Giarrante Rejected, Baldermann Nominated To Metra Board

NEW LENOX, IL - The Will County Board is expected to vote on Thursday, May 17 whether to appoint New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann to the board of directors for Metra. Initially, Will County Executive Larry Walsh had sought to appoint former Joliet Mayor Tom Giarrante to the seat, but the Will County Board rejected Walsh's nomination in April.

During an interview on Thursday, Baldermann told Patch that he is enthusiastic about the opportunity to provide representation to the people of Will County regarding Metra. New Lenox, for instance, has two train lines that run through the fastest growing community in Will County. One is the Southwest Line and the other is the Rock Island Line.

"Several people use our train station," Baldermann said. "I've always worked well with people on both sides of the aisle. For me, it's always been about public service and not politics."

Baldermann added "I know Tom Giarrante, he's a good man, I can't answer for why the board did not approve his appointment, but I'm hoping that they see the value that I will bring to the entire county."

Baldermann explained to Patch that if he serves on the Metra board, he will be required to give up his $18,000 per year salary as mayor of New Lenox, which many people already know the mayor donates back to the village to help the community's less fortunate. The Metra board position will pay $15,000, he said.

"Which I'll donate to people in need as well," Baldermann told Patch on Thursday. "I'll also supplement that with $3,000 out of my pocket. The Mayor's Assistance Program has been very successful, giving out more money than I make from my salary."

RELATED: Dunkin' Donuts Donates $5,000 To Mayor's Assistance Fund

Giarrante, Walsh's original choice, was the mayor of Joliet from 2011 through 2015 but lost re-election to Bob O'Dekirk, a Joliet lawyer and former Joliet police officer who served on Joliet's City Council.

Main Image of New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann via John Ferak/New Lenox Patch Editor