Morrison Seeks Her Successor

West Deerfield Township Supervisor and state Sen. Elect Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield) will leave her local post in the next two months to plunge into her new duties full time leaving an opening in the post she has held for nearly 16 years.

Though a new supervisor will be elected April 2, the Township trustees will choose a successor to Morrison, most likely in December, to complete the balance of her term. That person can run for a full four-year term in April.

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“This is an opportunity for someone to step up and be an integral part of the community,” Morrison said. “It is a job I have loved for 16 years.”

The two requirements for the $67,000 a year job to complete Morrison’s term are residency in West Deerfield Township and being a Democrat. State law requires a Democrat be replaced by a Democrat and a Republican be replaced by a Republican.

According to the law, any person who voted in a Democratic primary, is a Democratic precinct committeeman or participates in the party’s nominating caucus qualifies.

West Deerfield Township includes all of Deerfield and Bannockburn as well as parts of Highland Park, Lake Forest and Riverwoods.

During Morrison’s tenure she turned the job into one helping what she has called the “most vulnerable in our community.” She operates the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry and is a job counselor for the unemployed.

Since the onset of the recession the employment counseling part of her job has grown exponentially. She has established relationships with other social service organizations and held a job fair.