EDWARDSVILLE — Madison County Board Chairman-elect Chris Slusser selected his successor for Treasurer.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
Slusser picked County Board member Mike Babcock of Bethalto to fill the seat being left vacant after he being elected to his new role as chairman. His appointment will go for a vote at 5 p.m., Monday, Dec. 2 during the County Board’s Reorganization meeting.
“I believe Mike has the integrity and background necessary to safeguard the taxpayers’ money,” Slusser said. “I’ve known him for more than 15 years, plus he has experience in county government as well as managing investments.”
Slusser held the position of treasurer for the past eight years. Babcock has served District 14 of the County Board since 2020.
Babcock also serves as the Wood River Township supervisor, a position he’s held the past 15 years, and will continue to hold until the Spring 2025 election. With the help of his township board, Babcock balanced the budget and provided a zero tax increase the past 15 years.
Babcock’s platform on the county board was to provide common sense solutions to save taxpayers money, which included transparency and keep the property tax levy flat. During Babcock’s time on the county board, he voted to keep the tax levy flat each year.
He served as the chair of the Judiciary Committee and also served on the Finance, Executive and Government Relations committees.
Babcock holds a financial advisor license with Cambridge Corp. He earned an associate in science degree in electronics from Lewis and Clark Community College and a bachelor’s in science in marketing from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.
He worked for McDonnell Douglas for eight years before changing career paths into the insurance and finance industry, which he’s been doing for the past 30 years. He currently owns Babcock Insurance and Financial Services.
“I’m excited about this next chapter,” Babcock said. “I plan to continue the legacy of what Chris accomplished as treasurer, especially the county’s investments. I’ve met with the Treasurer’s Office staff, and they are dedicated employees. I look forward to working with them.”
Babcock is involved in the community and has served on various non-profit boards, most recently he is serving on the board of Community Hope Center in Cottage Hills. He and his wife, Carol are also members of First Baptist Church Bethalto.
He was born and raised in Rosewood Heights and currently resides in Bethalto. He and his wife have three grown sons and four grandchildren.
Slusser named Chrissy Wiley of Bethalto as Babcock’s replacement on the County Board. Once approved, this would be Wiley’s second term on the board; she replaced Slusser when he became treasurer in 2016, was elected to a four-year term in 2018, but moved out of the district she represented in 2020.
Slusser, along with Auditor David Michael, Coroner Nick Novacich, Circuit Clerk Patrick McRae and State’s Attorney Tom Haine will be sworn into office at 10 a.m. Monday in the County Board Room of the Administration Building, 157 N. Main St., Edwardsville.
More like this:
