Homer Glen trustee candidates seeking one of three 4-year terms agree that preserving 143rd Street and preventing Will County from widening it to five lanes is one of the top priorities.

Incumbent Rose Reynders is the only sitting trustee seeking reelection and is joined by six other candidates: Ruben Pazmino, Richard Modelski, Michael LePore, Nicholas Muller, Kevin Koukol and John Hayes.

Resident Heidi Pacella, removed from the ballot for using the nickname “Hadley” in her nominating petitions against state election code, is mounting a write-in campaign.

With the exception of Reynders and Pazmino, who was trustee from 2019 to 2023, the candidates are new to local politics.

Reynders, LePore and Muller are running together and are backed by Homer Glen Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike.

Opposing road project

Several candidates said the Will County Division of Transportation project to widen 143rd Street to five lanes from State Street/Lemont Road to Bell Road is among residents’ most pressing concerns. Residents fear their land will be taken to expand the road, and the village is encouraging residents to oppose a bill in Springfield to authorize the county to use quick take powers.

“If you want to be part of the solution, you have to get involved,” said Koukol, a resident since 2009 whose house is on 143rd Street.

Koukol said he would use his experience working for the Illinois Tollway for 26 years to help compromise with Will County officials. He said a proposal to add a center turn lane could help solve some of the road’s problems, but five lanes is not warranted.

Will County Board members last year asked its transportation division to study a center lane option after the outcry of Homer Glen residents, but the resolution was vetoed, leading to litigation.

“There’s a lot of people with a lot at stake,” said Koukol, adding he put out information blasts to residents to try to fight the quick-take bill in Springfield.

LePore, who also lives off 143rd Street, said the expansion project is unnecessary, and he values the village’s rural feel. When knocking on doors, he said few residents support the 143rd Street expansion.

“The traffic flow doesn’t warrant that expansion,” LePore said.

Muller said it is important not to have a “superhighway” running through a quiet part of town.

Reynders said 143rd Street doesn’t need to be another 159th Street, a major street through town recently widened by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

“Why destroy ecosystems along 143rd Street when 159th Street is already expanded and underutilized,” Reynders said. “That’s why people live here. We are not like Orland Park, not like Lockport. We want to keep the rural feel.”

Water rate concerns

Candidates for office also want to work on options with Illinois American Water, the private water supplier to about 6,000 homes, to ease residents’ burden.

“Every year, the cost goes up and up and up and it’s becoming unaffordable for people,” Reynders said.

She said village officials are working with their state legislators on the issue.

Muller said trying to reduce water bills should be one of the board’s top priorities. Residents have complained their bills can run upward of $300 for a month.

“Every month, it’s a car payment to run your faucet,” Muller said. “It’s gotten out of hand.”

LePore said the village is unique in that it doesn’t own its water and sewer infrastructure. He said the village is moving in the right direction with plans to build its own wastewater treatment and water processing facility.

Reynders said she was instrumental in negotiating for the property at 159th Street and Gougar Road the village bought last year for a wastewater treatment plant.

Having utilities in the area has a potential to spur development along 159th Street, a major commercial corridor with vacant land and access to Interstate 355.

Controlled growth

Candidates agree keeping the village’s rural look is important.

Modelski, a 32 year resident, said he has watched the village’s growth since well before it incorporated in 2001. Managing growth is important, he said.

He said the village is business-friendly and should continue to weigh each new business application on its merits and whether it is positive to the area. He would like to see more upscale restaurants that draw people from other communities.

LePore, whose background is in real estate and construction, said the village should continue controlled growth that makes sense. He said he advocates for more high quality restaurants, boutiques and family oriented entertainment.

Muller said developments should have character with an appealing look that is different from other towns.

“I do agree we need more commercial and more tax revenue, but at the same time, we need to be more selective of what we bring in,” Muller said.

Reynders said she would love to attract medical facilities, office buildings and a hotel to 159th Street, noting the proximity to Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox. Such development would not burden schools, she said.

All candidates said they are against high density residential development.

Individual priorities

Koukol said he would like to look at residential building codes to make them more friendly to homeowners. He said the village should survey surrounding towns to their learn best practices in an effort to clean up burdensome rules.

Modelski, who coached several sports over the years, said he would like the village to add an outdoor ice skating and hockey rink to one of its parks. The rink could be used for inline skating in the summer.

Muller, a sergeant with the Oak Forest Police Department, said he is interested in public safety to ensure the village remains a safe community.

As the chair of the parks and recreation committee, Reynders said she has concentrated on increasing special events, maintaining parks and bringing in new amenities during the last four years. Some accomplishments include updating the Heritage Park master plan, upgrading tennis courts and walking paths and creating a nonprofit foundation where corporations and residents can donate to the parks fund.

Reynders said in the four years she has been trustee, the village has had a surplus in its budget.

Reynders, a restaurant owner, said she partnered with LePore and Muller because they share the same vision of giving back to the community. While she once ran against Neitzke-Troike for mayor, the two have worked together, and Reynders said she would like to see unity on the board.

Ending political infighting

Candidates said they would like to improve the village’s image and end political infighting that has dominated the town for years. Newcomers to village politics said they are interested in helping others.

Modelski, whose family owns Modell Funeral Home in Homer Glen, said residents have trusted him during their lives’ hardest moments and he wants to maintain that trust as a trustee. He said the Homer Glen residents make the village special.

“I would like to be the voice of reason,” Modelski said. “I’m going to vote my conscious.”

Koukol said the Village Board needs to talk business, do what’s best for residents “and put the drama aside.”

Residents are tired of bickering, LePore said.

“Even if I don’t agree with somebody, we can always work together on a common goal,” LePore said. “I’m a calm, level-headed person.”

Muller said the lack of professionalism and infighting has been embarrassing.

“I really think one of our strong suits is we don’t have the negative history,” he said. “We have nothing to gain except doing the right thing for the residents.”

Pazmino and Hayes did not return messages seeking comment.

The Homer Glen trustee race initially started with 17 candidates seeking three spots, but several nominating petitions were challenged after a resident believed the large number of filings was done to mock the system.

After a series of Electoral Board hearings in November and December, eight candidates were removed. Katie Surges and Kyle Surges later withdrew their names.

Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.