Homer Township: Officials, Residents Questioning Validity of 143rd Street Widening Veto
By Nick Reiher
Two days after the Will County Board approved a controversial resolution reducing expansion of 143rd Street in Homer Township, County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant issued a press release saying she had vetoed the measure.
Since the County Board needed 14 votes to overturn the veto, and the original resolution passed with 12, the County Executive’s veto seemed to put an end to the issue: The widening of 143rd Street between State Street/Lemont Road and Bell Road would continue to be five lanes, as has been planned, and continually approved by the board for the past 30 years.
But County Board leaders and Homer Township residents and officials seeking a three-lane expansion instead of five, pounced on an error Bertino-Tarrant’s staff acknowledged in her February 17 press release on the veto:
“Incorrect reports have been made publicly that the County Executive signed and delivered this resolution with the intent to make it effective.
“While the resolution was signed in error, the County Executive did not authorize delivery to the Clerk’s Office as it was never the County Executive’s intention to return a signed resolution to the County Board. Instead, the County Executive exercised her veto powers authorized under the law, which is consistent with her public comments on media outlets following the County Board meeting.
“After consulting with legal counsel, the County Executive immediately contacted County Board leadership via email to make them aware of the error. In addition, the County Executive spoke to the County Board Chair and leadership to explain the situation and that a formal veto was forthcoming. County Board leadership acknowledged the error.”
County Board Chair Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, acknowledged the error by issuing her own press release a week later saying opponents on the board and in Homer Township were challenging the validity of Bertino-Tarrant’s veto since she already had signed the resolution, and it was delivered to the County Clerk.
“This is more than just about the 143rd St Road project,” Ogalla said in her February 23 release. “This is about whether a Resolution signed by the County Executive can be vetoed after signature and filing with the Clerk’s Office. Allowing this to take place would set precedent that would have huge ramifications on all Resolutions signed now, in the future, or in the past.”
Ogalla said Scott Pyles of the Will County States Attorney’s office, which represents both the Will County Board and the Will County Executive, is handling the opinion.
Although the County Board had voted nine times over 30 years to support a 143rd Street widening project through Homer Township, board members for the past several months have debated the project based on newfound opposition from residents in the final piece.
After lengthy discussion following several hours of in-person and emailed testimony, the County Board on February 15 voted 12-9 to support a resolution for a developed three-lane roadway instead of continuing a five-lane plan.
This would mean the county’s portion of the plan would remain three lanes, while other parts surrounding it from Interstate 355 east into Orland Park will be five lanes.
The segment in question, between State Street/Lemont Road and Bell Road, is in the final segment of the widening and reconstruction of 143rd Street Corridor plan begun in 1991. All other segments have been made five lanes, with a median.
The Will County Board has supported the five-lane plan at least nine times since that time, and has spent $6.2 million so far. The county also has the promise of a $7 million grant toward the project, estimated to cost $58 million, with an additional $5 million to $6 million for engineering, said Jeff Ronaldson, Will County Transportation Director.
But after months of opposition from residents in Homer Township, the Public Works and Transportation Committee on February 6 vote to recommend the resolution forgoing that plan and instead build three lanes, with the third being a turn lane.
Opponents say the larger plan would mean more traffic through their area, eliminating what rural areas are left. They added the five-lane plan was devised before 159th Street two miles to the south was fully developed.
Yet, those supporting the five-lane plan say the traffic will coming regardless, now that there is an interchange at Interstate 355 and 143rd Street. Not widening the road as other parts already have been could be a safety issue, they say.
Ronaldson has said the county is in negotiation for right-of-way for the project. Construction can begin after that’s completed. He said acquisition would not re-locate any homes; the same right-of-way would be needed if the County Board were to approve the three-lane plan instead.
Nick Reiher is editor of Farmers Weekly Review.