In Orland Park, as in scores of small- to mid-sized communities across the state, winters can bring problems that cash-strapped village boards can’t easily fix.
Salting and clearing snow and ice from roads and other municipal properties are essential tasks but require money in terms of equipment and manpower.
Orland Park trustees found themselves in a similar situation recently as they engaged in a debate over who should cover the cost of removing snow and ice from the parking lot of the newly created Secretary of State’s Department of Motor Vehicles office inside the CTF (Communities Transform Futures) Illinois Building at 18230 Orland Parkway.
The Illinois Secretary of State’s office signed a temporary one-year, zero-cost lease with CTF while it looks for a more permanent location for its Orland Park DMV office.
The board recently voted 4-3 on a memorandum of understanding with CTF Illinois to commit up to $37,000 for snow, ice and salting operations at the DMV parking lot for this coming winter season.
Trustee Bill Healy, a CPA, voted against the memo saying: “When I joined this board way back when, I pointed out to the mayor that the Secretary of State leased the (former) facility and we were the only people in the state not getting rent from them.
“I’m from the South Side (of Chicago),” he said. “We don’t like being taken advantage of like that. I think it is preposterous that this (item) is even on the agenda.”
Cindy Nelson-Katsenes and Mike Milani joined Healy in voting against the memo, while Dina Lawrence, John Lawler, Joanna Liotine-Leafblad and Mayor Jim Dodge voted in favor of the agreement.
Trustee Lawler, while saying he understands the differing points made by his colleagues, added, “My family used the (SOS) office last year and it was close and convenient,” he said. “If we didn’t have this facility in town, our residents would have to go to Midlothian, Bridgeview or Joliet.
“This is a great convenience.,” he said. “I’m OK with this agreement for one year.”
Who plowed the lot in previous years? Trustee Lawler should plan fo take his family to the DMV on a non-snowy day.
Why is it that Orland politics seem so petty?
“I’m from the South Side (of Chicago),” he said. “We don’t like being taken advantage of like that.”
Yeah, sure buddy. Chicagoans are taken advantage of by their government worse than 99% of the country.