Bronze Star Recipient Joins Fifth District Trustee Race for 2015

A decorated war veteran has thrown his hat into the ring in Oak Lawn’s fifth district trustee race.

Daniel Johnson, a resident of Oak Lawn’s fifth district and a captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, is the second challenger to declare his candidacy in the April 2015 election for the village board seat held by incumbent Tr. Carol Quinlan.

Raised in Mt. Greenwood, Johnson, 39, is the current commander of Johnson-Phelps VFW Post 5220, a position he has held since the sudden passing of of former Commander Bob Hennessy in April 2013. Johnson was officially re-elected in June 2014.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Ashford University, and a master’s degree in American history from American Military University.

Johnson has served over 20 years in the U.S. Army, encompassing four years of active duty including two tours of combat in Iraq and one tour in Afghanistan. He achieved the rank of captain and is still in the Army Reserve.

During his tour in Afghanistan, Johnson was an advisor to the government of Afghanistan. He was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone in support of “Operation Enduring Freedom” in 2013, according to a campaign news release.

Johnson said he’s been mulling running for the village board but made up his mind on the Fourth of July, which also happens to be his birthday.

“I’m running because I love Oak Lawn and I hate watching the village board meetings on TV where all they do is bicker,” Johnson said, a ten-year resident of Oak Lawn. “I think if you get somebody new who can work with other people we can advance Oak Lawn into the future.”

In his term as commander of the VFW, Johnson said he has been able to unite two separate factions and get them working together for the betterment of the VFW post. He credits his most recent military service in a diplomatic role working with high-ranking members of the Afghan government.

“I was a security advisor to the Afghanistan government,” Johnson said. “I would sit in meetings for hours drinking tea with government officials trying to impart knowledge that would help them run their country, particularly the border.”

Johnson says he will run and govern as an independent.

“I know how to work with people and not just vote against something because I disagree with them personally,” he said. “If its good for Oak Lawn I’ll vote for it, if it’s bad for Oak Lawn, I’ll vote against it. [Elected officials] hold grudges way too long and it ends up hurting the town.”

Johnson names public safety, flooding, economic development and the village’s beleaguered finances as the Oak Lawn’s greatest challenges.

“I’d like to something more done with 103rd Street and Central Avenue,” Johnson said, referring to the former comedy club and wine store property. “I would have loved to have seen a nice restaurant there and some more mom-and-pop stores go up that hire Oak Lawn residents. We don’t need another dollar store. “

Concerning the village’s pension debt for its retired police officers and firefighters, Johnson thinks taking out another bond to pay off the pension liabilities is too much of a gamble.

“The police and fire department deserve every penny they get. We just have to figure out how to pay them,” Johnson said. “I had that same fight in the military when our budgets kept getting cut and there were no pay raises. I don’t know if I’ll have a [military] pension. I rank our police officers and firefighters up there with the veterans. We got to take care of those guys.”

Johnson joins Paul Vail in the fifth district trustee race, who announced his candidacy in March. Vail sits on Oak Lawn’s planning and development commission. Quinlan has not yet announced if she is going to run for a third term.

Pat McGowan announced his candidacy in the third district trustee race last September, a seat held by Tr. Bob Streit -- the Oak Lawn Village Board’s longest serving trustee since 1991.

Illinois’s consolidated election will take place on April 7, 2015.

Visit Friends of Dan Johnson to learn more about his candidacy.