New Homer Township leadership pledges to reduce highway commissioner salary, review civic center costs

Chicago Tribune

27-05-2025

It's been about three months since the Homer Township Reset slate won the February Republican primary, ousting the incumbent administration, and the group is ready to get to work, Homer Township Supervisor Susanna Steilen said.
Because the Reset party ran unopposed in the April 1 election and state law states most township officials assume their duties the third Monday of May, it's been a long wait, Steilen said.
The Reset slate, which also includes Highway Commissioner John Robinson, Clerk Tami O'Brien, Collector Sara Palermo and Trustees Ken Marcin, Chris Sievers, Don Melody and Keith Gray, were sworn in May 19.
The special meeting was mostly ceremonial as each elected candidate publicly took their oath of office with Judge Art Smigielski. Their first real business meeting will take place on June 9, when the slate wants to start making good on its promises, Steilen said.
The Reset slate bested incumbent Supervisor Steve Balich, who also represents the area on the Will County Board, and his Freedom Caucus slate. The Freedom Caucus accused the Reset slate of being 'Republicans in name only' and courting the Democrat vote in the often contentious election season.
Members of the Reset group said Balich and the incumbents were not respecting residents' viewpoints, chastised them during public meetings, fought with Homer Glen village officials and were not transparent. The Reset slate criticized the Balich administration for trying to sell open space land, moving forward with a civic center without resident input and hiring family members for full-time jobs.
One of the first orders for the new administration will be to reduce the highway commissioner's role to part time, Steilen said.
During the campaign, the Reset group said the township Highway Department is responsible for about 18 miles of road, and the commissioner shouldn't be entitled to a $61,000 full-time salary.
A wage and benefit compensation resolution passed in 2020 stated if the road district's total responsibility drops below 20 miles, the commissioner's salary will be reduced to $15,000 annually without insurance or pension benefits.
'This is a part-time job; I will not take a full-time salary,' Robinson said. 'It's not fair to the people who pay taxes.'
Steilen said her slate pledged open communication and transparency and that's how she plans to govern.
'I plan to be available,' Steilen said. 'We want to improve the communications. I do invite emails and phone calls. This is their township and we want to work with everyone.'
Steilen and her team are analyzing the budget in preparation for a budget hearing in June.
They are also deciding what to do with township-owned cars that were used by Balich and former Highway Commissioner Brent Porfilio, and whether they could be used by the Highway Department.
Robinson said it was important for the prior administration to not declare the vehicles as surplus and get rid of them until they could be inspected. The vehicles will not be for township officials' personal use, Robinson said.
Steilen said she wants to create committees to serve senior citizens, individuals with special needs and veterans and work on issues such as open space preservation and the new civic center. Residents interested in serving on the committees should contact her, she said.
'I'm even open to hearing if there's something we should have a committee for,' she said. 'I'm always open to new ideas. We want volunteers. We want all different groups represented because that's what our community is.'
While Steilen has been only on the job for a week, she has already toured the controversial civic center and is starting to go through construction documents.
Earlier in the year, Balich said he expected the center, which is being built on township owned land preserved for open space, to be open by May or June.
Steilen said the $2.2 million multipurpose center on Trantina Farm, 15774 151st St., is nowhere near complete.
'There's a lot of work that needs to be done,' she said.
The building, which some residents have said was not an appropriate use of open space, still needs interior work, light fixtures, a sprinkler system, parking lot improvements and landscaping, Steilen said.
'What we are doing right now is taking a look at what was actually contracted for, all that has been paid and has it been delivered and seeing what's left on any contracts that still needs be done,' she said. 'What is it going to take to finish this financially and are those funds there to do that?'
Steilen said she wants to keep residents up to date on the civic center and other township business through monthly meetings, newsletters and emails. Steilen said she also wants to improve transportation options for senior citizens.
'It's been such a long wait,' she said. 'We are ready to go.'
In the last four years, residents packed township meetings to protest some of Balich's initiatives.
Residents objected to the administration's attempts to build homes on the Welter Farm and sell the Paul and Purdy Farms, which are all part of the open space program that was approved by voters.
Some residents also said the township board exceeded its duties when it took a stance in the debate over abortion rights and designated the township a sanctuary for life community.
Balich also drew attention when he flew the U.S. flag upside down at the township offices in the aftermath of President Donald Trump's guilty verdict last year. While many residents voiced their support for Balich's freedom of expression, other residents said he shouldn't use a public building to promote a personal political belief.
Trustee Keith Gray said he knows residents will be watching the new board, and they expect members to work in their best interest.
He said the new township board will post its agenda packets online for residents to follow along.
Like Steilen, he promised transparency and improved communications with 'no drama' and 'no hidden agendas.'
'We don't look for fights; we look for solutions,' Gray said. 'We are there for a reason, which is to be the best stewards we can of the public's assets.'
He said he knows during the Republican primary, some Democrats crossed over and voted for the Reset party. The Reset slate was endorsed by the Homer Township Democratic Organization, but they didn't solicit that endorsement.
'They were taking a shot at Balich because he was taking shots at them for four years,' Gray said.
During the campaign, the Reset slate said its opponents were attempting to weaponize these endorsements.
'We will govern for everybody,' Gray said. 'We will govern for all residents of Homer Township.'
Steilen, who was elected as a trustee to the Homer Glen Village Board in 2023, resigned from that position.
'I'm not going far, so it's not a total goodbye,' she said during a recent Village Board meeting. 'When I was elected I did plan on serving as a trustee for four years. I do like to honor my commitments. But I (feel) like I am still going to serve the community as a township supervisor.'
Steilen said she has a good relationship with Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike and believes the township and village will work together toward the betterment of the community. She said she also had a nice conversation with Lockport Township Supervisor Alex Zapien.
Neitzke-Troike said earlier this month she looks forward to working with Steilen.
'I will finally have that opportunity to work with the township and get things done and get things accomplished,' she said.
Balich, who attended the swearing-in ceremony for the new administration, said he promised an orderly transition. He said his administration cut property taxes, increased services and built the civic center, securing a $500,000 federal grant for the project.
When he lost the primary in February, he said he didn't want to start any new projects that would handcuff the incoming administration.
He said if the new administration has a problem, they can call him.
'Do I want them to fail? I would have to pay more property taxes,' Balich said. 'I want them to be successful.'