Barbara and Steve currently serve as Chair and Vice-Chair respectively on the Champaign County Board. Read more about Barbara and Steve below.

BARBARA WYSOCKI

Urbana resident since 1985

Education: Alverno College (B.A.), St. Louis University (M.A.)

VISTA Volunteer: Headstart teacher, Navajo Reservation, AZ

Community Development worker, the U.S. Office of Economic Opportunity, Whitesburg, KY

High School Social Studies Teacher (1967-2002, retired):
LaSalle-Peru Twp. High School (Teacher 1967-85; Dept. Chair 1973-85)

University of Illinois Laboratory High School (1985-2002, Interim Principal (1995-96)

Member of Local #1243 American Federation of Teachers (1967-85; President 1975)

MEMBERSHIPS

Democratic Party (1964-present)
C-U Black History Committee (charter member to present)

League of Women Voters: LaSalle-Peru (President 1980-81); Champaign County (1985-present)

Champaign County Retired Teachers Association

St. Patrick's Church (Parish Council member/President 1990-1993; Parish Trustee 1994-1997; Long Range Planning Committee 2001; Diocese of Peoria Development Drive 2004)

Early American Museum Advisory Committee (2003-present)
Urbana Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee (2001-2004)
Courthouse Clock & Bell Tower Committee (2002-present)
State Representative Naomi Jakobsson's Education Advisory Committee (2004-present)

COUNTY BOARD ACTIVITIES (1998-Present, Chair 2004-Present)

County Board Committees Served:
Finance -- 8 years (Chair 2001-2004)
Environmental Land Use -- 6 years
Personnel -- 2 years
Policy, Personnel, and Appointments -- 2 years

County Board Sub-Committees Served:
Liquor Committee -- member & chair (2001-2002)
Economic Development -- member & chair (2002-2004)
Labor Committee/Negotiating Team (2004)
Search Committees -- County Engineer (2004) & Nursing Home Administrator (2005)

County Board Liaison:
Project 18 Board (1999-2001)
Economic Development Corporation (2001-present)
Regional Office of Education (2001-present)
Metropolitan Intergovernmental Council (2002-present; Chair 2004-05)
Regional Planning Commission (2004-present; Chair 2005-06)
Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (2004-present; Sec. 2005-06)
Founders Council bigsmallall (2005-06, Co-chair)
Community Service Board (1998-2000, 2004-present)

STEVE BECKETT

Steve Beckett was born and raised in Urbana - a lifelong resident of the County. His grandfather Frank Miller was a long time farmer who lived and farmed near Philo. His mother, Mary Keith, was the first bookstore manager for Parkland Junior College until she and Steve's step-father returned to farming near Philo. They retired in 1998 and reside in Savoy. His Great Grandfather, Thomas Beckett, was a longtime member of both the Urbana and Champaign Police Departments.

Steve's wife Barbara is a second grade teacher at Holy Cross School in Champaign. They have been married 36 years. They have two sons, Chad and Don. Chad is a lawyer and principal in Steve's old law firm in Urbana. He and his wife Tara have two children - Calum and Aidan, who are three years old and nine months. Chad lives in Urbana. Steve's other son Don is a high school history teacher and coach in St. Joseph and is married to Beth. They have no children.

Steve attended Urbana schools and graduated from Urbana High School in 1966. He obtained his undergraduate degree in History in 1970 from the University of Illinois and his law degree also from the University of Illinois College of Law in 1973. He has practiced law in the community for 32 years.

Steve is the Director of Trial Advocacy at the University of Illinois College of Law. He teaches skills training courses in Trial Advocacy and Client Counseling, Fact Investigation and Interviewing (CFI), and teaches substantive law courses in Evidence and White Collar Crime. He has been on the faculty of the University of Illinois College of Law since 1987. He has participated in International Visitor programs teaching criminal law and trial related subjects to visiting groups from China and Russia.

Steve is currently of counsel to the Urbana firm, Beckett & Webber, P.C. that he founded in 1988. He has practiced law in Champaign-Urbana since 1973 with a primary focus in litigation and appeals, both criminal and civil. He appeared in the United States Supreme Court on two occasions, in 1977 (argued) and 1987, with both cases focusing upon First Amendment issues. He has appeared in trial and/or appellate courts, state and federal, in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska and North Dakota, and in the 6th, 7th, 8th and Federal Circuit Courts of Appeal.

He has published articles in peer review journals on a variety of criminal, civil and constitutional law subjects. He has written or edited books on deposition practice. He has also made presentations in symposia, at state and national attorney organizations, and at colleges and law schools on the same subjects. He is currently the Criminal Justice Act Panel Representative, serving as a liaison and resource for all privately appointed criminal defense attorneys in the Central District of Illinois.

He has been on the Champaign County Board since 2000. He is currently Vice-Chair, Parliamentarian and Chair of the County Facilities Committee. He has spoken on the issue of "Liability of Local Governmental Officials" to the United Counties Council of Illinois (March, July and October, 2005) and the Municipal Clerks of Illinois (October, 2005), and given numerous presentations regarding the history of the Champaign County Courthouse and its Clock Tower and Bell, and Abraham Lincoln in Urbana, to civic and historical groups.

Steve has been active in the community, serving on the Board of the Champaign County YMCA and is a former president of that Board. He currently serves on the YMCA Foundation Board. He has been active with Boy Scouts of America at the troop, district and council level. He is an active member of St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church in Urbana and coordinates its weekly Coffee Shop, serves on the long range planning committee and picks up food for distribution to the poor for the St. Vincent DePaul Society on a weekly basis.

For Steve's complete resume, click here.