low bids don't necessarily mean quality work

Leave it to the only lady on the village board to be the one to apologize for the embarrassing behavior of the Other board members.

A couple others have apologized to us in addition to Trustee Quinlan. Reviewing the Roberts Rules is a great idea. Hashing out political differences in a room, as a board, is a good idea too, rather than meeting in factions at "offsite locations".

Anyone else notice how nicely everone played while Trustee Phelan was absent? It would be great if this board could meet in a room to work out differences like adults. However if they act like animals in the presence of residents and while being filmmed and shown throughout the village, I can't see it ending well in a room without witnesses!

http://www.swnewsherald.com/news_inside/2011/02/022511cs_rh_elections.php
Write- in Vote for DAN SODARO!

I watched with glee, the childish behavior of our board at the last meeting and am thankful that
the bickering was being done by a bunch of men who sounded like they were at a hen party
quacking like a bunch of chickens------shame on you all-----I changed my TV station and
really don't plan on watching Oak Lawn's meetings again.....................

All you fans of the mayor are a bit too obvious, if your going to fool people try not to be as biased. By the way I thought Dave and Carol were pretty loud and petty at the last board meeting. Remember the mayor controls the conduct of the board acccording to robert's rules of order. I also think the board was given copies of those rules last year. Maybe Carol and Dave lost them!!

The point of this story is that there is 12 million doallars of improvements to be done by public works to Oak Lawn. People get caught up in the drama including Carol Quinlan. Stop whining Carol and do something to make Oak Lawn better. All you do is whine and complain.

It is very embarassing to read and hear such language and disrespect from people who I think are all "Christian" and maybe even Catholic. Certainly there are ways to disagree that are not slanderous or disrespectful to anyone. Maybe everyone should remember that on both sides when the attacking gets out of hand, you lose the respect of the people that you represent. I remember, reading in the bible that if we are not at peace with our father, mother, sister, or brother, or neighbor, to go and make peace and then come back to the altar. It's odd that you who started out civil have turned so uncivil, and I trace that back to the arrival on the scene of our village manager. I pray everday that our representatives will put their egos aside, and get some humility and take care of the people who they represent in Oak Lawn.

Joan, the last meeting got out of hand no doubt, You are right though the trouble started when the village finally hired a manager that would stand up to the mayor and found out a lot of things that were going wrong under the mayor's watch ie. Overbilling by law firm,big settlement for sexual harrassment case,k-mart lawsuit debacle and others. The mayor got used to running the whole show and didn't like having to share power with someone else. That is the truth.I don't think being Christian or Catholic had anything to do with it. But lets hope cooler heads will prevail.

Mr. Heilmann was four-square behind Mr. Deetjen's hiring, despite his checkered past. I'd doubt that he was afraid of what might be found. Since Mr. Streit has become Junior Manager, paying more attention to filling empty real estate on 95th Street outside his district and ignoring the blight that is the empty, run down spot from Cook to the Metra Station on Yourell, the politickin' has grown exponentially.

Oak Lawn Guy,
Let's be fair. I may not have been a fan of Streit when he got on the board but you can't blame him for the Cook to Metra problem. If you remember, the development in that area was spearheaded by the Coalition Party, including Jerry Hurckes.
Secondly, we are in a depression and nobody is developing right now. How can you blame Streit for that?
As the years have passed, I've become appreciative of Streit. He has become a statesman and the only leader in Oak Lawn. Our Mayor has disappointed many of us who held out hope that he would work with our Trustee. It appears that the Mayor has been sleeping for six years.

Randy, I get you and I agree, Mr. Streit was not at all responsible for it. My contention is that he spends too much time recommending that buildings be bought (Edgar), TIF zones set up (111th/Cicero) and real estate develooped when right in the 3rd District, the District of which he should be primarily responsible for taking care, has this blight that now serves as a snow dump. And there is zero information regarding its develpoment/sale, and appareantly zero interest in providing said information. Dredging Melvina Ditch is all well and good for the Village, how about Oak Lawn Lake, on which birds can stand with legs submerged about 8 inches because of the buildup of silt? Again, 3rd District business/concerns being shelved in the interest of Junion Manager tasks.

