The original Homer Township Electoral Board had John Kruczek as the Chair, Margaret Sabo, and Ethel Rodriguez as members. The Chief Judge removed them of because they were biased. Kruczek’s wife is on the Ballot for Township Clerk, and the other 2 are long time friends of Pam Meyers.
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Homer Township offices will be contested as electoral board rejects ballot challenge
By MICHELLE MULLINSDAILY SOUTHTOWN |JAN 20, 2021 AT 7:32 PM
A slate of candidates for Homer Township can remain on the ballot in April after an electoral board ruled Wednesday that their petition was valid.
Resident Anthony Drabik filed an objection against Homer Township incumbent supervisor Pam Meyers and her slate of candidates, Kathleen Kruczek for clerk, Karen Szynkowski for assessor, John Ash for township highway commissioner, Quinn Polaski for collector and Ed Kalas, Tom Fijan, Sharon Sweas and Ken Marcin for township trustees.
Their slate is challenged in the April 6 election by Steve Balich for supervisor, Vicki Bozen for clerk, Mark Gawron for collector, Carmen Maurella for assessor, Brent Porfilio for township highway commissioner, and Matt Connelly, Angela Adolf, Mike Bonomo and Rob Rivera for township trustees.
Burt Odelson, Drabik’s attorney, said the slate led by Meyers did not collect enough signatures on nominating petitions. Meyer’s slate turned in 326 signatures. An independent examiner found that 54 of those signatures could be tossed out.
Candidates must receive at least 204 valid signatures to be on the ballot.
At issue was that the petition circulated by Meyer’s slate had every candidate on her slate listed on top so their petition was filed on behalf of all the candidates.
Their attorney, Dan Bolin, said anyone who signed clearly understood the intention was to nominate all the candidates listed on the form. The candidates were filing a joint petition and received more than the signatures required to be placed on the ballot, Bolin said.
“Ballot access is a fundamental right,” he said.
Odelson said the candidates were supposed to have a minimum of 204 signatures each and should not piggyback off one another. He said it was “egregious” to allow nine people running on a slate to only file 204 signatures, so individually they do not have enough signatures.
“The minimum signature requirement is not a game of horseshoes,” Odelson said. “It’s not close counts. You got to have the minimum number of signatures and show that modicum of support in order to gain ballot access.”
The Homer Township electoral board voted 2-1 to dismiss the objections. The board was chosen by Will County Chief Judge Daniel Kennedy to avoid the appearance of impropriety. Odelson indicated he may appeal the board’s decision.
Meyers said that she want residents to have a choice in the April election. Her slate of candidates received legal advice when seeking signatures and filing their paperwork, she said.
“We hold ourselves to high standards trying to be fair and legal,” Meyers said. “I do hope it doesn’t go further in the court. That sends the message to the public that their signatures, their voice, doesn’t count. Then it’s a game of lawyers.”
If the objection to Meyers’ slate was sustained, then Balich and his team would run unopposed. Balich’s team was nominated at the Homer Township Republican Caucus Dec. 1.
Meyers said her team, which includes a mix of incumbents and newcomers who are active in the community, represents the people of Homer Township.
She said they can run on a fiscally conservative record in which they have built up their reserves, cut unnecessary expenses and reduced the tax rate.
There are also several projects the township is pursuing that they would like to complete, Meyers said.
The township is working with Pace to have a van serve senior citizens and residents with special needs, Meyers said. The township is also working with the city of Lockport, Lockport Park District and a residential developer to expand and revive Morris Park.
Officials also are pursuing grants to build a multipurpose building for educational and community events at Trantina Farm, after residents voted nearly 2-1 in November to green light the project.
“We are all very honored to represent the township,” Meyers said.
Balich said his team is running on “less government, less taxes and less regulations.” He said he wants to find ways to cut taxes as long as there are no changes in services.
He has been a vocal opponent of building a multipurpose center at Trantina Farm. While the current township board has said that taxes will not increase to build the event center, Balich said that future boards could issue a tax to maintain it. Balich said he also supports term limits.
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
