2025 Election Questionnaire: Damon Zdunich, Joliet City Council

Name: Damon Zdunich

What office are you seeking? Council member City of Joliet

What is your political party? This is a non partisan election

What is your current age? 64

Occupation and employer: Accountant and co owner Bishops Hill Winery

What offices, if any, have you previously held? Precinct committeeman

City: Joliet

Campaign Website: www.zdunich4joliet.com

Education: Associates Degree-Joliet Junior College 1980

Bachelor Of Science Degree-Northern Illinois University 1982

Community Involvement: Rotary Club of Joliet

St Mary Nativity School Board from 2020-2024

St Joseph’s Church Holy Name Society

Croatian Cultural Club-Vice President

Joliet Regional Port District Board

Joliet Comprehensive Plan-Member -recently approved by the city council

Marital status/Immediate family: Single, no children

Questions:

Gun violence is still a problem in the city despite the police saying crime overall was down in 2023. What can the city do differently to address this ongoing issue?

The Joliet Police Department has worked diligently in reducing violent crime in the city and are doing their best to take guns off the street. Numerous communities have instituted gun buyback programs where citizens can voluntarily turn in firearms with no questions asked by the police in exchange for cash or tickets to sporting events for instance. Although many guns recovered through buyback programs come from law abiding citizens who have inherited guns or just don’t want a gun in their house anymore you cant just discount the fact that these programs get guns off the streets as they can be stolen in burglaries and used in the commission of a crime. A buyback program is a start but real change needs to be implemented by the state as penalties for gun possession differ based on the offense.

What is your vision for the city’s future development? What you would like to see in the city’s comprehensive plan being developed?

Everyone is looking for the home run for the city’s future development. I’m more inclined to win the game by hitting a stream of singles. Not glamorous but wins the game. Joliet was and still is the Cross Roads of Mid America. Geography is Joliet’s greatest asset and opportunity will seek out Joliet if our work force is ready, willing and able. Our housing stock is attractive, affordable and our neighborhoods are safe and liveable. I think the city should focus on the following: Ordinance and policy changes to reduce the of living units not owner occupied. Strong owner occupied housing is the bedrock of any local community. Reorder its spending priorities to rebuild and modernize its public utility infrastructure. Demand and fund the redesign and redevelopment of our commercial thoroughfares.

As to the city’s comprehensive plan, We need to focus on a few areas to make this city better over the long term and improve the quality of life for everyone. There was a plan to develop the riverfront along the Des Plaines River over 105 years ago. It is no longer the dirty and smelly canal it once was. Other local communities have done an excellent job on their riverfronts and so should we. We need world class shopping and dining experiences here. We need to look at the potential for redeveloping the Louis Joliet Mall. It’s at the intersection of U.S. 30 and I 55. Years ago John Menard (Menards) came into Joliet as he had a vision for the former vacant Jefferson Square Mall and now its prospering and brings in major tax revenue. We have a great University of St. Francis right here in the heart of Joliet and we need to ask them how we can help them continue to prosper. Lastly, we need to see how St Josephs Hospital can continue to grow and maybe become the heart of a medical district so as to provide the great care for patients as a great hospital will benefit everyone in our town.

Housing affordability and shortage of quality multifamily housing has been labeled a county-wide problem. How can your city address this locally?

I read the article discussing affordability published by the Will County Center for Economic Development and I do think it has to be looked at more. I had also seen a recent statistic in the Wall Street Journal that said the average price of an existing home nationwide was near $500,000. Each week the Herald News lists the selling prices for homes in Joliet and it appears to be about half the national average and much less expensive than Will County in general. So this is an issue that needs further study not just in Joliet but Will County.

What are your top three priorities for our city, and how do you plan to address them?

We need to balance industrial growth with the quality of life for our many residents. We need to drive commercial development to give our citizens the stores, restaurants, and entertainment options they deserve.

We need a long term vision/plan on what we want our city to look like and then stick with the plan. In 2007 several neighborhood plans were undertaken but nothing much became of the plans once they were completed. I am excited that the comprehensive plan for the city of Joliet will be getting underway soon. We will finally have a vision of what Joliet can be. Lets do it right this time.

We need to continue to beautify the entryways to Joliet and clean up our main arterial street areas. Once we come together on what Joliet can look like we could use a two prong approach to maintaining them. First we should create a program in which local large companies/distribution centers adopt an arterial street/highway/entryway. The adopter will assist in paying for the cleanup of that area. Secondly the city should create a summer jobs program for youths and at risk youths to assist in maintaining these entryways.

Roads and Infrastructure. We need to refocus on our roads and infrastructure. With all the water mains being replaced over the past six years the patch jobs are looking and feeling rough and driving over these patched roads has become less than enjoyable. We need to think long and hard about truck routes. Another high level bridge (Caton Farm over the Des Plaines River) which has been on the back burner for years needs to be looked at seriously. It will be hard to revive downtown with all the trucks currently transiting through it if we don’t look at some options for truck routes.

How do you intend to balance economic development with environmental sustainability in the community?

I think future warehouse/distribution centers should do more with solar panels on the roofs and larger retention/detention ponds would alleviate the current amount of water runoff into our local streams. This would also help in rebuilding the local aquifers that service our area

What are your plans for enhancing public transportation and infrastructure in the city?

I can think of a few things. Joliet needs another high level bridge. The draw bridges were built about 90 years ago. They weren’t designed to handle the current level of truck traffic and neither were the downtown streets.

Since Joliet continues to grow we need to pursue express trains to Chicago similar to Naperville in which you have one or two stops before your ultimate destination.

I also see the need for more bike routes along our city streets. In a sense we need to make our roads biker friendly.

What role should the city council play in supporting local businesses and economic growth?

The city should continue to incentivize crucial industries that enhance the quality of life for the residents.

What are your top public safety concerns for our community and how would you propose addressing them?

Quite often I hear people commenting about the number of drivers speeding and and being reckless while driving on our streets which I have also seen. The police are doing their best but we need to ensure they have the state of the art tools to combat this. The same goes for the Semi trucks driving through residential neighborhoods. Not only is driving through residential neighborhoods unsafe but it really tears up the roads and bridges. We need to give the police the tools to better monitor/enforce public safety.

How will you ensure that city policies promote inclusion for all residents?

I believe the city should give procurement preference to local businesses and contractors.

Do you support requiring government officials to publicly disclose potential conflicts of interest, and how would you enforce this?

Yes, I believe the state requires gov’t officials to submit the NONE form annually and the city of Joliet has adopted an ethics ordinance.

How will you make sure you are accessible to your constituents?

Email, phone, community involvement, and neighborhood meetings