2 Slates Face Off For Homer Glen Village Trustee, Clerk: Election 2023

HOMER GLEN, IL — Two slates of candidates are vying for three open Homer Glen Village Trustee and the Homer Glen Village Clerk. The consolidated election is Tuesday.

Candidates for Village Clerk are:

• Candice Bielski
• Yvonne Chentnik

Candidates for Homer Glen Village Trustee are:

• Curtis Mason
• Christina "MC" Clausen
• Craig McNaughton
• Ruben Pazmino
• James "Jay" Roti
• Susanna Steilen

The Integrity for Homer Glen slate includes mayoral candidate Christina Neitzke-Troike, Bielski, Mason, Steilen and McNaughton.

The Homer Forward slate supports mayoral candidate Rose Reynders, and includes candidates Pazmino, Clausen, Roti and Chentnik.

Pazmino is the only incumbent candidate running for re-election.

Bielski, a Village Clerk candidate, said she thinks the most pressing issue facing the Board is "going to be bringing peace and equality to the Board."

"Bringing more transparency and integrity to the village. I know the position of clerk is not a voting position, however, I feel the people I am running with are fair-minded and ready to face the challenges that will be presented," she said in her Patch candidate questionnaire.

Bielski said she has volunteered in the community and is a board member for the Homer Stallions and Elevate Wrestling Academy.

Mason, a candidate for Trustee with the Integrity for Homer Glen slate, said the most pressing issue facing the Board is taxes.

"Taxes, I will try to stifle and or augment taxes by driving businesses into Homer Glen. I am a strong fiscal conservative. I believe in accountability and transparency in all forms of government," he said.

When asked about the differences between himself and the other candidates, he said, "Our slate has no self-serving interest. I feel that that current trustees are focused on individual concerns rather than the benefit of the overall community and the residents of Homer Glen. Our slate is committed to governing with integrity, accountability and transparency. We will lead with compassion and common sense."

Clausen, a candidate with the Homer Forward slate, said the most pressing issue facing the Board is rising taxes.

"I intend to pursue responsible, strategic residential growth, in key focused areas and encourage community engagement. Additional rooftops will help diversify our commercial base and attract upscale retailers and restaurants," she said.

When asked about the differences between herself and the other candidates, she said, "I am a business owner and understand how to be fiscally responsible. Also, I have been attending Village meeting for the past 2 years. The other slate has not been attending these meetings at all."

Pazmino, a candidate with the Homer Forward slate, said the most pressing issue facing the Board is "local taxes, and the turnover of our business community, and the lack of new businesses investing in Homer Glen."

Pazmino, who owns Rubi Agave in Homer Glen, said the other issues that define his campaign platform include infrastructure.

"The Village was born over 20 years ago, and at the time it relied heavily off of Lockport, in regard to sewer and waste water management. There was always an understanding that the Village would eventually develop its own system. With the recent settlement of the lawsuit between the Northern Will County Water Agency and Illinois American Water, it is imperative that we move Homer Glen Forward," he said.

Roti, a candidate with the Homer Forward slate, said pressing issues facing the Board are taxation and development.

"We need to keep taxation at a point so that residents, especially our senior’s, do not get taxed out of their homes. It is necessary for Homer Glen to move forward with necessary development to accomplish a lower tax base. I say necessary development because we need to be selective of that development so that we can hold on to our rural charm that attracts people to our community. We need to look for cost-effective ways to build our infrastructure so that Homer Glen is not continually beholden to other surrounding communities," he said in his Patch candidate questionnaire.

He said other issues that define his campaign platform are community involvement.

"I want to keep the community involved with moving homer forward. Homer Glen isn’t a single person's vision, it’s a vision of the community," Roti said.

Steilen, a candidate with the Integrity for Homer Glen slate, said the most pressing issue facing the Board is integrity and civility.

"We can't move forward when we don't respect each other and listen to the concerns of all residents. Machine style politics have entered our quaint community. The character of our elected officials sets the tone for the development of our community. I plan to improve communications within the community through more frequent newsletter communication (printed and electronic), reintroducing a community and civic involvement committee, regularly surveying the community, and working with community organizations to help them provide their services to the community," Steilen said in her candidate questionnaire.

When asked about the critical differences between herself and the other candidates, Steilen said," I have contributed my time and ideas to this Village for over 20 years, by volunteering and serving on Village committees for the first 9 years, volunteering within the community, and working as an employee for 12 years. I have listened to many residents' concerns and followed through as much as I could. My passion and focus are to make Homer Glen a great place to live."

Polls will open across Will County at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, and will close at 7 p.m. Election results will remain unofficial until April 25 when the Will County Clerk's Office finishes counting vote by mail ballots and provisional ballots.