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12 | January 17, 2019 | The orland park prairie news opprairie.com FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND Library prepares for events If there was ever a library cheerleader, White Oak Library District Lockport Branch Manager Pat Jarog would be it. Wearing a STEM T-shirt during a recent library event, Jarog expressed her excitement about the upcoming year at the library. “I can talk all day about what we have here,” Jarog said with a laugh. “Residents at the Lockport branch can look forward to another fabulous Comicopolis coming up on July 27 of this year. This is the fifth annual pop culture festival, which is our biggest event of the year.” Comicopolis, an all-day event, is created and produced by the White Oak Library District in partnership with Zombie Army Productions, Lockport Summer Art Series, and Amazing Fantasy Books & Comics. For those who do not get into the pop culture festival, there is a wide variety of additional programs at the library, including a new addition this year. “New this year, we are starting an author tour,” Jarog said. “We’ve invited author’s to our libraries, which include Crest Hill, Romeoville and Lockport. We are having these author events every other month, starting on Feb. 22 at the Lockport Branch.” For more information about the library’s programs and to register online, visit www.whiteoaklibrary.org. Reporting by Mary Compton, Freelance Reporter. For more, visit LockportLegend.com. FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER Support following injury leads to commitment As it turns out, Lincoln- Way Central senior crosscountry and track runner Mackenzie Brownrigg’s stress fracture in her leg was a blessing in disguise. She missed her entire senior cross country season, yet she realized a lot during that time, including where she wanted to compete collegiately. “I was really able to see where I could actually be happy,” she said. And that place is Illinois State University, where she will run both cross-country and track next year. Brownrigg’s junior track season was not up to par with where she expected herself to be. Shortly after the season, she found out what had been ailing her was the stress fracture behind her tibia. And through the midst of her struggling junior track season and absent crosscountry season, She had a visit with ISU at the beginning of her senior year, with the stress fracture already revealed and Brownrigg unsure if she would be able to return for the end of the cross country season. “That was one of the things that drew me to them,” she said. “They were able to see past my injury and were able to not only see my as an athlete but as a person.” Reporting by Sean Hastings, Freelance Reporter. For more, visit MokenaMessenger.com. FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION Frankfort Square Park District keeps children active In groups of three or four, children tested their teamwork and coordination, lifting the skis beneath their feet by hoisting a rope tied to them and shifting their weight. “Left! Right! Left!” they shouted to each other as they picked up the skis and walked across the Mary Drew Elementary School gym on Jan. 3. “The Day Off Escapades: Ring in the New Year” program, a three-day program for children ages 5-12, was one of several programs the Frankfort Square Park District held throughout winter break to keep children active. Cheyanne Hein, a Frankfort Square Park District site supervisor and facilitator, brought the group to field trips in the morning and spent the afternoons at Mary Drew Elementary doing team-building exercises and crafts. Morning field trips took them across the community to the Tinley Park Bow, Space Golf and Pump It Up. Once back from the field trips, the children played group games, such as relay races, silent ball, kickball, soccer, four square and other competitive games that require relying on others to achieve a common goal. Reporting by Megan Schuller, Assistant Editor. For more, visit FrankfortStation.com. village From Page 7 ordinance and asked what problem the board is trying to solve. “As written, it is a solution that creates a problem,” Pekau said. “Despite its name, it is not about ethical standards of conduct, but it gives a lot of power to Village employees, and it gives the ability for political majorities to bully those who disagree with them.” Among other concerns, Pekau said he thought the ordinance could limit political speech, and it possibly could scare away volunteers for Village committees — or even those who might consider running for elected positions. Trustee Carole Griffin Ruzich