Homer Township Supervisor Steve Balich said his first-term highlights include completing necessary repairs using grants for the township-owned senior housing complex and building a $2.2 million civic center on Trantina Farm, which is part of the township’s open space program.

The administration has been able to accomplish its goals while cutting about $300,000 from the budget, and they have not raised taxes, Balich said.

“When have you ever heard of any government body cutting taxes every year and increasing services?” Balich said.

Balich and his Will County Freedom Caucus slate are seeking reelection to various Homer Township offices this spring, but are challenged in the Feb. 25 Republican Primary by the Homer Township Reset slate led by Homer Glen Trustee Susanna Steilen.

Steilen said Balich and his administration have caused rifts in the community. She said residents are chastised for speaking out and haven’t had input into the administration’s plans, citing the civic center and failed attempts to build houses on open space and sell open space.

The Homer Township Reset slate is running on changing the tone of township government and treating residents with respect. Its platform includes improving transparency, preserving open space, collaborating with other local governments to avoid duplicative services and being fiscally responsible.

“I think what’s really hurting is our community’s reputation,” Steilen said. “I don’t see this current administration solving that or healing the community. I think that they are dividing the community.”

The candidates

The Freedom Caucus is made up of mostly incumbents seeking their second four-year term. Running are Balich for supervisor, Clerk Vicki Bozen, Assessor Carmen J. Maurella III, Highway Commissioner Brent Alan Porfilio, Collector Rose M. Fialko and Trustees Mike G. Bonomo, Mike W. Clausen and Angel Constance Shake. The sole newcomer is Dominic Joseph Pacella for trustee.

Fialko, Clausen and Shake were not elected in 2021 but rather appointed during the last four years to fill vacancies. Trustee Ron Rivera is not seeking reelection.

Balich said his team has background experience in project management and engineering, allowing the township to save money by not having to hire outside contractors. The slate members are active volunteers, he said.

“Every single one of them is highly qualified in the private sector. That’s how we save so much money,” Balich said. “We’ve got talent. We have good people. How do you find people like that?”

Steilen heads the Homer Township Reset slate as a candidate for supervisor. Joining her are John Robinson for highway commissioner, Tami O’Brien for clerk, Sara Palermo for collector and Ken Marcin, Chris Sievers, Don Melody and Keith Gray for trustees.

“I believe that they have a sincere interest in putting the community first,” Steilen said. “This is not about them. This is about the community and they really care about the community we live in. They have fine reputations. They are honest, caring people I am happy to be serving with.”

Steilen said her slate hails from Homer Glen, Lockport and unincorporated Homer Township and has past government and volunteer experience.

Gray is a Homer Township Fire Protection District Commission member and a former Homer Glen trustee. Robinson, the assistant public works director for Oak Forest, is the former coordinator of the Homer Glen Emergency Management Agency. Melody is the Homer Township GOP vice chairman and a former Homer Athletic Club board member.

Last year, Balich asked for a recount in the precinct committeeperson race after O’Brien bested him by one vote. One ballot was tossed out because it wasn’t initialed by an election judge, and Balich won the position via a lottery.

Civic Center project

Construction of the civic center has sparked controversy for the last several years. Steilen criticized the Balich administration for not engaging the community on the project before it was built or having a funding plan.

“To put up a civic center on open space property, which is controversial as it is and whether that is appropriate use of the property, they are spending public funds without getting public input,” Steilen said. “They should have had buy-in from the public to take on this task.”

Balich said the project resulted from the 2020 referendum, in which voters approved seeking grants for a multipurpose pole-barn style structure for educational, recreational and community events. The township received a $500,000 federal grant for infrastructure, and the center is expected to open in June with pickleball and space for seniors to play Bingo or practice yoga, Balich said.

The township is waiting until it receives other grants for additional amenities such as a kitchen or a stage, Balich said. He said the civic center is centrally located and will include after-school programs and opportunities for individuals with special needs. Meetings have been held in the last two months on what residents want included in the civic center.

The township is looking for grants, sponsorships or donations.

Balich said the civic center will open without raising taxes, but declined to offer a funding plan.

“I don’t want to say exactly how because I ain’t going to give them any information on how they can do it; let them figure it out themselves,” Balich said. “The bottom line is we’re going to be able to pay for it without raising taxes. We’ve got it figured out.”

He criticized Steilen for reporting the project to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency when it was receiving free clay fill for the foundation, claiming it cost the township about $125,000.

