Proviso Township Trustee and Village of Bellwood Fire and Police Commissioner Gay F. Chase has moved to Land O Lakes, Florida, according to a May 6 announcement by Edgar County Watchdogs.
The issue matters because both township trustees and fire and police commissioners in Illinois are required by law to reside within the jurisdictions they serve. Residency is determined in part by factors such as intent, voter registration, home ownership or lease, business registration, and vehicle or driver licenses.
Public records show that Chase sold her two Illinois homes—one in 2025 and another in 2026—and purchased a house in Florida last year. Additional evidence cited includes her claiming a homestead exemption on the Florida property, registering to vote there, updating her business registration with the Attorney Registration & Disciplinary Commission (ARDC), selling her Illinois properties, and limited physical attendance at board meetings. Specifically, she was absent from the February 2 meeting this year and attended remotely on March 2.
According to state statute (60 ILCS 1/55-5), township trustees must actually reside within their township. The combination of these factors raises questions about whether Chase’s Bellwood address remains her true primary domicile.
Edgar County Watchdogs delivers reporting on issues across Illinois through document-based journalism aimed at fostering accountability, truth and transparency in local governance; its team includes members affiliated with organizations like Investigative Reporters and Editors as well as notable figures such as John Kraft and Kirk Allen among its editors, authors, and researchers; it relies on support from small individual donations according to the official website.
As this situation develops further scrutiny may be placed on residency requirements for public officials serving local government roles.
