HOMER GLEN, IL — Homer Glen residents will weigh in on the continuation of local township government after the Homer Glen Village Board approved a public question to go on the ballot in the March 19 election.
The question on the ballot will be:
"Should the Village of Homer Glen take appropriate action and pursue appropriate efforts to potentially dissolve or discontinue township government?"
Homer Glen residents will vote "yes" or "no" on the public question.
Mayor Christina Neitzke-Troike told Patch that the referendum question is an advisory question.
Find out what's happening in Homer Glen-Lockportwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"It is to gauge the residents if they would like the village to look into removing the Village from the Township," she said. The referendum concerns Homer Glen and Homer Township only; not any other areas that the Township may serve, like parts of New Lenox, Lockport or Lemont.
Trustee Sue Steilen said she thinks the Village is run efficiently, and "now it's time to question 'do we need the extra layer of government of a township?'"
"There are 24 townships in Will County alone. Illinois is known for having more government entities than any other state. At some point, we, the residents and citizens of Illinois have to come forward and say that enough, we need to eliminate some of these layers of government," she said.
Trustee Rose Reynders said she is all for smaller government, but is concerned about pressing issues that the Village is facing, including an expiring boundary agreement with Lockport, a union contract, a possible wastewater treatment plant and cost of water bills.
"There has been no consensus from the Township on whether they agree with this decision," Reynders said, adding that state statutes indicate there must be consensus between the two government bodies for a discontinuation or dissolution.
"How do we pay for all this in the event that [the Township] try to sue us," Reynders said. "Those are my concerns."
Trustee Jennifer Consolino said she doesn't think the referendum question is even constitutional in the state of Illinois.
"Without zero information, I don't believe that we can make a smart, educated decision on this board to make any type of referendum."
The resolution for the public question was approved in a 4-3 vote, with Neitzke-Troike casting the tie-breaking vote. Trustees Curtis Mason, Steilen and Craig McNaughton voted yes, while trustees Consolino, Reynders and Dan Fialko voted no.
Homer Township Supervisor Steve Balich said the Township "is going to do the Village a favor and start the process of dis-connecting all its property from the Village of Homer Glen."
"Prior to the last election, the Township and Village worked together very well. Since the last election, the relationship started off with problems starting with the parade not giving the Township the permits necessary to use the Village roads," Balich said in an email Wednesday.
"The Township provides a check and balance of which the Village does not like," he added.
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