Why is Orland Park selling "Open Lands" to the bloated Fire Protection District?

This is like an incestuous political soap opera.


The Orland Fire Protection District is one of the most bloated, over-budgeted, over-spending fire protection districts in Illinois. Maybe that's why so many local politicians like them, and do whatever it's leaders ask. Or maybe, it's all in the family and a dad and his pals can't say no to a son and his political ambitions.


This week, according to the Southtown/Star (read story?) the Village Board voted to sell land (cheaply by the way) to the Orland Fire Protection District so that the district can what? Expand a fire house? Build a new fire house? None of the above. The Orland Fire Protection District wants the land so it can expand its administrative center, which some firefighters privately call "The Castle."


That's where Patrick Maher reigns supreme, the son of Village Clerk Dave Maher, the pal of, well, the village's trustees. They all work together. Dave Maher doesn't have a vote but he has a lot of friends who are elected officials in the village.


So when Pat Maher wants something, he gets it.


The funniest part of the story is the quote from Ed Schussler, the trustee who served briefly as a village president back in the day when sharing was a great way to end political fights. Schussler's quote, according to the Southtown, is worth noting; but it makes no sense to me:

Trustee Ed Schussler said he voted in favor of the land sale because fire district officials had worked with the village on the plans, and he didn't believe he had the authority to tell another government body how to operate.

"They have to be accountable for how they spend their money," Schussler said.

What? He voted to sell the over-taxing Orland Fire Protection District the land because, the Orland Fire Protection District "worked" with the village? So maybe next time some big shot developer wants to come in and turn some neighborhood in to a multi-level apartment housing complex, as long as they "work" with the village to do it, it's okay?

Schussler says, according to the Southown/Star, that he didn't have the authority to tell another government body how to operate.

It's not just some other governing body, Ed. It's one that is taking taxes out of your pocket and my pocket and for what? So a lot of big shot Battalion Chiefs can drive their expensive Fire Protection District SUVs anywhere they please, anytime they please and at taxpayer expense?

Maybe that's the problem we have. Elected officials who bury their heads in the sand and don't want to tell other taxing bodies, including those headed by their political colleague's son, how to be fiscally responsible?

And I understand Trustee Kathy Fenton's vote even less:

The village board voted 4 to 1 to sell one-third of an acre to the fire district for $68,500 to allow for the addition. Trustee Kathy Fenton cast the dissenting vote; trustees James Dodge and Bernard Murphy were absent. Fenton later said she did not want to set a precedent for the village selling open space.

But she then voted along with the three other trustees and McLaughlin to approve the addition, including zoning changes and an intergovernmental agreement for parking. Fenton said she had some quality-of-life concerns for residents near the proposed addition, but some changes to the plans allayed her concerns.

What does that mean?

You voted against it and you voted for it? Sounds like a position someone takes when they are about to run for re-election again. At least that would be a good excuse. But Fenton isn't running for re-election in the Spring. Trustees Bernie Murphy, Patricia Gira and Schussler, are. Murphy was absent and so was Jim Dodge, and that leaves Gira voting for the sale, too.

Maybe they're worried, though. After all, the Orland Machine is gearing up to push for Pat Maher's campaign against tax-fighter Liz Gorman, the Cook County Commissioner from Orland Park who represents the tear-drop bowling alley district called the 17th that is based in Orland and stretches all the way north to Wheeling and Northfield Townships. With that machine in place, you don't want to ruffle any political feathers.

Gorman, who has made a career of fighting tax hikes, sent a letter expressing concerns about the deal and its impact on taxpayers. No one on the village board or at the Fire Protection District bothered to read the letter. (The letter is copied below at the end of this post.) Why would they? It's only about protecting the interests of the taxpayers. Even the representative of the Maher Dynasty at the meeting, Fire Chief Bryant Krizik, said he was unaware of the letter defending the taxpayers. What would he say?

I have one rule in covering politics. When someone fights for the taxpayer's interest as consistently as Liz Gorman has over the past many years, you listen to her, even if she is not on the local village board. At least pretend like you know what the issues are and respond to them, rather than give wishy washy answers that make no sense at all.

Politics makes great people sound so dumb. Courage makes them sound smart.

The first day to file petitions for local races in the Spring of 2011 is August 24, 2010.


Gorman's Letter:



Mayor Daniel McLaughlin
& Village Board
Village of Orland Park
14700 Ravinia
Orland Park, Il 60462

August 2, 2010

Mayor McLaughlin and Village Board:

Please accept this letter as my opposition to the approval of plans for the construction of a new administrative center for the Orland Fire Protection District.

As an elected official I cannot, in good conscience, support a project that has no tangible benefits to the taxpayers of the Orland Fire Protection District and is significantly over budget before ground has even been broken. In light of the current economic conditions, we have all had to learn to do more with less. Considering the slowdown in growth and the fact that our area is at the downturn of new growth, one would have to question why the Orland Fire Protection District “needs” to build a structure of this magnitude and substantial costs to our taxpayers at this time.

In my capacity as a Cook County Commissioner, I have made a commitment to oppose wasteful spending and mismanagement of taxpayer funds. I have fought corruption and waste at every turn. As resident of the Orland Fire Protection District, I have objections to my tax dollars being so grossly mismanaged by the Orland Fire Protection District Board of trustees as evidenced by this proposed construction plan and other questionable spending practices.

