By The Times Weekly, staff
On Monday 22 Will County board members were sworn in for county board seats and leadership was determined. Judy Ogalla, R-Monee, was elected chair of the Will County Board following the swearing in of the recently elected board members. Ogalla has served on the Board since 2012, including time as minority whip. As chair, she will preside over meetings when the County Executive is unavailable, as well as manage the board agendas.
Jacqueline Traynere of Bolingbrook was voted in as the board’s Democratic leader, and Steve Balich of Homer Glen will serve as the Republican leader.
The new board is split evenly with 11 Democrats and 11 Republicans. Any tie votes will be broken by the County Executive, Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, a Democrat. Until the recent election when Board seats were reduced from 26 to 22, Democrats held a majority.
Women, Democrats dominate Illinois Supreme Court
Justice Mary K. O’Brien, a native of Reddick, Illinois, and Joliet Junior College alumna, was sworn in for a ten-year term on Illinois’ highest court. She assumes the spot previously held by retiring Justice Robert Carter. The swearing in ceremony was held at the Jacob Henry Mansion Estate in Joliet. O’Brien served as a state representative from 1997-2003 and became a judge on the Third District Appellate Court in 2004.
Last week, Justice Joy Cunningham of Chicago became only the second Black woman to serve on the state’s highest court. She assumes the spot previously held by retiring Justice Anne Burke. Cunningham previously served as a First District Appellate Justice; she was also the first Black woman to be elected president of the Chicago Bar Association.
With a victory last month by Elizabeth Rochford, a Lake County associate circuit judge, Democrats now hold a 5-2 court majority. The court is also 5-2 majority women.
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