Walsh, county board members take oath
Will County executive pledges cooperation in his fourth term
Will County Executive Larry Walsh was sworn in for a fourth term, and 18 county board members took the oath of office Monday morning as the board reorganized for the next two years.
The board's top leadership will remain the same: Board Speaker Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort Township; Republican Caucus Chairman Chuck Maher, R-Naperville; and Democratic Caucus Leader Herbert Brooks Jr., D-Joliet.
The Republicans gained one seat in the November election, giving them a veto-proof majority of 16 on the 26-member board.
In his brief remarks, Walsh said the board has worked “cooperatively” and “that's why you see that in Will County we get things done.”
The board has a lot on its plate, with multimillion dollar building projects, such as a new public safety complex and new courthouse, and with 26 board members “working together, you will see a lot getting done to keep Will County the great place it is to live, work and raise your family,” Walsh said.
The board's leaders also echoed those remarks.
“As speaker, I represent everyone,” Moustis said. “Hopefully, I can provide the leadership to bring the board forward to get things done… for the citizens of Will County.”
Maher said he “looks forward to working across the aisle with everyone.”
“I look forward to working with everyone,” Brooks said.
In adopting and amending the board's rules, Moustis failed to support a suggested change made by Brooks and Democratic Minority Whip Lauren Staley-Ferry, D-Joliet, that would have required the minority whip to be notified if an item was to be placed on the agenda at the last minute to give the official time to consider it.
But Moustis said he did not see a need for it. He said he “rarely” changes or adds to the board's agenda, and when he does, it is usually at the request of the executive.
Brooks said later when he was board speaker, if there was a last-minute addition, the Republicans would complain about it.
“We don't want to be like deer in the headlights,” he said.
An amendment made by Moustis was unanimously supported.
It stated that any board member that has a county-owned iPad shall acknowledge that it is county property, governed by state and county laws, and that any email addresses associated with it cannot be changed or removed.
Members who were sworn in Monday include District 1, Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, and Laurie Summers, D-Crete; District 3, Beth Rice, D-Bolingbrook and Don Moran, D-Romeoville; District 4, Jackie Traynere, D-Bolingbrook and Ken Harris, D-Bolingbrook; District 6, Don Gould, R-Shorewood and Ragan Freitag, R-Wilmington; District 7, Steve Balich, R-Orland Park and Mike Fricilone, R-Homer Glen; District 8, Brooks and Denise Winfrey, D-Joliet; District 10, Tyler Marcum, D-Joliet and Gloria Dollinger, R-Joliet; District 12, Tom Weigel, R-New Lenox and Ray Tuminello, R-New Lenox; and District 13, Mark Ferry, D-Plainfield and Tim Kraulidis, R-Joliet.
New members, being seated for the first time were, Summers, Marcum, Dollinger and Kraulidis.
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