JOLIET – Will County Board members voted to elect Dr. Mimi Cowan (D-Naperville) to the position of Speaker of the Will County Board today. Cowan holds a doctoral degree in history and was elected to serve District 11 in 2018.
​
“I’m honored to be selected by my colleagues to serve as Speaker of the Will County Board,” said Cowan. “We have tremendous responsibility to our constituents, especially as we face a global pandemic that has sapped our economy, caused widespread unemployment, and strained our medical infrastructure. I am ready to tackle the unique challenges facing our communities.”

JOLIET - The Will County Board is moving closer to distributing more than $120.5 million in federal relief funds that were provided by the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
​
“We are working as quickly as possible to get these vital funds to local taxing bodies, farmers, business owners and others who desperately need relief after the economic pain that occurred due to COVID- 19,” said Will County Board member Ken Harris (D-Bolingbrook). 

JOLIET – The Will County Board selected Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet) today to fill out the remainder of County Executive Larry Walsh’s term. Winfrey currently serves as the Speaker of the Will County Board. The County Board is required to select a replacement for the vacancy of the Executive.
​
“Larry was among the most dedicated public servants I’ve had the privilege to know,” said Winfrey. “I’m honored to carry on his legacy till the voters select a new County Executive at the polls in November.”

JOLIET – The Will County Board voted to provide relief to property taxpayers at their May Board Meeting. Over the course of the last month, the board looked at ways to help ease the burden on residents who are suffering financial and medical hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic. While options for providing property tax relief are limited by state law, the county is able to delay the due date for half of each payment by 60 days.

This essentially means that instead of two property tax installments, residents have the option to pay their property taxes in four installments.
​
“We examined our options for easing the financial burden on residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and this was a way for us to provide relief quickly,” said Speaker of the Board Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet). 

JOLIET--The Will County Board today authorized a contribution of up to $100,000 to the United Way of Will County to assist with critical housing needs arising from the coronavirus, (COVID-19) pandemic. An initial $60,000 contribution to United Way will be used to assist and supplement the Rapid Rehousing HUD process to help displaced persons obtain new housing.
​
Finance Committee Chairman Ken Harris (D-Bolingbrook) said, "This money can be used for security deposits that are required for housing, or other move-in costs such as utility deposits, moving expenses and household necessities such as bedding."

JOLIET, IL – The Will County Board will move its meetings to a videoconference platform beginning Thursday. The move is intended to maintain proper social distancing and shelter-in-place compliance with directives and recommendations from Gov. JB Pritzker and the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
​
“I want to assure the public that their county government is available and working while we combat this pandemic,” said Denise Winfrey, Speaker of the Will County Board. “As Illinois continues to battle the coronavirus, we must all do our part to help contain it and holding virtual meetings is one of the best ways we can contribute.”

JOLIET - Will County officials held a press conference today to discuss steps that the county is taking to address concerns around COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Officials stressed that the general public is safe and that there has not been an outbreak or any reports of coronavirus in Will County to date.
​
“One of the main things that individuals can do right now is help us prevent the spread of the virus,” said County Health Department Executive Director Susan Olenek. “If you feel sick, stay home. Call your doctor and make an appointment, but stay home as much as possible.”

JOLIET – Margie Woods was the second black woman elected to the Will County Board and the first black woman to serve in a leadership role on the board, leading the way for other women and people of color to become involved in Will County government. She died on January 29, 2020 in Joliet where she had lived her entire life.
​
“Margie was a tremendous example for how to be involved in your community and make a difference.” said Will County Board Speaker Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet). “I wouldn’t be Speaker of the Will County Board today if Margie Woods hadn’t first blazed the trail.”

JOLIET—The Will County Board voted at their December meeting to move forward with a motor fuel tax  to improve safety for motorists with repairs to aging roads, many of which are over 50 years old and built to support a county population that was less than half of what it is today.
​
“We are excited to improve safety on our roads,” said Will County Board Speaker Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet). “Our residents want and deserve improved shoulders and turn lanes, better traffic signals, and much needed road resurfacing.”

JOLIET—The Will County Board created a special fund to address the impact of legalization of Cannabis from cultivation to consumption at their December board meeting just before statewide legalization goes into effect in January. In 2018, the state of Illinois passed a law that legalizes the use of recreational marijuana.

​“Starting January 1, 2020 cannabis use is legal in Illinois and we wanted to be ready for the impact that it will have on our communities,” said Will County Board Speaker Denise Winfrey (D-Joliet). “The board will take a hard look at what the needs in our communities are after legalization occurs and we’ll make sure that dollars are directed to those agencies.”