Will County Board member drops reelection bid
Ray Tuminello’s name will be on the ballot March 17 for the Republican primary in Will County Board District 12, but he will not be running in the general election.
Tuminello, of New Lenox, announced during Thursday’s county board meeting he will not seek reelection.
“I love representing District 12 and it is with some sadness that I will be asking our county clerk to remove me from the ballot after the March 17 primary,” said Tuminello, who also served 10 years as a New Lenox trustee before being elected to the county board in 2014.
Tuminello’s Morrisbased company, which is one of the largest glass block distributors in the country, recently entered into a manufacturing partnership with an overseas company.
Tuminello said he had been in talks regarding the partnership since 2018, but it wasn’t until February that the deal was finalized. By that time it was too late to withdraw his name from the primary ballot.
“My responsibilities will ramp up late in the third quarter and will take me out of town quite a bit over the next few years,” he said, saying that would make it difficult for him to campaign and to serve on the county board.
Tuminello’s announcement came as a surprise to some board members. Many expressed their gratitude to Tuminello for his service on the board. “I think he’ll truly be missed from the Will County board,” said member Herb Brooks, a Joliet Democrat who heads the board’s Capital Improvement Committee. “He brought a tremendous amount knowledge of of wisdom government and to the board.” Tuminello anticipates staying through the end of his term, which expires at the end of this year, to see the completion of construction projects at the courthouse, health department and through then emergency that vice as he chairman chair helped management of usher and the county board’s Capital Improvements Committee. The county’s new courthouse is expected to be completed later this year. “I just need to see it through,” he said. “It’s a passion of mine.”
There are two seats to be elected in November for District 12. Tuminello and board member Tom Weigel of New Lenox are unopposed in the Republican primary for District 12. Democrats Erin Moncek of New Lenox and JoAnne Hamilton-Gunel of Mokena are unopposed in their primary.
Will County Republican Central Committee Chairman George Pearson said Republicans will take applications to slate a new candidate to run for Tuminello’s seat on the county board. The Will County Clerk must be notified by June 1 who will take Tuminello’s spot on the ballot.
“He will be sorely missed for his fiscal responsibility on the board,” Pearson said Thursday. “He served the county quite well over the years.”
People interested in filling Tuminello’s spot on the ballot can contact Pearson at georgepearson @sbcglobal.net. Candidates must be a Republican and live within District 12, which includes New Lenox and Mokena.