacity, the Clerk is responsible for publishing or posting certain specific notices, including notices for the Road Commissioner.
• As Ex-officio Clerk of the Road District, the township Clerk must witness bid openings for both the township and the Road District. The Clerk must countersign all Road District orders for payment prior to audit or approval by the township Board. The Clerk also delivers all approved claims for payment to the Supervisor.
• The position of Clerk is especially important as it pertains to the maintenance of records. The integrity and accuracy of the Clerk is important in any court action involving the township’s official records. While the Clerk is not necessarily the township Board’s secretary, much as a competent secretary is a vital cog in the machinery of a well-oiled office, the township Clerk is critical to the operation of township government.

TRUSTEES

• The township Board of Trustees is the legislative branch of township government. Each single township has four Trustees and a Supervisor, which comprise the Board. Each Board member, elected at-large within the township, has one vote on all issues before the township Board.
• The policies enacted by the township Board are executed by the Supervisor and the Clerk. The Trustees may not establish policy for either the township Assessor or the Road Commissioner.
• Trustees do, however, certify tax levies for the township and Road District. For the Road District, the amount of the levy is determined by the Road Commissioner.
• In their capacity as legislative officers, Trustees adopt the annual Town Budget and Appropriations Ordinance, the General Assistance budget, and the Road District budget. Trustees are responsible for approving all township expenses and auditing bills submitted for payment by the Road Commissioner.
• The Trustees are obligated to approve all legally incurred bills, that is, those appropriated for expenditure. Trustees also must reject for payment all requests that are not debts which have been legally incurred by the township.
• With few exceptions, the Supervisor may make no payments without the approval of the Board of Trustees. There are exceptions: payments for General Assistance claims and township and Road Department employees’ salaries.