JJC Board Approves Grundy County Land Purchase Amid Heated Debate

Joliet Junior College Meeting | November 12, 2025

Article Summary:
The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees voted 6-2 to approve a real estate contract for a new campus in Grundy County, overriding objections from two trustees who raised concerns about the cost, lack of due diligence, and procedural missteps.

Grundy County Land Acquisition Key Points:

• The board approved a contract to purchase land at the southwest corner of Illinois Route 47 and Granville Road in Morris.

• The vote was 6-2, with Trustees Maureen Broderick and Michelle Lee voting against the measure.

• Supporters cited two years of data-driven planning and strong community partnerships, while opponents compared the move to the “Lincoln Way disaster” and questioned the land price.

• The college will now move into phases of community engagement and architectural design for the new facility.

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees on Wednesday, November 12, 2025, approved a land acquisition contract to establish a new campus in Morris, a move hailed by supporters as a vital investment in the region’s future but sharply criticized by dissenting board members as a fiscally irresponsible rush to judgment.

The board voted 6-2 to authorize the college to enter into a commercial real estate contract for property located at the southwest corner of Illinois Route 47 and Granville Road. The decision follows a two-year exploratory process led by a committee of Grundy County stakeholders.

During a presentation, Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Yolanda Farmer and Grundy County committee representative Lance, who read a letter of support, emphasized that the expansion plan was “data-driven and community-driven” to meet local workforce demands in sectors like manufacturing, healthcare, and energy.

However, the proposal faced strong opposition from Trustees Maureen Broderick and Michelle Lee. Broderick warned of a potential “financial disaster,” comparing the project to the troubled Lincoln Way High School District expansion. “They said please don’t do what we did. We are so living the financial disaster that was created,” Broderick said, relaying conversations she had with Lincoln Way officials. She argued that critical financial, demographic, and environmental studies were incomplete and that the purchase price of $127,500 per acre for farmland was too high.

Trustee Lee echoed those concerns, suggesting that a less costly option to expand the college’s aviation program at the Morris airport was dismissed. She also alleged that President Dr. Clyne Namuo drove up the land price by publicly announcing the college’s intent to buy land at a Morris “State of the Union” event without prior board approval.

Board Chairman James Budzinski forcefully defended the process. “Dr. Namuo is not on his own out in the community negotiating anything. He’s got a whole team doing it,” Budzinski stated. He refuted the Lincoln Way comparison, attributing that district’s issues to unforeseen economic downturns rather than poor planning. “The information that we have and that they have shared with us multiple times on this board is that this is a sound move going forward,” he said.

Trustees Diane Harris and Elaine Bottomley also voiced their support, expressing confidence in the administration’s due diligence and the need to invest in a growing community. The approval allows the college to finalize the land purchase and begin the next phases of planning, which will include town hall meetings and architectural design.