Politics & Government
UPDATE: Videos Added to Village Board Forum Live Blog
We ran a live blog and shot video all morning from the Orland Park Village Board forum.
Welcome to the live blog from the Orland Township Administrative Center. Today's forum: Orland Park Village Board of Trustees candidates. Nine individuals are vying for three available seats.
11:21 a.m.
Candidates are sticking around to answer questions from the residents that weren't asked.
Find out what's happening in Orland Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
11:20 a.m.
Proft made it through the forum without getting Brudnak's name right once. Schussler's, too.
Find out what's happening in Orland Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Brudnak said he respects each candidate on this forum and doesn't doubt their sincerity. But he said there are too many open ended questions with the Triangle project to make definitive statements about how successful it'll be.
11:18 a.m.
Schussler defended no-bid contracts, Main Street Triangle project. The project will take off once court action is finished and tenants will get an allowance to relocate, he said. He pointed to Orland Mall's TIF as an example of revitalization, yet admitted improvements to the Mall are needed and on his radar.
Flynn said "some changes are needed in Orland Park." Governments, like homes, need to make cuts during tough economic times. Tax burden needs to be lessened for especially seniors.
11:15 a.m.
Williams said "we're at a critical crossroads" and the current board has no other ideas than tax and spend. Don't be fooled by slogans of fiscal conservatism, he said, and choose a candidate who can deliver. At least one company got a million-dollar no-bid contract recently, he noted.
Kelly said he's in a unique position as township assessor because people come to him for help with their tax bills. "This is a real problem," he said. "This hurts. I don't care how much you raise it."
11:10 a.m.
Ruzich said as a small business owner she's had to find ways to keep a business afloat with "tough" decisions. "Forward thinking," she proclaimed. She asked listeners to base their vote on fact not "political rhetoric."
Cunningham said he was humbled to be here and on any board. "I will be your eyes and ears," he promised voters. He questioned the area's high sales tax. "It's not personal, it's just business," he said about the incumbent candidates. By law, he said of the Main Street Project, high end apartments must come with low end apartments. Cunningham is a real estate agent by profession.
11:05 a.m.
Kelly asked about landscaping at Metra Station and why there wasn't more oversight about a recent, supposed phoney bid. "That's relatively easy also," he said. The village had no direct contact with a subcontractor of a subcontractor and therefore couldn't be responsible for it.
Cunningham asked Gira how the village let Andrew Corporation, an international company, leave town. Gira said the village worked with Andrew to keep them but the property owner at a new location wouldn't negotiate. "The village has been very disappointed," he said.
"Then we could have eminant domained them," Cunningham responded.
Closing statements have begun.
Gira hopes to continue monitoring spending and speak with residents. The "miscellanous" fund that Kelly previously pointed out holds funds for open lands, she said.
11:01 a.m.
Flynn asked Gira about the status of the eminent domain case. Gira said the case is close to being resolved and the village has been working with businesses to find new locations. Gira also mentioned a resolution could happen by the end of the election.
Williams asked Schussler about no-bid contracts and Waste Management in particular, and noted the company contributed to Mayor Dan McLaughlin's campaign. Schussler said Waste Management's contract had an extension clause and that it offered a very fair deal to taxpayers.
10:58 a.m.
Brudnak asked either of the incumbent candidates whether apartments would go up in the Main Street Triangle and wanted a guarantee in writing they wouldn't become Section 8. Schussler took the question and promised verbally the apartments would be high end. "It's phoney baloney to throw out section 8" and get people amped up, he said
10:56 a.m.
Schussler asked Cunningham why district 135 had $52 million in reserve funds when it raised the levy the maximum amount. Cunningham said there was misappropriation of money in 135 the past and credits the $52 million reserve fund to the diligence of John Reiniche. He said it's a great thing they have the additional money to prevent another referendum and pay their bills on time.
Ruzich asked Kelly if he'd resign if elected. Kelly said he wouldn't because his assessors position is a part time job that wouldn't conflict with village voting matters. He doesn't vote at the township.
10:54 a.m.
Gira asked Brudnak about why he takes credit for district's 135 financial accomplishments when he joined the board after the recent referendum. Brudnak responded that he worked for the referendum in the community and that he has helped the district save money since then.
10:52 a.m.
Gira said the Main Street Triangle has a willing seller and that this is a misconception of many residents. "The problem came to setting a price," she said. The property owner fought the village. "We're in court just to set a price," she said.
Candidates have been given opportunity to ask other candidates a question.
10:50 a.m.
Brudnak was asked about fee increases and said he disagreed with many of them, though they wouldn't make or break the village.
Ruzich said the foreclosure problem isn't going away anytime soon, and that the village needs to make adjustments to attract more builders without sacrificing safety.
Schussler was asked about debt per-capita and how Orland Park's was lower than most. The only time the village borrows money is when it needs money for capital improvements, he said. We can't stop building our infrastructure because of the economy, he added.
