Duane Wolfe, Morris City Council 2023 Primary Election Questionnaire – Shaw Local

Full Name: Duane Wolfe

Which office are you looking for? 4th District Councilman

What offices, if any, have you previously held? 4th Ward Alderman for 20 years.

City: Morris

Profession: Retired teacher and school administrator for 35 years

Education: Bachelor of Science in Education, Masters in School Administration

Political Affiliation: Republican

Campaign Website:

Why do you want to be on the Morris City Council?

I want to be on the Morris City Council because I love living in the city of Morris. I’m always there for people’s concerns. Making the city a unique place to live is very important to me. I believe in keeping taxes at an affordable level for all residents. Expanding Morris is important to me, but it has to be done at a controlled pace.

What experiences do you offer residents that can help improve Morris?

Morris has been my home for over fifty years and I have been a member of Morris City Council for nearly twenty years. I currently serve on the Water and Sewerage, Parks and Ancillary Buildings, Finance and Administration, and the newly formed Business and Development Committee.

If you think residents aren’t paying enough taxes, what should be increased and what should the city do with the extra revenue?

If conscientious spending is a top priority, then taxes shouldn’t need to be raised. Council spending must remain within budgetary guidelines.

Current administration is focused on downtown growth and park district improvements. Is this a good use of government funds and if elected would you continue to focus on downtown? As the?

I currently serve on the City of Morris Business Development Committee. The purpose of the committee is to better develop and improve the downtown business and shopping district. Much of the funding for downtown improvements comes from the TIF account in the city budget. I want the downtown shopping district to be a destination for our local and out-of-town shoppers.

Morris has recently seen development companies looking to build affordable rental communities. What impact do you think large development companies would have on the city and do you view this as a net gain or loss?

As a councilman, I listen to all requests for community development.

Morris has seen a surge in both violent crime and drug activity over the past year. What measures can be taken to support local residents and prevent these crimes?

We must continue to support our law enforcement officers.

The city continues to evolve and the expansion of the Chicago area continues to creep toward Morris. Do you think this will be good or bad for the city? What actions should be taken to encourage or slow down growth?

I believe that for our city to be viable, it needs to encourage some form of expansion. The expansion must be controlled by the Council.

Morris experienced an industrial fire in 2021 that resulted in the evacuation of more than 3,000 residents and prompted a multimillion-dollar cleanup. What has the administration done correctly during this time and what do you think has been handled incorrectly? What steps can the City Council take in the future to prevent this from happening again?

They were evacuated to protect the residents. The property was then turned over to the government agency for inspection and cleanup. Camera surveillance is still ongoing.

Do you support government transparency and what are your thoughts on the Freedom of Information Act?

I believe government should be transparent. It is the right of all citizens to know what their elected officials support. The Freedom of Information Act is very important because it allows public access to government records.