Monee Village Board 2-Year Term Candidate: Janet Blue

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Name: Janet E. Blue

Home Address/years in Monee: 5359 W Margaret St, Monee, lived here for 11 years.

Community Involvement: Monee Village Trustee (2017-2021); Delegate for Post 1200 Monee, Veterans Assistance Commission of Will County; Monee Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Committee, Chief of Staff, New Hope Christian Community church.

Organization/Club Memberships: Monee Women’s Club (past president), Post 1200 Monee Auxiliary (past president). Monee Historical Society

Professional Background: Acquisition, Trainer and HR/Staffing specialist, Wexford Health Inc, 2017 – Date, Vice President, Talent Acquisition, MMY Consulting Inc., June 2012 – 2017.

Prior to this 10+ years in leadership/talent acquisition roles including Sr. HR Manager, Hallmark Services (Blue Cross Blue Shield IL, 750 employees), Talent Acquisition Manager, Pentair Engineering and VP, CIS Staff in Oakbrook 2003-2008.

Education: Business Diploma – Two year study, Stockton/Billingham College, UK; Professional courses in Interviewing, HR and HR Law, Commerce, Information Technology, Project Management. Trained as a Chef.

Family: As a single parent, I raised a daughter and two sons. My oldest son Alex proudly served as a US Marine and is a three-tour Veteran of Iraq. My daughter is a phlebotomist in IL and my younger son Joshua is blossoming as a professional Opera singer after he graduated from Julliard. I also have two rescued beagles, Beau and Boone!

Office Sought: Trustee, Village of Monee (unexpired two-year term)

GENERAL QUESTIONS

Why did you decide to run for this position? We live in very uncertain economic times, and I consider it my responsibility to add my shoulder to the wheel to work towards a fiscally sound future that stretches way beyond a time of wealth for the village.

What qualifications/experience do you feel you possess for this position? I’ve lived a life of service, serving as president of the Monee Women’s Club, trustee for the village, and as a delegate from Monee to the Veterans Assistance Commission, focusing on making sure that veterans from Monee get all the resources they deserve from Joliet and the rest of Will County. I formerly served as the finance trustee, am a forensic interviewer, and have a keen eye for hiring and watching out for our taxpayer dollars.

What do you hope to accomplish? It’s not about me. It’s about Monee – I hope to work with the administration and county partners to make a difference where it counts in Monee, with a special emphasis on our veterans and seniors.

I hold on to my firmly held belief that together, through our collective effort, we can make Monee more than a village: we can make it a vibrant community. I’m running for Village Trustee, for a two-year unexpired term, because service is still in my blood. I love Monee, and I have much more to give.

My goal is simple, if elected, I’ll work tirelessly to make sure we’re fiscally responsible, to make sure that we’re protecting and honoring our veterans and seniors, and that we’re supporting our residents and businesses. I’ll work with the Mayor, Village Administrator, and my fellow Trustees to make Monee the best it can be.

What do you see as issues that should be prioritized in the near future? I am heartened to see recent news that the Monee Village Board and its finance director, Darryl Bulliner, are focusing their efforts on reducing water prices for our residents. Right now, the people who are using less water than the “minimum payment” are paying too much, much more than their fair share, and we need to remove that minimum payment: you should pay for the utilities you actually use.

The village continues to buy land and property, and I want to inspire the board to focus some of their efforts on a Veterans Hall, a multi-use property where veterans of all ages, whether they served at home or overseas, can go to hang out over coffee or a beer. They can use the hall for their meetings, celebrations, and even a dance hall for an up and coming local big band to

perform in, as Monee had in years past. The possibilities are endless!

At this time, our tax dollars are going to the Peotone Public Library District, and our residents have to leave Monee to get the resources they pay for. In a referendum in 2021, the people of Monee made their opinion on having their own library in Monee clear, and I’ll work as well to make sure that Monee gets its own library.

How can the Village of Monee improve the quality of service it offers? The Village has a fantastic set of employees, and we need to ensure that we are keeping good talent. In addition, the Board should work tirelessly to bring constituent concerns to the attention of our Village.

What would you like people to know about you? I feel there is little left to tell! I trained as a chef and loved it – it’s truly the hardest work I’ve ever done! I’ve worked in HR/Recruitment for most of my career, focusing now in Health Care. Over the last two years, I’ve been working on my home on Margaret Street; it is a labor of love, and I’m proud that it’s recently been acknowledged as a historic landmark in Will County. to spend 2023 working in the yard in my spare time!

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