I don't expect him to get business and developers here overnight, or over-year in this economy. I'd just like to heard 3rd District business discussed and more time spent on same.

Trouble started when the Trustees hired a manager that understood them and their plans and was more than willing to accommodate them. Stating that He “would stand up to the mayor” is as bogus as it gets, since the board states that the Mayor has NO AUTHORIY OR Power. As far as Deetjen finding out a lot of things that were going wrong under the mayor's watch, how about the fact that the Trustees had a major hand in “things going wrong”. Overbilling by law firm, _Trustees voted to pay without checking, not to mention double checking. Big settlement for sexual harassment case, _ The Trustees bragged about the questionable “New Attorneys” settling the case. Come to think of it, what about that tape? k-mart lawsuit debacle and others. My personal favorite. “others” being Edgar FH, that trustee 6 had a huge, if not total hand in convincing all to purchase, with promises attached, and the tax debacle regarding Target that the Trustees and the Finance committee overlooked.

con'd:Oak Lawn’s Current form of Government: council–manager government, the elected council appoints a city manager, makes major decisions, and wields representative power on behalf of the citizens. The position of "mayor" present in this type of legislative body is a largely ceremonial title.
This means the TRUSTEES Hire and Fire the Village Manager, so he is literally at their disposal. THEY pretty much have total control of the Village, which means SO DOES the VILLAGE MANAGER. They scratch each others backs. Larry has a checkered past and needed a job so it worked out Fantastic for the Trustees and Larry. However the residents are at a disadvantage because they have NO say in what is going on in their own backyards until election day (for the trustees) and then voter turn out is dismal and as witnessed in recent weeks there are vicious words thrown about by those in power to dissuade anyone from challenging the status quo.The thorn in their sides seems to be Heilmann, who is the only independent Attorney on the Board. Why would that hurt them?............................................................

con'd:The other form of government is the mayor–council government system. In some strong-mayor governments, the mayor will appoint a chief administrative officer who will supervise department heads, prepare the budget, and coordinate departments. This officer is sometimes called a city manager; while the term used in the equally popular council–manager government, the manager is responsible only to the mayor in this variant. The Mayor is Responsible for the Village. If you’re not happy with His/Her agenda, He /She can be voted out of Office……. With the current form of government the Trustees would EACH have to be voted out of Office. The problem with that is they have staggered terms and it could, conceivably, take quite a few years to correct their actions. Much more than a 4 year term for a Mayor.__ I believe this is version the Tax Watch group endorsed

Dave why don't you just use your real name Your a lousy actor and Mayor to boot

QC don't you ever work?? oh yeah that's right your probably on disability leave again from the fire dept. How much have you bilked Oak Lawn residents by now $ 200,000 sounds right

QC has cost Oak Lawn more than that.

"Calling in sick" is not like calling in sick in the private sector. A doctor's attention is required.
What would you tell the victims of a tragedy? "Sorry, it's Charlie's fault because he called in sick", so overtime isn't incurred?
You seem to know the inner workings.

You hit a nerve there with QC scammer He can't take the heat He knows your on to him By the way QC how did it feel to sign a petition for a guy who perjured himself and was kicked off the ballot???Go back to Mansfield Av.

spammer trustee, BBBBBBBaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! You're REALLY DESPARATE, Huh? Make up your mind will ya? You say: I'm Meg Gorman. Then I'm the Mayor. Then I'm Lynn Craig. Then I'm Joel. Now I'm a firefighter? Just because you, BOB / TOM, are Liars & Frauds don't shine your "Bad Light" on everyone else. We can see through it, we're much more intelligent than you think!

Dear District 3 residents,,,,, Say So-long-o, to Business as Usual!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE CAST YOUR V O T E AS A..... W R I T E -- I N __ 4__ D A N..... S O D A R O!! VOTE..................................... APRIL 5, 2011!!!

scammer hater and scammer ff you sound like the same person. Your name (s) should be scammer liar and scammer official. Despicable adults. (?)

