The Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees voted 6-1 to proceed with the long-term acquisition of 20 acres of land in Morris for a new campus to meet the needs of a growing population and strong job market.

Before the vote on Oct. 16, JJC President Clyne Namuo said the college expansion into Grundy County represents a “major investment” in education, workforce development and the “long-term educational and economic vitality of the region.”

“By this securing this property, this land acquisition today, we’re taking a strategic step forward, really toward expanding our presence and ensuring that students and employers in Grundy County have the same level of opportunity and support that exist across our entire region,” Namuo said.

The proposed site for the Grundy County campus is the southeast corner of Illinois Route 47 and Granville Road in Morris, directly across from Saratoga Elementary School, 4040 N. Division St., according to JJC.

JJC Executive Vice President Yolanda Farmer said the location is “highly accessible” as it is about a mile away from Interstate 80 and positioned for “long-term growth and community impact” for the county.

With a majority vote on Oct. 16, the Board of Trustees gave college officials the green light to begin negotiations for the acquisition of 20 acres of land in Morris.

JJC Trustee Maureen Broderick was the lone vote against the resolution for land acquisition negotiations. JJC Trustee Michelle Lee was absent for the vote.

Broderick disputed the accuracy of the resolution, but JJC Attorney Matthew Campbell insisted it was accurate.

Broderick said since the new campus is “not in the strategic plan or the budget,” the college should consider offering classes at high schools in Minooka and Morris instead of “spending the $25 million of opening a brand new campus.”

“That would give us an opportunity to see if there is a need for that in this community,” Broderick said.

When asked about the cost of the new campus, JJC officials said they were still “early in the process and so offering a final project cost at this time is premature.”

They plan to have more information at the next board meeting on Nov. 12, when trustees are expected to vote on a land acquisition contract.

“I want to stress to the board tonight that we’re going to come back in November and really talk through contract negotiations, etc,” Farmer said at the Oct. 16 meeting.

In 2023, JJC officials initiated an exploratory committee for the expansion into Grundy County.

JJC currently operates the Morris Education Center. But college officials said in 2023 that Grundy County had become the fourth fastest-growing county in Illinois, with a job market growth that exceeds the national average.

Farmer said the Grundy County Expansion Committee has submitted a “formal letter of support” to JJC for the proposed site. The committee is composed of business leaders and elected officials.

Nancy Norton, president and CEO of Grundy County Economic Development Council, appeared at the Oct. 16 meeting in support of the project.

“There is that perception, ‘Grundy County, way out there.’ You know, Will County’s growing tremendously. But so are we. You saw the numbers. We are growing both in population, in jobs [and] in new businesses,” Norton said.

JJC Trustee Elaine Bottomley said she was “willing to bet” on Grundy County and that Morris is “doing such great and amazing things.”

“And us having a footprint in there is going to be so valuable, so impactful and really stands with our peers and with our residents in Grundy County that continue to pay taxes that support this district. I’m looking forward to our expansion out there,” Bottomley said.