Republican Will County Board member to run for Homer Township supervisor

Steve Balich, an outspoken conservative Will County Board member, is running as the Republican nominee for the supervisor of Homer Township.

Balich, R-Homer Glen, with a slate of of other candidates for township government, took part in a Republican caucus last week for the party's nomination. The partisan process for a township caucus is different from a traditional primary election in that voters need to physically gather in one space and vote for their candidates of choice.

He said he feels the sitting supervisor and township board are doing "a really bad job." Balich said he aims to reduce government spending without cutting services for senior citizens.

"They spend money kind of foolishly," Balich said of township officials.

The incumbent supervisor, Pam Meyers, said she is working with a slate to make a third-party run. She said she's run in the past as a Republican but did not participate in the GOP caucus last week.

Meyers said she felt holding an in-person caucus during the COVID-19 pandemic was inappropriate. She said the party has typically run a traditional primary to decide the nominee in the past.

She called Balich and the Homer Township GOP group holding a caucus an "unexpected move." The local party decides how it will determine its nominees.

In addition, Meyers also accused Balich of being a "divisive" figure in local politics. She rebuffed his criticism of local government and use of "misinformation" on various issues.

For example, Balich said he is against the township constructing a multipurpose building to hold events. Meyers said the township has merely been exploring the issue, but that Balich has been "stirring up misinformation and controversy" about it by making such claims as the township would need to raise taxes for the project.

Meyers said the township has been pursuing grant funding for construction and even put the issue to a vote last month. Residents voted yes on the referendum by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

Still, Balich said he felt such a building would be an inappropriate use of township funds and would compete for business with local restaurants and facilities.

"We don't need that here," he said.

The sitting supervisor added she felt Balich didn't do a good job when he worked as the township clerk. Meyers even said some township residents have asked her to run again to prevent Balich from winning the job.

Balich was elected to the County Board in 2012 and has made a name for himself as a small government conservative and for being outspoken on a number of divisive issues, some of which aren't within the purview of county government, like immigration and abortion rights.

He also pointed out that holding a township position and seat on the County Board at the same time is permitted under state statute. Member Jim Moustis, R-Frankfort, is also the supervisor in Frankfort Township.

Regardless, Balich said he only intends to run for one term as supervisor to "cut the size of government."

"I'm just looking to fix it," he said.