said the idea for this ordinance revision came up during the discussion about video gaming, during which a resident mentioned there might be some gaps in the current ethics ordinance. Ruzich said she asked staff to look into it, and then worked on a draft with the Village attorney. She said the draft of the ordinance was still a work in progress — not something she expected to be passed immediately. “It’s not a perfect ordinance, and I’m not proclaiming it to be a perfect ordinance,” she said. “We put it out there about a month ago for comment, and I have received some comments from some of the trustees.” She suggested the board members continue to look at the ordinance and come up with changes. But she also disputed the mayor’s claims about the process. “I really do take offense to your characterization,” she said. As for an updated ethics ordinance, Trustee Patricia Gira — during her comments to the board at the end of the meeting — said it was necessary. “If you have a business in town, or you’re a consultant, and you are consulting with a company that does business with the Village, be serious,” she said. “Of course, we have to have that disclosed.” Carroll accuses Pekau of behaviors draft hopes to address In explaining the need for the ethics ordinance, Carroll gave some information about what was contained in the draft. “Specifically, [the sections] all mirror the same kind of general prohibited acts — which is taking gifts, which is trying to use your position with the Village to gain preferential treatment for yourself or others, or to gain contracts or to have financial benefit to your position,” he said. “There’s a reason for that.” Carroll said the private sector is different than public service. He also said the ordinance was needed in light of what he viewed as a change. “We have seen in the last year and a half behavior that has transcended all norms of ethical behavior in the past,” he said. Carroll stated that before the mayor was sworn in, Pekau requested from Village staff a list of vendors who do business with the Village. He said the trustees thought it was so the mayor could ensure that the vendors on the list were not somehow connected to the trustees. “But no, we found out you used that vendors list to send a request for donations to all of our vendors,” Carroll said. He also accused the mayor of attending an Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting event as a representative of the Village and circulating petitions for his preferred slate of candidates for the April election while at the event. “This is the kind of behavior this ordinance would address,” Carroll said. Later, during his comments to the rest of the board at the end of the meeting, Carroll mentioned another series of robocalls that took place over the weekend. “This has been going on for a year and a half now,” Carroll said. Carroll said the calls attack Village staff and trustees, but not the mayor. “One consistent truth is that not one of these robocalls has attacked the mayor,” Carroll said. “It doesn’t take too many brain cells to rub together to figure out who directly or indirectly is behind these robocalls.” Pekau said he is not behind the robocalls. “I’ll say the same thing to you, [Carroll], that I would say to the person that is making the robocalls, ‘Have the guts to say who you are and make the accusation,’” he said. “Whoever is making these robocalls is not identifying themselves. ... I know nothing about its content whatsoever.” The mayor also said a previous robocall was critical of him. “I don’t think any of us have been immune to some of these attacks,” he said. After the meeting, Pekau responded to some of the other accusations made by Carroll. He acknowledged he requested a list of vendors, and that he has received campaign donations from some of those companies, which were stated in his disclosures. “I think my predecessor did, too,” Pekau said, referencing former Mayor Dan McLaughlin. “I don’t think it’s anything new for the sitting mayor to get those. “I look for people that are involved in Orland Park, obviously, to say, ‘Hey, would you come support my fundraiser?’ They don’t have to. They choose to.” As for Carroll’s accusation about the OPACC event, Pekau estimated he got roughly 32 signatures for the People Over Politics candidate petitions. In a follow-up email later in the week, he said four of those came from a chamber event. But he said he is also a chamber member and did not think it was a violation to get signatures there. “I don’t think anyone I got a signature from felt pressured for anything,” Pekau said after the meeting. “I think everyone was someone that I know.”