Steilen said she didn’t know how township officials could claim the fill wasn’t contaminated since they didn’t go through a permit process and questioned where they came up with the figure.

Steilen said the Trantina Farm open space property has not been properly maintained in the last four years, and its silo is crumbling and playground is rusting.

Nepotism

Steilen said she would like to end nepotism and patronage hiring, noting three township employees are related to the current administration, including Balich’s son, Bozen’s sister and Shake’s husband.

“Why are these officials hiring their family members to do work for the township, and were those jobs ever posted,” Steilen said. “I don’t see us hiring family members period.”

Steilen said all job openings should be advertised to the public and the most qualified candidates should be hired.

Balich said the people who work for the township are extremely qualified and trustworthy, adding he wouldn’t be able to find other individuals who would work for the wages the township is paying.

“I didn’t hire my son,” Balich said. “(Assessor) Carmen Maurella hired my son. That’s a different division. But my son has a talent that was needed by them.”

Trustee Shake’s husband, Jim, is on 24-hour call and fixes issues within the senior housing complex, Balich said.

“He’s working for basically peanuts,” Balich said. “No complaints.”

Homer Township Road District

Steilen said her administration would eliminate taxpayer funded vehicles for township employees and reduce the highway commissioner to a part-time role. The Highway Department is responsible for roughly 18 miles of road.

Steilen said she doesn’t think the highway commissioner should take a full-time salary of about $61,000 a year for such few road miles.

A wage and benefit compensation resolution passed in 2020 states if the township 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.

“He’s collected $45,000 more per year than he’s entitled to,” Steilen said.

Balich said the highway commissioner received a part-time salary until the administration was threatened with a lawsuit by a downstate watchdog organization that claimed a highway commissioner is always on-call regardless of the number of miles, and therefore is a full-time position.

Balich said Porfilio, who is an engineer with a construction certification from the Illinois Department of Transportation, has saved the township money and eliminated the need to have an outside engineering firm.

Balich said Steilen is in favor of eliminating township government.

Steilen, who voted in favor of a referendum proposal asking if Homer Glen should pursue leaving the township, said she is not out to dissolve the township, but would consider seeing if municipalities could service the unincorporated roads, eliminating the need for the road district. She said this would be more cost effective.

She said it is a “scare tactic” that her slate would force unincorporated areas into being annexed by a neighboring municipality.

“There’s no way we would force anybody to annex,” Steilen said.

Goals

Balich said his administration has had several successes. The township leads regular senior programs where between 100 and 125 residents play Bingo. The administration also initiated a Senior Expo and Pet Fest and offered various holiday events. He said getting the civic center completed and creating programs is one of his main goals if reelected.

Steilen said her group wants to ensure open space is preserved, noting residents voted to adopt the open space program to preserve its rural heritage. She said the administration was out-of-touch with residents’ wishes when it tried to develop housing on the Welter Farm and sell the Paul and Purdy farms.

Steilen said her group would get community input before taking on capital projects, and she wants to improve transparency by opening bids in public and posting board meeting packets online.

Balich said the board began posting its meeting packets online in January, but denied it was related to the election. Rather, it was to reduce the number of Freedom of Information Act requests.

Both slates have said they do not plan to raise taxes.

Divisive politics

One of the major themes from the campaigns is which party is more Republican.

“Our group is MAGA Republicans,” Balich said. “We’re part of the people that believe that America comes first.”

Balich accused the Homer Township Reset slate of being “Republican in name only” and said Democrats have been campaigning for his opponents.

“As Republicans I would have told (the Democratic Party) I don’t want your endorsement, and that’s a huge issue,” Balich said. “You don’t have Republicans being endorsed by Democrats and accepting it.”

The reset slate said its opponents are trying to weaponize these endorsements by claiming they are “Democrats in disguise.” Steilen said the slate has been lifelong Republicans with conservative principles of smaller government and fiscal responsibility.

The reset slate released a statement saying the endorsements they received from Republicans, Democrats and Independents were not solicited, but rather reflected the broad support from the community.

“At the local level, partisan politics should take a back seat to serving the community,” the statement said. “This race is not about scoring political points but about solving real problems for real people.”

Homer Township includes Homer Glen and portions of Lockport, New Lenox and Lemont.

Homer Township voters only have the option of a Republican primary. No other candidates filed to run for the April 1 election, so whoever wins the primary will likely be unopposed.

For more information, go to www.homertownshipreset.com or www.willcountyfreedomcaucus.com.