Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant said the county is actively investing in transportation, public safety and economic development while proposing a balanced $824 million budget for Fiscal Year 2025.
Bertino-Tarrant delivered her annual address Thursday highlighting the county’s efforts to grow the economy, help residents access jobs, expand clean energy opportunities and develop a comprehensive transportation plan. The county has also fully allocated $134 million in federal grants to offset the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said.
Will County has created 17,000 jobs in the last five years, making it the top county in Illinois in job creation, Bertino-Tarrant said. It has also been the number one county in Illinois for adding single-family homes in the past five years.
Bertino-Tarrant highlighted an announcement last month of a $30 million investment by Invenergy Center of Excellence in Bolingbrook, which will employ more than 250 construction workers and attract more than 1,000 employees.
The “Will Upskill” training program that launched in April is helping increase the skills of workers by awarding grants to businesses for training employees and empowering upward mobility, Bertino-Tarrant said.
The Workforce Services Division team secured more than $1.7 million in state funding to place job-seekers in high-skill industries and create programs aimed at reducing recidivism through job training, she said.
The Workforce Services Division has also launched a mobile kiosk program where 15 kiosks throughout the county offer residents access to employment services through an interactive tool.
“These programs provide very real assistance to people and are creating a more resilient local workforce in a constantly changing economy,” Bertino-Tarrant said.
The county is also taking efforts to improve transportation, Bertino-Tarrant said, noting the Will County Division of Transportation has the second largest annual road improvement plan in county history and plans to spend more than $130 million in projects in the next year.
Improvements have included the reconstruction of 80th Avenue in Tinley Park and Mokena and Laraway Road in New Lenox, she said.
The county is working on its long-term transportation planning efforts for the next 25 years, which has received input from more than 1,000 residents through surveys and events, Bertino-Tarrant said.
The Eastern Will County Truck Routing project is one of the initiatives the county is studying to help reduce congestion in a high traffic area. The county is also studying alternative fuel vehicle usage, which has doubled in the last 18 months.
Will County is working to expand its Dial-a-Ride services, which recently expanded to the southwest portion of the county. This year the Access Will County Dial-a-Ride service is expected to deliver between 9,000 and 10,000 rides to senior citizens and residents with disabilities county wide, Bertino-Tarrant said.
“With an aging population, we can expect the need for this service to grow,” she said.
Bertino-Tarrant recognized the Emergency Management Agency, which dealt with two weather emergencies this year that included an ice jam on the Kankakee River in January and seven tornados during the July 15 storms.
Bertino-Tarrant introduced her proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, which begins Dec. 1. The county board will review the budget and make changes before it is voted on in the fall.
The budget prioritizes public safety and judicial operations and includes 19 new positions, including 13 court security officers in the sheriff’s department, Bertino-Tarrant said. This allows deputies serving as courthouse security to transition to patrol roles.
The budget also includes $3.5 million to redevelop 1300 Copperfield Ave., Joliet, to be used by the Will County Veterans Assistance Commission. The county bought the building, which was connected to the former Silver Cross Hospital, in 2021 and has been working with the commission to use a portion of it to meet its needs and provide housing for homeless veterans.
The budget also plans to allocate $1.2 million from the cannabis tax. That money in the past year has helped the Children’s Advocacy Center, the eviction diversion program, problem solving court and workforce reentry program.
County Board Chair Judy Ogalla, a Republican from Monee, said she looks forward to board members reviewing the proposed budget to determine how funds can best be allocated.
“I hope we can work together in a bipartisan way to come up with the best plan,” Ogalla said.
Board Democratic Leader Jackie Traynere of Bolingbrook said she would like the board to look into restoring the Safe at Home program to help senior citizens make needed repairs on their homes. The board should also investigate building a branch location for the health department in Bolingbrook instead of continuing to rent spaces for its northern branch office, she said.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter.
