EDWARDSVILLE — Mike Babcock is preparing his next steps as he gets ready to step down from his role as Wood River Township supervisor — a position he’s held the past 16 years.
“I had no idea when I first ran for office that I would still be serving,” Babcock said. “I am thankful to the voters of Wood River Township who entrusted me to serve as their supervisor for all these years.”
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After Babcock was appointed as Madison County Treasurer in 2024, he made the decision not to seek re-election as supervisor. His term will end on May 19.
Although state statute doesn’t deem holding concurrent offices as a conflict, Babcock felt it was time to retire as a part-time supervisor and focus on his new job as the county’s full-time treasurer.
Babcock looks back on the job he’s done as supervisor and is proud of being a good financial steward of taxpayer funds. As supervisor, and with the boards help, he cut the budget by 15 percent during his first year in office and kept the spending level below $700,000; made sure tax levy stayed flat for the past 16 years; reduced sewer fees by 10 percent; gave $8.5 million back to taxpayers after the elimination the Wood River Township Hospital District; and improved the township parks by adding a bike trail, pickleball courts and new restrooms at Kutter Park; as well as worked to make sure Woodland Hills Cemetery was cleaned up after the owners failed to maintain it.
Babcock’s platform has always been providing common sense solutions to save taxpayers money, which included keeping the property tax levy flat and transparency in government.
“I believe I kept the promises I made to the voters in Wood River Township,” Babcock said.
Chairman Chris Slusser first met Babcock when he was running for supervisor. He then got to work with him after Babcock appointed him to serve on the Wood River Hospital Township Board, which he served as chair.
In 2013, more than 10 years after the hospital closed, the board finalized all of its obligations, retired its debt and paid out all its pension benefits and left behind nearly $8.5 million in tax money. The same year, the governor signed Illinois Senate Bill 496, designating the funds go back to taxpayers.
Slusser said although the hospital closed due to the financial mismanagement of the organization, taxpayers were required to pay taxes another five years to make sure the hospital’s debts were paid off. The property taxes collected on 32,000 parcels were disbursed back to property owners throughout Wood River Township’s communities of Wood River, Cottage Hills, East Alton, Rosewood Heights, Bethalto, Roxana and part of Hartford.
“It’s the only time I know of that we’ve been able to eliminate a taxing district and give the taxpayers money back,” Slusser said.
Slusser said Babcock’s commitment in helping keep government costs down for taxpayers is one of the reasons he selected him to serve as treasurer. Babcock also served on the County Board from January 2021 until his appointment as treasurer in December 2024.
“I believe Mike has the integrity and background necessary to safeguard the taxpayer’s money,” he said. “He did a great job as supervisor and he’s doing a great job as treasurer.”
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