Neitzke-Troike, Reynders Vying For Homer Glen Mayor

HOMER GLEN, IL — In a contentious race that has spanned several months, Homer Glen mayoral candidates Christina Neitzke-Troike and Rose Reynders will face off Tuesday in the consolidated election.

Neitzke-Troike currently serves as Village Clerk, and Reynders is currently a Village Trustee.

Homer Glen voters will choose the first new mayor in eight years, as current Mayor George Yukich cannot run for re-election due to the Village's two-term limit for mayor.

For the past two years, Homer Glen's Village Board has had several controversies and in-fighting between board members and the mayor.

• Homer Glen Mayor, Trustee Walk Out Of Special Board Meeting
• County Not Prosecuting Homer Glen Trustee's Battery Charges
• Homer Glen Trustee Candidate Remains On Ballot After Challenge
• Homer Glen Mayor Censured By Village Board

Neitzke-Troike is part of the Integrity for Homer Glen slate, which includes Village Trustee candidates Curtis Mason, Susanna Steilen and Craig McNaughton.

Neitzke-Troike is the general manager of Konow's Corn Maze in Homer Glen and said her priorities as mayor include "protecting taxpayers, keeping our community safe, tackling the water issue, preserving our green/open spaces, and attracting new upscale businesses. Iw ill make the budgeting process more transparent, seek community input on budget priorities, and I will put our residents’ safety first."

In her Patch candidate questionnaire, she said, "I want to invest in the safety of our community, and I also want to work with planners and developers to build a town center that offers shopping and entertainment options. I am 100 percent committed to improving the quality of life for current and future Homer Glen residents."

Reynders is aligned with the Homer Forward slate, which includes Village Trustee candidates Ruben Pazmino, Christina "MC" Clausen and James "Jay" Roti.

Reynders is the owner of Tazza Italian Ristorante in Homer Glen. She said the most pressing issues facing Homer Glen are, "The modernization of our infrastructure is essential for our community to move forward with developing our commercial corridor on 159th Street or any additional controlled growth the village plans for in the future. The additional revenue generated by commercial business will stabilize our taxes and secure our financial future."

In her Patch candidate questionnaire, she said, "Fiscal responsibility is an important issue that defines my campaign. My plan is to explore and identify additional revenue sources to reduce or abolish the Municipal Tax and stabilize our tax base. I plan on working closely with law enforcement to keep our community safe. Community engagement is essential for our residents to feel their voices are being heard. I plan on leading my community with a shared vision of inclusion, diversity and equality for all."

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.