New Lenox Mayor Urges Residents to Press Springfield Over Local Control Bill

Meeting Summary and Briefs: New Lenox Village Board for May 18, 2026

Article Summary: The New Lenox Village Board on Monday, May 18, 2026, heard Mayor Tim Baldermann urge residents to keep pressuring Springfield lawmakers over pending state legislation he said would strip municipal local control, crediting grassroots phone calls and social media for slowing the bill, while a township trustee announced a June 16 town hall with U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson.

Local Control Legislation Key Points:

• Mayor Baldermann said pending Springfield legislation would strip municipal local authority, calling it potentially far worse than recent state actions.
• He cited solar-siting rules and Surf Internet as prior examples of lost local control producing complaints the village cannot address.
• Baldermann credited resident phone calls and a social media campaign with helping slow the bill and expressed hope it would be held over from the session.
• A New Lenox Township trustee announced a June 16 town hall with U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson at Lincoln-Way West High School.

NEW LENOX — The New Lenox Village Board on Monday, May 18, 2026, heard Mayor Tim Baldermann use his report to urge residents to keep pressing Springfield lawmakers over pending state legislation he said would strip municipalities of local control, telling the board that grassroots pressure had already made “a tremendous difference.”

Baldermann said he had received calls from people in Springfield indicating that resident outreach was having an effect, and that there was “a good chance” the legislation could be kicked from the current legislative session despite the governor continuing to push for it “as recently as today.” He said holding the bill over would give municipalities “a chance to sit at the table.”

The mayor did not name the specific bill but said it would be “a thousand times worse” than two prior examples of lost local control he cited. He pointed to state action on solar siting, which he said had “snuck through,” and to internet providers — singling out Surf Internet, which operates in the village — saying the loss of local authority had left the village unable to address resident complaints.

“Your voice matters. It’s making a difference here,” Baldermann said, adding that without the phone calls and social media campaign, the legislation “would just be in” like the solar measure. He said he would update residents on the bill’s status at the end of the month and indicated he would say more about the issue in June if the effort succeeds.

Town Hall With Congressman Announced

During public comment, New Lenox Township Trustee Annette Vogt announced a town hall with U.S. Rep. Jonathan Jackson scheduled for Tuesday, June 16, at Lincoln-Way West High School from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Vogt, who identified herself as a resident of precinct 16, said she was calling the event “Town Hall Tuesday” and that the mayor had agreed to offer brief remarks.

Vogt said the gathering would give residents an opportunity to connect with candidates and elected officials, and that attendance would demonstrate support for community engagement. She said Jackson would be the main speaker, with only the mayor and the school principal offering remarks beforehand.

Baldermann welcomed the event, saying residents in the Lincoln-Way area “quite often” feel they are not represented in Washington and that “the majority of the representation happens in the communities east of us.” He encouraged residents to take advantage of the opportunity to engage with their congressman.