Longtime Will County circuit clerk Pam McGuire to step down after fourth term

JOLIET – Longtime Will County Circuit Clerk Pam McGuire was one of the first would-be candidates in line earlier this month to pick up petitions at the county clerk's office needed to run for office in 2016 – but the 61-year-old incumbent announced Thursday she won't seek a fifth-term.

“It's been bittersweet, kind of tossing and turning it back and forth,” McGuire said. “And I just decided it's time."

McGuire said this decision was not made lightly, noting she will miss her staff and others.

“[My staff] is just an awesome group of people. They are hard-working. I could not have done anything without them,” McGuire said.

When McGuire steps down in 2016, she'll leave with a $93,116 salary. It's certainly not a modest salary, but it's one of the lowest for circuit clerks compared to collar counties in the Chicago area.

McGuire asked the Will County Board in April to consider a mid-term raise, noting her last raise was given in 2007 despite the county's growing population. Although mid-term raises for elected officials are allowed, county board members denied the request.

Her salary is lower in comparison to circuit clerks in neighboring McHenry, Lake and DuPage counties, where the position earns $104,750, $119,326, and $155,959 annually, according to county documents.

McGuire said Friday the lack of a pay raise did not lead to her stepping down at end of her fourth term.

“Would a raise have been nice? Absolutely. But that didn't really play into it. Do I think, with the responsibilities that go with this office, that the salary should be more in line with the collar counties based on population? Yes," she said. "It's a stressful job. I get threatening letters [and phone calls.] I don't think the people that set the salary take that into consideration or know that."

In addition to other duties, the circuit clerk's office is charged with maintaining all records of traffic, civil and criminal cases in Will County.

McGuire is leaving open the possibility of running for another elected office, but that's not a decision she wants to make right now.

“If something presents itself to me and the timing is right, I would probably do that. Right now, I want to get in the private sector. I have too much energy to just be sitting at home now,” McGuire said.

She's tapped longtime staff member Andrea Lynn Chasteen for the Democratic nomination.

Marlene Carlson, a Republican who lost to McGuire during the last election, has plans to toss her hat in the ring.