Perfect Dan Sodaro campaign slogan: "FORGE AHEAD!" Forge on together, forger for Dan Sodaro!

Only a couple more months of carol's craziness. Pete will kill her in the forum. He's being schooled by the best

Ode To Bob.
He’ll start a gang fight,
To goad and incite.
And then a sound- bite,
Insisting he’s right.

Then on to indict,
With a vicious fight.
He’ll use all his might,
And lose all in-spite.

Oak Lawn District 3 Residents,
Stop your trustee and his henchmen. They're out of control attacking residents on these blogs.
Write-in Vote Dan Sodaro for 3rd Disrtrict Trustee. Vote April 5, 2011!

Oak Lawn District 3 Residents,
Stop Mayor Heilmann and his henchmen ( Jerry Hurckes ) They are out of control attacking residents on these blogs. Re-elect Bob Streit for 3rd District Trustee. Keep Perjurers and fraudulent candidates out of Dist. 3!!

Hey QC how is that red Corvette you own after bilking the Oak Lawn Taxpayers with fake disability claims??? Red is a good Color for an oft-injured??? Fireman!!

Reading these posts by the followers of Mr. Streit, reminds me of a Movie that was on just the other night, "All The Kings Men". Every village Voter should see it, even rent it. It's an Old Movie, with Broderick Crawford but eerily similar to what's going on here. Although Oak Lawn is small scale, Willie Stark is alive and well in the Village of Oak Lawn!

When is all this nonsense going to end?? If everyone had to use real names, I think these blogs would be a lot less hate-filled and Crazy. No one on these blogs is independent. We all have our favorites, to say you are all just interested citizens is a falsehood. I actually like the Patch it's a fun site for local news and events in Oak Lawn, but if you think any of you are making a difference in Oak Lawn's political scene, your not. Only votes do that.

Holy Cow....only votes count. Sure Andy as long as no other canidate is allowed on the ballot but yours. NO SHAME

Disgusting, sad, pitiful and absolutely no ability to look inward. My god, after what you done to Sodora and you act like you have the moral ability to take the high road on this blog. You need to spend some quite time and reflect

So true Andy. So, to any and all residents of Oak Lawn, Please vote for CAROL Quinlan for 5th District Trustee and WRITE-IN VOTE DAN SODARO 3rd District Trustee. Thank You.

the truth
5, really? Best guess, they are against him because Trustee Phelan has rallied his fellow fleas against the Mayor. Before the last election, the Mayor was on the fence about running again for Mayor. In the meantime, Phelan sent out feelers about throwing His own hat in the ring. He’s wants the title, the power, and he wants it all. The Mayor decided to run and he’s never been forgiven by the trustee for that! You can bet that if Phelan had run for mayor and won, that Referendum by the Tax Group would have passed using his own blood if need be. Watch out Bob, your biggest supporter may be your own worst enemy.

the truth,
OR ....Maybe this is the reason? :
Broward
"Larry Deetjen Puppet Show a Hit in Oak Lawn
By Thomas Francis, Thu., Aug. 13 2009 @ 5:54PM
Yes, that Larry Deetjen -- the former Deerfield Beach city manager. Deetjen appears to be doing just fine in his new role as the mayor village manager of Oak Lawn, Illinois.
So fine that suburban Chicagoans are having trouble distinguishing him from the mayor.
From the Southtown Star:
Hired out of Deerfield Beach, Fla., to become Oak Lawn's village manager in July 2007, it became clear at a village board meeting Tuesday night that Deetjen is now running things - while an impotent Mayor Dave Heilmann protests that he is kept in the dark and implies that secret deals are being made.
From a safe distance of a 1,000 miles or so, Deetjen's very nearly a loveable rogue -- especially when you read how he's managed to turn four of the village trustees against the mayor, rendering the man elected to lead the people a mere figurehead. Deetjen, you rascal!
Anyway, tough break, Oak Lawn. But that's what happens when you don't do your homework on your new village manager.
Tags:
Deerfield Beach"

