The board meeting on Monday went about as I expected.  We approved several items for ongoing operations.

I placed a couple of items onto the agenda.  One was for a discussion on HR policy regarding exiting employees.  I wanted to understand what the policy was, as our Assistant Village Manager recently left for a job in Homer Glen.  I was informed that exiting employees are allowed to keep their phone numbers and that we immediately take their computers and forward their emails to another person inside the Village.  As expected, Trustee Dodge and Carroll decided to take shots at me during this discussion. (It is of course the last meeting that will be reported in the newspapers before the election.)

Next, I put an item on the agenda about the Inter-Governmental Agreement with Mokena and Tinley Park regarding the Chicago Southland Interstate Alliance.  All three villages (and their boards) agreed to contribute $10K into the group for the purposes of marketing the corridor.  In order to contribute this, it needs to be part of a formal agreement.

Trustee Gira asked why we are doing this because of an agreement we had with Tinley Park for economic development.  It was explained that that agreement hadn’t been in force for over 10 years and was about the Auto Dealers not the I-80 corridor.

Trustee Dodge decided to pontificate about the need for auditing (BTW the account is controlled by Tinley Park, so it is audited).  The agreement also says it can be audited at any time.  He had a lot of other things to say as well that don’t dignify comment here. At the end of the day, the agreement didn’t change and it passed unanimously.

And, of course, Trustee Carroll decided to take a few more pot-shots at me during his board comments.  I guess he is running out of time before the election, so he needed to be true to himself. I give Trustee Carroll credit though, at least he is consistent.

My board comments follow:

I want to address several inaccurate rumors that are being spread about crime and about Orland Square that are damaging to the Village and to the perception of the mall.

Since I have been Mayor, we have made significant strides improving perception at the mall.  The shooting certainly set it back, but one isolated incident does not change the facts.  

Orland Park had an excellent safety and crime record before I took office.  Since that time, our crime has decreased by another 25% to the lowest levels in 25 years.  Additionally, crime at the mall is down over 30% since I took office. I am not trying to take credit for this, as it’s due to our great chief and his department, but these are facts.  So, if Orland Park was one of the safest communities two years ago and crime is down 25% since that time – then this speaks for itself.  

Aside from the crime statistics, I also want to point out some other blatantly false statements that are an attempt to damage the reputation of Orland Square (our economic engine that generates 10’s of millions in property taxes and sales taxes annually for our community).

• The mall is NOT receiving $8M in incentives.  They are receiving ZERO.  Those incentives are to Von Maur Department Store and they are largely performance based (sharing of sales tax).  The Trustees (and D230, D135, Library and Fire District) voted unanimously for it in October of 2018.   
• The mall installed a new camera system that gives complete coverage at the mall and we do have access to the video and mall security office 24/7
• The only area of the mall that had not upgraded its lighting was Macy’s (also not owned by Orland Square).  We used our appearance improvement fund combined to share cost with Orland Square mall to upgrade that lighting.  So, in fact, the entire parking lot has had its lighting upgraded.  The Trustees voted unanimously for it in November of 2018. 

Lastly, to compare us to Aurora, Rockford, Chicago and Chicago Ridge is absurd.  Orland Square mall is statistically the safest mall in Chicagoland.  (Violent crime rates per 1,000 residents– Chicago 11.05, Aurora 3.28, Rockford 4.61, Chicago Ridge 2.02,   compare to Orland Park at 0.34).

Also, to compare Orland Square to those malls is also a lie.  Water Tower Place has 4.91 times the crime, Fox Valley 2.46 times the crime, Cherry Valley 2.2 times the crime, Chicago Ridge 3.16 times the crime of Orland Square.

I want to reiterate to everyone that Orland Square Mall is our economic engine and statistically is the safest in Chicagoland.  Saying otherwise about Orland Square or Orland Park tells me what those people think about Orland Park, and that they are interested in damaging Orland Park and our reputation. 

Our Police Department does a phenomenal job and has a great relationship with the mall.  It’s a premier mall.   Don’t believe me, believe Von Maur, believe AMC, believe Apple, believe H&M – believe the $100M in private investment expected at Orland Square in the next year.  Shop Orland Park.  I am thankful for having such a successful mall.  It gives us the ability to offer all we do for our community and it is the main reason we can overcome the limitations of Illinois and Cook County.  We are a wonderful community, a safe community with great people and a phenomenal police force.  I am proud to be from here, am proud that my kids are from here, and am proud to be Orland Park’s Mayor.

Given the attacks from Trustees Dodge and Carroll during this meeting, I am anticipating that there will be a March surprise attacking me with false accusations.  In any case, desperate campaigns do these things because there is not time to respond before election day.  We have all seen this in previous elections.  I for one, will not be surprised at all if something like this happens.  This is a sign that they are losing and they know it.

Please get out and vote for the People Over Politics Slate of William R. Healy, Michael R. Milani & Cynthia Nelson Katsenes.  They are three long-time Orland Park residents that are well qualified and want to work together.  Early voting has started and goes through April 1^st.  Election day is April 2^nd.