TP_071416

6 | July 14, 2016 | The tinley junction NEWS
tinleyjunction.com
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
Lockport Township graduate,
aspiring model a finalist in
competition
After being encouraged to
give it a shot, Trevor Cielenski
is quickly making an
impression in the modeling
world.
The 2015 Lockport Township
High School graduate is
one of seven semifinalists in
the 2016 “Mario, Make Me
a Model” competition. He
was selected out of a group
of 40 aspiring models this
past month at the Wit Hotel
in downtown Chicago.
The original 40 candidates
were chosen earlier in June
from an open modeling call
held at five different Mario
Tricoci Hair Salons & Day
Spas located in Orland Park,
Chicago, Oak Brook, Naperville
and Crystal Lake.
Cielenski and the other
six semifinalists will go on
to participate in a training
program starting July 20 to
include a makeover from
Mario Tricoci Hair Salons &
Day Spas, runway training
with Factor | Chosen, and
workouts at Fitness Formula
Clubs with personal trainers.
“My family and friends
have been really supporting
me through this competition,”
Cielenski said.
“Without them, I wouldn’t
be where I am today. My
Don't let your
advertising cool down
this summer.
®
role model is my mom. She
really understands me and is
also is up-to-date with fashion
and knows just about every
new trend before me.”
The public is invited to
vote for its favorite contestants
online or via text. For
more information on casting
votes, visit www.mariomakemeamodel.com.
Supporters
of Cielenski can vote for him
online at www.tricoci.com
or text TREVOR to 95248.
The last elimination will
be held July 25, bringing the
group down to five based on
the scores from the contestants’
training, makeovers
and public vote.
Reporting by Jennifer Nunez,
Freelance Reporter. For more,
visit HomerHorizon.com.
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Contact
Renee Burke
FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE
Bright lights of New York
set course for young theatre
actress
Cecilia Trippiedi waited
for her one shot to make a
splash — and did she ever
make it count.
The Orland Park native
and recent Sandburg High
School graduate has wanted
to be a musical theatre
performer since she was a
little girl. While watching
a PBS drama series called
“Broadway or Bust,” Trippiedi
learned of opportunity
to earn to compete at the
National High School Music
Theatre Awards in New
York City.
It finally came during
her senior year in the role
of Eliza Doolittle in Sandburg’s
production of “My
Fair Lady” this past spring.
Knowing that she could not
miss out on her one shot,
Trippiedi approached the director
and told her about the
national awards ceremony.
Trippiedi put in extra time
and made her performances
count to earn a chance to
audition at the Illinois High
School Musical Theatre
Awards.
Trippiedi was one of 24
students to compete in Chicago
for the two spots that
would represent Illinois at
the Jimmy Awards, and then
she was selected as one of
the three female finalists
who had to sing a song from
their respective shows at the
awards ceremony.
“When they announced
my name, I didn’t believe
it,” she said. “It happened so
fast, and then I was shuffled
off to sign all this paperwork
and do some press. Two
weeks later, I’m on my way
to New York.”
Reporting by Ryan Wallace,
Freelance Reporter. For more,
visit OPPrairie.com.
708.609.8338
r.burke@22ndcenturymedia.com
Tinley Park Village Board of Trustees
Village amends open meetings
policy for public comment
Megann Horstead
Freelance Reporter
Those wishing to address
the board at an upcoming
Tinley Park board meeting
or any open meeting will
find a new public comment
policy in place.
The new policy, approved
July 5, stipulates that comments
are restricted to four
minutes, and each person is
only allowed to speak once.
In total, the public comments
section will generally
last 45 minutes.
“We’re following the attorney
general’s recommendation,”
Tinley Park Village
Manager Dave Niemeyer
said. “It gives everybody
the opportunity to comment
within a reasonable amount
of time.”
In November 2015, the
Village also began discussing
the idea of recording
video during open meetings.
“We did some research
on other communities,”
Neimeyer said. “It provides
transparency. It’s a way of
giving residents a way to
Tinley Park Village Board of Trustees
Tinley agrees to settlement with Trace Ambulance
New procedure for
public comment
implemented
Megann Horstead
Freelance Reporter
The Village of Tinley
Park and Trace Ambulance
came to an agreement July
5, settling the 2015 lawsuit
over improper billing.
know what’s going on at the
Village Board level.”
Around that time, there
was a complaint made to
the Village that someone
was not allowed to speak at
a board meeting. Niemeyer
said they were also interested
in implementing a policy
for the public comments
section. In May, the attorney
general advised officials
to implement a section
in the Village’s policies for
open meetings to address
public comments.
Ultimately, the board
moved to adopt the new
policy.
A number of people in attendance
at the meeting on
July 5 raised concerns regarding
the proposed policy
for the public comment section.
Bill Byrns, of Tinley
Park, said the timing of the
matter serves as a reason to
be concerned.
“The problem is until
a few months ago, there
would what be eight or 10
people here in the room,”
he said. “Maybe? I know
you want to be efficient.
The Village Board voted
4-1 to pay $147,500 to satisfy
all claims. Trustee Brian
Maher cast the lone dissenting
vote, while trustee
Jacob Vandenberg refrained
from voting due to a tie to
the contractor.
“It puts the lawsuit behind
us,” Village Manager David
Niemeyer said. “We’re not
having to put the Village
through the unpredictability
of the litigation process.”
You want to get things done
around here. I want to see
the Village get things done
around here.”
Byrns said the problem
is there’s a level of distrust
with the Village’s government
that’s been brewing
the last couple months.
“It’s a matter of the timing,”
he said. “I’m not sure
I disagree with needing to
have maybe a little more
decorum. The timing right
now… you’ve got to win
back the hearts and minds
of the people of the Village
and I’m not sure that that’s
the right way to go about it.”
Niemeyer said the measure
is hoped to maintain public
trust and accountability.
He said if there’s a concern
that cannot be addressed
during a meeting,
people are encouraged talk
to Tinley Park staff individually
at another time.
“We’re still interested
in hearing their concerns,”
Niemeyer said. “There’s
certainly other opportunities
to be heard, other than
during a meeting.”
In August 2014, Tinley
officials first learned of improperly
billing and stopped
making payments.
Eight months later, Trace
filed a lawsuit alleging the
Village failed to adhere to
a contractual obligation.
In it, the contractor sought
$492,000 for extra ambulances.
Village records show a
Please see trustees, 12