voteforafelon aka Shameonmayorheilmann

You're very close to the entire goings on and know a lot about the Mayor & Carol Quinlan's finances. Is it ethical to accuse them of being a part of something illegal with out proof or charges? Isn't that money, I believe actually $14,500, in the “MAYOR'S COFFERS” (your words) His money from His Coffers to do what He wants to do with it? How greedy can you get?
...................................................................................
"Shameonmayorheilmann
6:12pm on Saturday, February 19, 2011
That's a total of $14,500. Let's put our money where our mouth is and return that money now! Tressler was the attorney for Oak Lawn and they were contributing quite nicely to the Mayor's coffers.” It was 14,500 OVER 4 YEARS. “Contributing Quite Nicely”? You make it sound like hundreds of thousands of dollars given at one time, under the table.
Just stating Now : “the $ 18,000 Mayor Davey stole from the Unity Party to give to her illegally??” Should give everyone a message about the methods of Bob / Tom’s Thugs. Lies and innuendo against anyone & everyone. Is it just me, or do these two sound like 2 year olds

How about this everyone of the elected officals are to blame. They should all be replaced how is it that people over look why and what happened to put us in this situiation. It wasn't the worker comp claims, or as the board points out salaries of village employees or the rampant overtime because of sick time abuse. No it was the purchasing of a gateway to 111th st Edgar funeral home. Plain and simple 2.5 million dollars deficit: 2.5 million funeral home hmmmmmmmm oh and the operating costs while no one is in there, oh and the taxes. Have you figured it out yet. Probably not because either Bob or Tom will tell you different and you'll believe him wake up sheepeople!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CJ
The village board doesn't really do well with Math. Amounts aren't their strong suits, unless of course it's someone else's money.

http://www.swnewsherald.com/news_frontpage/2011/02/022511olbv_sodarno.php

W R I T E---I N--- D A N-- S O D A R O,-- 3 R D --D I S T R I C T-- T R U S T E E ,-- A P R I L 5 , 2 0 0 1
A- REAL- FAMILY- MAN.

How would you know Lynn?? Does a real family man committ Perjury??? Promote as well as yourself a pattern of Fraud??? Be removed from the ballot by an election board that contained two of his friends??? So Sorry the truth hurts doesn't it??

Ok - I've been an Oak Lawn resident for over 26 years, and a Bridgeview resident during the 'Oremus' (Daley want to be) years.... This fighting on this site and at the meetings is getting ridiculous. My first question to ALL of the elected and public officials - WHY are you doing this job? My second question is - What do you want the residents of Oak Lawn to remember you by? My third question - When are you all going to sit down, without calling each other childish names or acting childish, WORK this out for the citizens YOU are suppose to represent?

As a citizen of this Village I am appalled and ashamed of ALL of you and your behavior. I feel like I am witnessing a bunch of unruly children who stamp their feet, go off in a huff and/or have a temper tantrum if things don't go their way. What are you? 5? I don't think so. You are ALL suppose to be GOOD CHRISTIAN's and, I know, you started doing this because you cared.

Well, show us HOW MUCH you really care AND take care of business in a REASONABLE, ADULT manner... You don't have to like each other. You don't have to agree - you can agree to dis-agree, for goodness sake! But you definitely need to respect each other and LISTEN to your citizens. Your citizens are getting fed up with all of you - so, if you want to totally LOSE our respect and our votes - keep going in this vein. We'll see what the next few elections bring, if this idiotic behavior continues!

Dont vote cor Carol Quinlan (5th District) , She gets free insurance from Oak Lawn for working 5 hr a month. People wake up.
Hers her at the Board-------------------------sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh

QC We know you get health insurance by being a fireman, your on disability so much, how much taxpayer money have you ripped off from the village?? Carol Quinlan and Bob Streit are the only ones with health insurance Red Corvette, you know that. Stop using Dave's wife and her health situation as an excuse for his failings as mayor, Dave was an absentee Mayor long before his wife was taken ill. Shame on you. I hope your not blogging from the fire house!! Or are your on disability again??

Scouter - Thanks for your thoughtful questions of our elected officials. I'm getting ready to do a second round of questions for village trustee candidates and I will include yours.

QC - Take it easy.