JOLIET--Will County Board Speaker Mimi Cowan has named Nick Palmer as Chief of Staff for the 26-member county board. Palmer, a Joliet native, was formerly top aide for the late County Executive Larry Walsh Sr. and brings nearly two decades of experience in Will County government to his new position.

 “We could not have found a better, more experienced individual than Nick Palmer to oversee county board matters and legislative issues,” said County Board Speaker Mimi Cowan (D-Naperville).  “Nick has worked closely with the Will County Board for 16 years and he will hit the ground running on day one when he assumes this post.”​

JOLIET – Small business owners and farmers impacted by COVID-19 in Will County can apply for financial assistance administered by the county beginning Monday, August 24. Applications will be accepted through the end of September. Applicants can apply for up to $15,000 in assistance through the Small Business Assistance Grant Program.

“The pandemic has devastated many small businesses in Will County, and I urge these businesses to take advantage of this assistance,” said Will County Board Speaker Mimi Cowan. “These grants can be used for operating expenses like utilities, rent, or the purchase of personal protective equipment for employees.”

The grants are made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Through the CARES Act, Will County has $24.1 million in grants available for small businesses. Small business owners should go to www. willcountyillinois.com/CARES-Act for more information and instructions on applying for grants.
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Local governments in Will County were recently able to begin applications for assistance administered by the county. Non-profits will be eligible to submit applications in the coming week. 
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 JOLIET- Will County residents will have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns about truck routing at a virtual public workshop on August 13th. The workshop is being held to gather input from residents about combining a truck routing study with a transportation and community land use strategy, the goal being a balance between the two.

County Board Speaker Mimi Cowan said the workshop would lead to a comprehensive plan that melds the economic benefits of transportation with quality of life issues for Will County.
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"As an historian, I’m cognizant that, for almost 200 years, Will County has been central to the movement of goods throughout our greater region and the nation, " Speaker Cowan said. "While I am keen to see that centrality continue, one of my goals is to promote collaborative solutions that support economic development and maintain a high quality of life for all our residents. Moving Will County provides us with an excellent opportunity to do just that."

​JOLIET--  The Will County Board approved the appointment of Edna Brass to the board's vacant position in District 8. The appointment was made at the July board meeting and comes after the previous representative of District 8, Denise Winfrey of Joliet, vacated that seat to become County Executive following the passing of incumbent Lawrence Walsh Sr.

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.
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“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.
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“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.
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“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.
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“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.
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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).
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“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.”