Will County Gazette

Will County Clerk Lauren Staley Ferry has accepted a job offer to become Joliet’s new City Clerk. The position has been open since the former clerk assumed the role of Deputy City Manager earlier this year.

Staley Ferry, elected as Will County Clerk in November 2018, took over the office serving 700,000 residents of Will County a month later and held the position until her resignation today.

City Manager Beth Beatty made the final decision to hire Staley Ferry and recently extended her the offer. “Lauren will bring her knowledge and expertise to the position and allow for this to be a much smoother transition to such an important position in city government,” Beatty stated. “We posted the position months ago and I interviewed a number of candidates for the job, but no one could start day one with this much experience except Lauren.”

Staley Ferry expressed enthusiasm about accepting the role. “I am beyond excited about this opportunity to work for the city I was born and raised in, where my son and stepdaughters go to school, and where I see so much progress and growth,” she stated. “I welcome the opportunity to utilize my experience and skills to serve the 3rd largest city in Illinois. I look forward to working with City Manager Beatty, Mayor D’Arcy, and the City Council along with my future colleagues in leadership to continue the good work we are tasked to do on behalf of the residents we serve.”

Staley Ferry has been an elected official in Will County since December 2014 when she was elected as a County Board Member for District 9 and Forest Preserve Commissioner serving Joliet, Crest Hill, Lockport, and parts of New Lenox. As Clerk, she modernized her office by securing unanimous support for state-of-the-art voting equipment and a new voter registration system for the 2024 Presidential Primary Election.

She also initiated an automated Vote By Mail program following the COVID-19 pandemic while expanding early voting locations throughout Will County. In 2021, Staley Ferry received an award from the Illinois State Crime Commission for Transparency in County Government.

Beatty expects Staley Ferry to begin her new role on August 21st. “Lauren has to finalize her role with the county and once that is complete, she will start with the city.”