Businessman and community philanthropist Terry D’Arcy as filed his petitions to be the next Mayor of Joliet. He is looking to unseat incumbent Mayor Bob O’Dekirk.
D’Arcy’s desire to run came at the urging of many residents in the community and was further fueled by what he sees as failures of the current administration. “The real reason I am running is to be honest, I love Joliet, plain and simple. But I believe we can do substantially better as a city in delivering services to all the residents than we are currently doing.”
D’Arcy has not formalized his campaign platform but said he believes there are key areas his administration would concentrate on if elected from truck traffic to public safety and water issues. “Truck traffic is a major problem in Joliet creating congestion, pollution and adding to the crumbling infrastructure of roads. We need a capital infrastructure plan to address dilapidated roads that have been ignored for too long.”
If elected, D’Arcy said he would strive to make Joliet a safe and healthy community to live, work in and raise families. “I don’t believe we have all the tools to keep our community as safe as possible.” “We should also focus more on improving communication with all our residents. As leaders, we must communicate and listen more to our constituents,” D’Arcy continued.
A complaint said he has heard throughout the city is the lack of inclusiveness in how resources are shared. “All the residents deserve fair and balanced investment in their neighborhoods and not just for a select few. Some parts of town are clearly being ignored in favor of other neighborhoods. That needs to end and if elected, that is what I intend to do,” stated D’Arcy.
D’Arcy is President of D’Arcy Automobiles in Joliet and has been a corporate citizen of the city for over three decades. He is a father of four sons and is stepfather to two other children with his wife Sue. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for Silver Cross Hospital and has served on the Board for Right Moves for Youths, a program for at risk children, the University of St Francis Board of Trustees, and the Silver Cross Healthy Community Committee.
While on the Illinois Tollway Board, which operates roughly three hundred miles of toll roads, the Board rolled out a $12 billion-dollar multiyear plan for expansion and improvements adding to his experience in understanding finances and getting big projects completed. “Finances and development are issues mayors must deal with and my knowledge and background in those areas will be beneficial in making sound decisions for the city,” D’Arcy said
He believes his remaining background and experiences have prepared him for the role of mayor. “First, I know how to turn around something that is not quite working. When I bought the old Jim Graham Oldsmobile on Jefferson and Stryker, it was essentially out of business and with a loan and some hard work we were able to turn it around,” explained D’Arcy. “I have grown my business from twenty-six employees to about 260 and we are in the process of building the largest Hyundai store in North America right here in Joliet.”
“In my 30-plus years in the car industry, I have served in various leadership roles and on numerous boards including the General Motors National Dealer Council which puts us in meetings with the top leaders of General Motors. So, I know what is expected to serve in a leadership role if I am elected mayor.”