Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Homer Glen residents press board as Will County proceeds with 143rd Street widening; village attorney outlines eminent-domain options
Summary
Residents told the Village of Homer Glen they had received 60-day notices tied to a Will County plan to widen 143rd Street; trustees and the mayor pledged to keep negotiating while the village attorney explained Will Countys authority under the Illinois Eminent Domain Act and legal steps residents and the village can take.
Residents and elected officials at a Homer Glen board meeting raised alarms about a planned widening of 143rd Street, saying some homeowners have received formal notices and that county action could lead to property takings.
At the public-comment portion, Ellen Moritz said she and about 30 other homeowners have received a 60-day notice and face either negotiating offers or court proceedings. "I have until Thursday, November 27 to negotiate or be taken to court," Moritz said, adding she has struggled to get clear updates on appraisal information and project plans from county negotiators.
Multiple trustees and the mayor responded, saying the village has repeatedly raised residents concerns with Will County and other officials and has attempted to halt or reshape the project through political and legal channels. Trustee Reinders said the board has "made more phone calls" and contacted state legislators and the Council of Mayors in attempts to influence funding and project scope. Mayor Nyski Trojaki told residents she has been pressing county leaders and state officials and said, "I refuse to give up on this."
Village attorney Pasquinelli advised residents and the board on the legal framework. He said the Illinois Eminent Domain Act, as revised after the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Kelo v. City of New London, gives Will County the authority to seek property in circuit court provided it pays fair compensation. "Will County has the authority to bring a suit into the Will County Circuit Court seeking to take your property provided they give you fair compensation," Pasquinelli said, and he urged negotiation in good faith as the primary tactical step. He also described a procedural remedy—filing a motion to traverse—that residents or their attorneys may use to challenge a condemnation if the condemning body did not negotiate in good faith.
Pasquinelli and the board said the village has not authorized any compromise with the county and that village officials attended a Council of Mayors meeting asking that the federal funding earmarked for the Will County project be withdrawn or reallocated. Pasquinelli said the board would pursue legal options if the county proceeded without adequate negotiation.
The board did not take a formal vote on a new ordinance or resolution at the meeting; trustees described continuing negotiations and outreach, and indicated that residents should document contacts with county negotiators and consider legal counsel if negotiations seem to stall.
Next steps: the board moved on to routine business after public comment but later voted to enter executive session to discuss a personnel matter related to the village attorneys office.
