Meet the Candidate for Lemont Township Highway Commissioner: James Durham

LEMONT, IL- James Durham, a write-in candidate for Lemont Township Highway Commissioner, shares his background and plans for roads in Lemont Township.

Durham is a Lemont High School graduate, and has spent 30 years in facility operations and maintenance, including road and drainage design, containment design, environmental, health and safety compliance, and program implementation.

In the Lemont community, Durham was previously elected as a Lemont Fire Protection District trustee, and previously appointed as a village of Lemont I&M Canal Commissioner, and Lemont representative to the I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor Civic Center Authority.

Durham believes the biggest issue in town is drainage.

"I intend to continue the elimination of drainage issues in the township subdivisions by installing more storm sewers, replacing collapsed culverts, regrading elevations of current ditch drainage and ensuring that rain water run-off is addressed when roads are improved or altered," he said.

Durham thinks that his experience with budget development in the private and public sector and his knowledge gained from his career in infrastructure, drainage and containment projects, makes him a great candidate.

Other issues that Durham would like to address include road resurfacing. He believes providing a 15-20 year road resurfacing and/or replacement program would be beneficial.

Durham said the current employees at the township are doing a great job. He believes his experiences managing budgets, major projects and people will help him to continue the good job the township is doing.

"I firmly believe in accountability and I will always take credit for my actions and likewise, my failures," Durham said.

Durham has a wife, Shelley, and a son, Jimmy, and daughter, Emily.