While we all have separate taxing districts to watch over, we are all representing the same taxpayers. We must each stand up and do what is right and in the best interest of those taxpayers.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman
Cook County Commissioner, 17th District

-- Ray Hanania

www.RadioChicagoland.com

Responsible financial management in Orland Park?

I have received dozens of emails and heard many comments from Orland Park residents who are outraged that the Village finance department and village Manager Paul Grimes, and some of our arrogant village trustees, decided to wait until AFTER their re-elections to disclose that the village was in a financial mess.

I spoke with Mayor McLaughlin and he assured me before the election that things were tough in the village because of the downspiraling economy but we would survive. Now, he looks foolish. And so does the staff of the village, where some of the complaints have originated over the past week.

I am shocked, but not surprised. It is politics as usual in Orland Park. Mislead or even lie to the voters and paint a rosey picture before an election, and then when the election is over and you don't have to worry about repurcussions, casually let the cat out fo the bag.

Pathetic! I think Village Manager Paul Grimes should apologize for this lapse in judgment and failure to make this all public 10 WEEKS AGO! I also think Trustee Kathy Fenton who just ran for re-election should also apologize to the voters for allowing this to sneak past everyone, and she suddenly now shows concerns for the village's financial situation. It's phony!

Over $12 million in capital improvements in the village have been put on hold, we are now being told.

The newspaper reports are sketchy at best and not one reporter has a handle on how bad the situation really is. Is it $2 million or $3 million that had to be cut fromt he budget? How big is the budget deficit?

Mayor McLaughlin owes it to the people of Orland Park to put together a proper and complete statement and tell us precisely how bad things are. Put it in numbers and maybe issue it with the press releases that are always filled with happy talk, good news and events.

That's your job. Don't sit back and let Grimes do all the shuffling and waffling and obfuscation, mayor. Put together a detailed report on how bad things are and distribute it to the residents of the village. You are only making things worse letting it trickle out piecemeal through some incompetent village underlings and colleagues.

Give us the full picture!

-- Ray Hanania
http://www.radiochicagoland.com/

Didn't know I was "needed" at Orland tree lighting

I usually go every year to the tree lighting ceremony that Orland Park has. It's usually packed with parents and especially with the children.

But this year, I had too many things I had to finish and my wife and son went. They came back with a discouraging report. Like many of the events in Orland Park, fewer and fewer citizens are attending. This was the lowest turnout of any prior year, they said. And, the village offered far less for the kids. There was so much more to do last year and the years before. But this time, it reflects the times.

Now, I think it reflects the deteriorating leadership of the Village Mayor Dan McLaughlin and the village board, which is unaccountable to the public.

Yes, there is a small clique of pals and friends and their family who show up for everything to put on the happy face to give the impression to the local news media that everything is fine. But it's not fine. The majority of Orland Park residents are not engaging in the system and what it has to offer, because the system is set up to benefit the Mayor and his pals and their friends.

Everything has a political ring and purpose to it in Orland Park. From the theater group all the way down to the public events. It's all about getting re-elected. Meanwhile, the village is going to hell in a handbasket and taxes and fees are increasing. The worst part about it is that not one -- NOT ONE -- of our elected officials has the courage to be a leader and admit that things are tough. They want to pretend everything is fine while the real people out here are struggling to make ends meet.

Mayor Dan doesn't have to worry about anything. He has this great cushy union job downtown. None of the village trustees have to worry about anything.

Do you EVER hear anything of SUBSTANCE from the village trustees? Ever? Seriously? Forget about the Happy Talk they mumble about how great things are here and how great they will be. (I cal them the STEPFORD TRUSTEES.) I am a big booster too, but I also know the truth is more important and recognizing and addressing problems is more important than pretending the King is wearing clothes when this village is naked. Everyone knows it.

Turnout to village events has been DOWN but the department heads and their bosses who feed on the public taxpayer trough pretend everything is fine because they get a paycheck that comes out of our taxes. When you even DARE to raise a question about, say, Orland Days, which was far less in quality than it has been in past years, everyone who is involved takes it so personally AS IF IT IS ABOUT THEM. It's NOT about them. It is about US. It is about leadership. If you can't take the criticism then you ARE NOT A GOOD LEADER.

Leaders are people who listen to the public, not their own egos and their pride or are quick to rip open the pay check enevlope to see their reward. Good leaders are those who really care about what people feel in Orland Park and the truth is there are very few really Good Leaders in Orland Park these days. Just a lot of greedy, selfish people more concerned with how they look than with how the village is running.

Our taxes could jump 100 percent and the Mayor Happy Talk and his Happy Talk Village Board would be out there saying the village should be grateful for what it has and that everything is fine.

It's not fine. And the low turnouts at public events is PROOF.

So many village employees email me saying that what I write is true but fear the political vindictiveness of Mayor Happy Talk because when it comes to criticism, he is far from happy and far from accountavle or responsible.

I am glad we had the tree lighting and the wonderful lights that line the streets around the Village Hall. But how about some community accountability and honesty for once, Mayor Happy Talk. How about a real admission that things are tough and that as good leaders, you had to take tough decisions innstead of always worrying about the spin?

I met the mayor when he first started. Years ago. I was a big fan. I understand that friendships between journalists and politicians are doomed. They rarely last. But I had so much hope for this one. Like he was going to be different. Turns out he's no different than the rest of the politicians out there, more concerned about themselves and how they look than the truth.

Then again, maybe that's what unaccountable politicians want? A public that doesn't care and stays home and is afraid to question their poor leadership and their lack of accountability?

-- Ray Hanania
http://www.radiochicagoland.com/