Solar developments, property taxes and transportation are top issues for Will County Board candidates in District 5, which includes portions of Lockport, Crest Hill and New Lenox.
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The district is represented by incumbent Democrat Sherry Williams, of Crest Hill, and Republican Dave Oxley, of Lockport. Also on the ballot are Democrat Karen Johnson and Republican James “JJ” Balonek, who both live in Lockport.
Voters will select two candidates for four-year terms.
Williams, 69, a County Board member since 2022, has been the Democratic leader for the last two years. She is retired from the Will County sheriff’s office where she was a dispatcher and a classification specialist at the Will County Jail. With a background in psychology and a former union president, Williams said she understands how to communicate with her fellow board members and was instrumental in getting the board to pass a strategic plan to outline ways it can function with more purpose and direction.
“I’m not afraid to reach across the aisle,” Williams said. “I’m not afraid to do things differently than my caucus. I have to support my constituents.”
Oxley, 72, was appointed in December 2024 to fill the vacancy left when Republican Annette Parker, of Crest Hill, was elected clerk. Oxley has owned a construction business for 45 years and is now semi-retired, and was on the Lockport Plan Commission for 32 years. As the chair of the Landfill Committee, Oxley said he helped initiate improvements to the county’s renewable natural gas plant, which turned a $400,000 profit in June and July.
Johnson, 68, has been a Lockport Township trustee since 2020 and was township collector. Township officials lowered the tax rate each year, partnered with Thriveworks and the Lockport Township Fire Protection District to offer affordable and accessible mental health care and expanded its college scholarship program to students, Johnson said. She said the County Board needs to focus more on residents and less on politics.
Balonek, 57, is a locomotive engineer with Metra and a union representative with the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, who has advocated in Springfield for transportation issues, and he has negotiated contracts. As a first-time candidate, Balonek said he doesn’t make decisions on behalf of one party, but rather what is best for the residents.
“If we all row the boat together, we move together,” Balonek said.
He said he doesn’t want Will County to be like Cook County with a one-party supermajority.
Top issues
Balonek said property taxes are not just a county issue, but a state problem and in need of reform. Balonek said he appreciates board members’ efforts to hold the line on taxes with no increase in the property tax levy, but cautioned it will not translate to significant savings as home values rise, and the county’s portion is a small fraction of the overall tax bill. Balonek said he does not want to see any job cuts.
Balonek said a transportation concern is a major roadwork project on the 9th Street Bridge that will affect residents of Crest Hill and Lockport. A new east-west bridge over the Des Plaines River would be a huge undertaking and the federal government would have to weigh in with financial assistance, Balonek said.
Oxley said he is concerned with public safety when roadwork starts on the 9th Street Bridge, noting fire departments and paramedics are on both sides of the river and already get stuck in traffic. The 9th Street Bridge reconstruction is several years away as the Illinois Department of Transportation is in the first phase of engineering, an spokesman recently said.
Oxley said the county needs to plan to deal with increasing traffic and trucks coming to and from warehouses. Recently, Oxley helped resurrect discussions on the County Board about a second bridge over the Des Plaines River Valley after the project was put on a shelf four years ago due to its $617 million price tag.
Oxley said the board needs to “control spending and watch the bottom line.”
Williams said she supports no increase in the property tax levy as proposed by County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, but costs continue to rise.
“Down the road we may have some issues,” Williams said. “We do have healthy reserves, so hopefully we won’t have to drain them.”
Williams said she would like to see Access Will County expand. The program offers transportation options for senior citizens and individuals with disabilities to get to their medical appointments, stores, work or community events. Expanding access or hours could benefit more residents, Williams said.
Williams said any east-west bridge over the Des Plaines River and infrastructure improvements cannot adversely affect residents of the Fairmont community. Many residents would like a bridge, but the county needs to know how it will be paid for without diminishes services.
Williams also said affordable housing is difficult to find in Will County and developments are out-of-reach for many people. Aquifers in danger of drying up need to be studied, and water bills are going up causing concerns.
Johnson said she supports keeping property taxes as low as possible while providing the services people need.
Johnson said the board should be “mindful and deliberate” on its budget. She said Republican board members did not have a plan when they propose cutting taxes and were only looking for headlines rather than solutions. Last year, the County Board had to reconcile an unbalanced budget by using county reserves, Johnson said.
“There are a number of reasons not to bring the reserves down to a dangerous place,” Johnson said.
Solar farms/data centers
Johnson said residents have significant concerns on the number of solar energy facilities proposed and the proliferation of data centers.
Johnson said she spoke to state Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, on the rise of solar energy facilities. She said it shouldn’t be the intent of the solar law to issue blanket approvals, and some homeowners have been boxed in by solar developments. She said it’s important to balance the interests between municipalities, residents and farmers.
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“There’s no room for those kind of conversations now,” Johnson said. “Here the County Board’s hands are tied. They vote no (for solar projects), and the judge ruled they can be held in contempt of court.”
Johnson said there needs to be provisions in the state solar siting law so the board can weigh special circumstances and look at the concentration of solar facilities.
Williams said the board “should have more input than we do.” She said the local leaders know more about their constituents and land use than the state legislature.
She said she doesn’t have a problem with solar facilities, but said the 6,100-acre Pride of the Prairie project approved earlier this year is too big.
Williams said not enough information is known on large data centers and their affect on water and environment.
Oxley said solar facilities in the right place are OK, but the state has put the board in a no-win situation with its siting rules. Data centers need regulations and standards to protect residents, Oxley said.
Balonek said construction of solar facilities offers great job opportunities for trades workers, but he doesn’t think alternative fuel is enough to replace fossil fuels.
Data centers need parameters if they are going to locate in Will County, he said.
“No matter how many jobs in the long run they claim will be created, I don’t think the environmental impact is going to be worth it,” Balonek said. “We need to invest in infrastructure projects, but we need to make sure the projects we are investing in and supporting are not harming the community in the long run.”
License plate readers
Williams and Oxley were two of eight County Board members who voted against allowing municipalities to place license plate reader cameras, or Flock cameras, on county rights of way in August.
Oxley said he was concerned about the liability for the county if the posts were to break.
Williams said she the benefits do not outweigh the misuse of license plate cameras.
“Yes, they’ve been helpful to police is some instances, but I do think that the privacy issue and the possible abuse is very concerning,” Williams said.
With the recent revelations of officer misuse, Balonek said he doesn’t think license plate reader cameras should be placed on county property until there are better safeguards in place.
Johnson said there should be a moratorium on Flock cameras. She said she can appreciate the cameras help locate senior citizens or missing children, but there is too much misuse and she has not heard of an officer being prosecuted for violating another’s’ privacy.
“I don’t think it’s safe right now,” Johnson said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.