10:44 a.m.
Kelly was asked about transportation programs in the area. "What you have to do in these days is look at item budgets...there's one line item there, 'miscellaneous,' I'd like to look at it closer...we cut where we can without sacrificing any services," he said.
Cunningham was asked about TIFs. He said each TIF is different: Main Street he disapproved, but Orland Park Place he approved, calling it a previously "blighted" place."
Questions come back in reverse order now.
Cunningham was asked about county policies and his thoughts on Toni Preckwinkle. He said his focus is Orland Park and his record in at district 135 is visible for all to see.
Kelly said we're at "the point of no return" with the Main Street Triangle project, "unfortunately." He hopes to keep those businesses around and offer them a cheaper rent rate in the new project or throughout the village.
Williams was asked about public sector unions and those negotiations. He approves of the village's decision to hire to evaluate how they can be more efficient with their staff and resources.
Flynn was asked about vacant store fronts. She said it's a "huge thing" to fill those.
10:35 a.m.
Individual questions have begun.
Gira said the village couldn't foresee the economic downturn and defended vehicle sticker increases for seniors.
"That's easy: we've already balanced the budget," Schussler said when asked how to go about balancing the budget. He defended the fee increases, saying they were previously exceptionally low.
Ruzich was asked about balancing open space and economic development. "I think they've done a great job," she said. "People come to Orland Park because of our rec(reation) programs and open parks," noting that both of them attract businesses and residents.
Brudnak was asked whether there's too much reliance on retail businesses. "I don't think there's any probably with diversifying the retail base...we have a problem with keeping good tax paying businesses running," he said. Brudnak said the village hasn't replaced the taxing base from the lumber yard and other items that were pushed out.
Flynn was asked about staffing levels and pay. "We need to see what could be cut or maybe make some adjustments with days off...everything needs to be looked at in these times," she said.
Williams was asked about reinstating the property tax rebate program. He said he supports it and advised paying for it by "prioritizing discretionary spending items...that's the type of public engagement we need in Orland Park."
10:26 a.m.
Rich Kelly admonished the village's tax levy increases. As township assessor he said "I have thousands of people who come thru my office...and it bothers me and I want to do something about it."
Kelly also admonished the Main Street Triangle project and how the business owners were treated.
Steve Williams said for a living he helps analyze and reduce his client's budgets, which range from $36 million to $265 million.
Tom Cunningham said he disapproved of the village's increases in senior vehicle stickers, a 1000 percent hike. He credited his time on the helm of school district 135 and experience running a business: "I know how to run a business and the village has to be run like a business."
Cunningham was "eminent domained" out of a previous business, he said.
Carole Ruzich wants to create a homeowners assistance program to help property values and keep Orland Park a "premiere community." She cited retiring trustee to fill his seat.
Patricia Gira hopes she contributed to the village's amenities since elected in 2003. She's pleased with creating a dialogue with village staff and distanced the role of the village from the Orland Fire Protection District. She boasted of the village's "lowest taxes rates around."
10:15 a.m.
John Brudnak said he moved to Orland Park for schools, great housing, low taxes. He pointed to his work done on the school board and the reserves its mounted in the last years as proof he's ready to tackle the village.
"I'm tired of seeing moneys going wasted," he said.
Edward Schussler boasted of helping to reduce staff and costs while at the board.
"Everyone says taxes are too high but you need to look at the taxing entity on your tax bill...and if you do that you'll find out Orland Park has one of the lowest levies," he said. Schussler noted that it's especially low when compared to the fire district's.
Molly McAvoy Flynn: "Unless you get involved you voice isn't heard," she said, noting she's a representative of the "everyday person whose voice doesn't get heard." She and her slate hopes to conduct a fiscal audit of the budget, if elected, and are willing to take a 10 percent pay cut. It was met with applause.
10:10 a.m.
Township supervisor Paul O'Grady led us in the pledge of allegiance and introduced moderator Dan Proft.
Proft has a radio show on WLS. "With that shameless plug out of the way we'll get to this event," he joked.
Municipal government's decisions are most "immediate" and "impactful," he noted. He introduced the candidates.
Rules: each candiate has 2 minutes for opening and closing statement. Questions, which were solicited from residents before the event, get one minutes responses. Drawn numbers were used for the order of speakers.
10 a.m.
Welcome to the live blog from the Orland Township Administrative Center. Today's forum: Orland Park Village Board of Trustees candidates. Nine individuals are vying for three available seats.
Spotted so far is incumbent candidates Pat Gira and Edward Schussler, candidates Rich Kelly, Tom Cunningham, John Brudnak, Steven Williams, Molly McAvoy Flynn, Carole Ruzich. Candidate John Fotopoulos told Patch yesterday he had court this morning and could not attend.
We'll be live blogging every 10 minutes or so and shooting video. Happy questioning.