opprairie.com sound off the orland park prairie | January 17, 2019 | 13 Social snapshot Top Web Stories From opprairie.com as of Friday, Jan. 11 1. Electoral Board boots mayor-backed slate from ballot over petition challenge 2. Girls Basketball: Future looking great for Eagles 3. The Eagles Hockey Club helps others, despite its own hurdles 4. Orland Park teens sort Giving Tree clothing for OPPL drive 5. Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg gymnastics coach to retire — really Become a Prairie Plus member: opprairie.com/plus The Bridge Teen Center posted the accompanying image on Jan. 7 with the note, “We had our first Friday night of the new semester last week and it was AWESOME! Students showed off their natural singing talent singing karaoke. They also got to make giant snowflake decorations in the art studio. Everyone got to enjoy some amazing chili from the always great City Barbeque. A big thank you to Trinity Christian College for again sponsoring every FNL this semester.” Like The Orland Park Prairie: facebook.com/opprairie “Here’s to a great second half of the school year! #OSD135” @OSD135 — Orland District 135, on Jan. 8 Follow The Orland Park Prairie: @opprairie From the Editor April election could be done before you know it BILL JONES bill@opprairie.com One of the most exciting elections to take place in the (brief) history of nearby Homer Glen, almost was not an election at all. Trustee George Yukich, then serving as a trustee, after a challenge to his candidacy was removed from a ballot by an electoral board that included Mayor Jim Daley, against whom the trustee intended to run. Yukich, a Village clerk candidate and three trustee hopefuls forced a primary by running as write-in candidates. And in a political rarity, they all won. What is happening in Orland Park is not quite that. The Electoral Board that removed both an independent Village trustee candidate and the entire People Over Politics slate (pending a planned court challenge, Page 3) does not include anyone up for re-election this April. Mayor Keith Pekau, Trustee Kathy Fenton and Clerk John Mehalek all have two years left on their terms, so none of them have a personal stake in this race. Except, all of three of them gathered signatures for candidates in that very race. Mehalek and Pekau have debated everything from video gaming to meeting minutes. And Pekau has directly endorsed People Over Politics, as he looks to even the numbers on a Village Board with which he often has found himself at odds. So, they are all at least invested in the outcome. That Electoral Board on Jan. 2 voted to remove independent Village trustee candidate Mohanned El Natour over the number of signatures he acquired, despite a lot of pats on the back from the board and the opposing attorney for his good intentions and interest in serving his community. The People Over Politics slate said they were running for “trustee,” rather than “Village trustee,” and the challenger’s legal representation and the Electoral Board — minus Pekau, who recused himself Jan. 10 because of his involvement with the slate, and minus his replacement, Trustee Jim Dodge, who did not show — argued there was a “basis for confusion” regarding the positions candidates were seeking, and removed the whole slate from the ballot, effectively leaving the Orland Integrity Party uncontested. As some of the parties involved have, before offering any opinions on the situation I’m waiting to see how it ends, as there is still a court challenge from People Over Politics pending. But Eamon Walsh also withdrew from the Orland School District 135 Board of Education race last week, after his candidacy was challenged. And in both his case and that of El Natour, the challengers showed up to hearings with attorneys, clearly overwhelming the self-represented candidates. In the midst of this election “season,” the Village Board is bringing an ethics ordinance to the table (Page 7), some of it concerning how politicians handle election-related matters. A trustee up for re-election was involved with it. It reheated debate between Pekau and Trustee Mike Carroll (who is not running for re-election). And it, while fair-game board business in and of itself, has brought election discussion into the boardroom. All of this to say, many of us know at this point just how important elections, both national and local, can be. But in Orland Park and many towns surrounding us, those elections often can be found spilling over into the board discussions these days. They never truly end. And sometimes they are being decided months before residents have their say. How you feel about all of that is entirely up to you. We’ll do our best to keep informing you along the way. But this is a friendly reminder that it’s your job to keep paying attention. Blink, and it might already be over. Poetry in OP ‘An Ode to Hotel Rooms’ Lin Peterson Orland Park resident Hotel rooms are at once familiar, yet new They have everything you need and extras you can enjoy. They are the height of indulgence without the guilty feeling. The mattress is a bit firmer The shower a bit stronger The hot water endless. You can relax. There is nothing else you should be doing. You’re ‘at’ home without ‘being’ home, a big distinction when it comes to cleaning. Yes, a hotel room can be a glorious thing. A minivacation, if just for eight hours. Sound Off Policy Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. The Orland Park Prairie encourages readers to write letters to Sound Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited to 400 words. The Orland Park Prairie reserves the right to edit letters. Letters become property of The Orland Park Prairie. Letters that are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The Orland Park Prairie. Letters can be mailed to: The Orland Park Prairie, 11516 West 183rd Street, Unit SW Office Condo #3, Orland Park, Illinois, 60467. Fax letters to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to bill@opprairie.com.
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