Voters in Bruce Township may be joining voters in other La Salle County townships in deciding whether to stay in what remains of the county forest preserve district.

La Salle County Board Member Robert Jakupcak, D-Streator, recently submitted petitions in La Salle County Circuit Court to have a referendum put on the Tuesday, Feb. 2 ballot in Bruce Township. The township takes in most of Streator. Bruce Township has 7,320 voters, of which the signatures of at least five percent, or 366 voters, were needed on petitions. Circuit Judge Eugene Daugherity is set to determine if the petitions meet legal requirements. If they do, the judge would order the referendum be on the Bruce Township ballot.

In April, 26 of the county's 37 townships voted to leave the district, which voters countywide voted to establish the previous November. Since early October, petitions from the 11 remaining townships have been filed to disconnect from the district. Of those 11, petitions have been approved and referendums set for eight: Otter Creek, La Salle, Dayton, Ottawa, Eagle, Mendota, Ophir and Troy Grove. In addition to Bruce Township, hearings are pending for the townships of Meriden and South Ottawa.

Petitions have also been filed to give voters in Serena and Fall River townships the opportunity to vote to re-enter the forest preserve district.

The next hearing is set for Wednesday.