Oak Lawn Village Trustee Dist. 4: Terry Vorderer

Name: Terry Vorderer

Position sought: Oak Lawn Trustee, District 4

Campaign information:

Campaign contact information:

• Campaign office address: 9609 S. Kolin Ave.

• Website: Terryvorderer.com
• Facebook: Terry Vorderer for Oak Lawn Trustee 

• E-mail address: Terry@terryvorderer.com
• Campaign phone: 708-422-3108

Personal Information:

• Age: 66

• Family: Wife: Linda, married 43 years. Son: Matthew Daughter: Theresa
• Time living in Oak Lawn: Life-time resident since 1947: two years, US Army, Vietnam, 67-68
• Education: Brother Rice HS, MVCC AA: Public Administration.  Northwestern University: Staff and Command School
• Occupation: Retired Oak Lawn Police Officer, Chief of Patrol, Current business owner, Ridge Company, toy and candy sales
• Political party affiliation: Independent Candidate
• Previous elected offices:  Oak Lawn Park Commissioner, served as Vice President and President
• Applicable experience qualifying you for the position:

• Life-long resident of Oak Lawn. Most of it in District 4.
• 34 years service on the Oak Lawn Police Department, retiring as Chief of Patrol.
• Oak Lawn Parks Commissioner, 6 years.
• Memberships: Veterans’ of Foreign Wars (Elite Team), American Legions Post 1160, Illinois Police Assoc. Oak Lawn Police Club, past Vice-President Combined Counties Police Assoc., National Recreation and Parks Association, Illinois Association of Park Districts, Oak Lawn High School Citizen’s Committee, past President (12 years) Edgewater Beach Condo Assoc. St Germaine Parish Finance Committee Chairman., Holy Name Society, Knights of Columbus.

Candidate Questions:

Use as much space as you need.

1. What is the primary reason you are running for this office?

Oak Lawn is my home and I care about it.  34 years as a police officer, I know the streets and parks like the back of my hand.  I know the people, and I am lucky to call many of them my friends.  Oak Lawn has given me so much, and I am grateful.  I feel I have a lot to give back to this Village as an elected official.  

2. Why do you deserve to be elected/re-elected? What sets you apart from the other candidate(s)?

Unlike my opponents, I have a 40-year history of service to the Village of Oak Lawn.  As an Oak Lawn police officer, I was promoted to Sergeant, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain and Chief of Patrol.  When I retired, I wanted to continue servicing the Village so I ran for Oak Lawn Park District Commissioner; a strictly volunteer position with no pay.  After winning, I, along with other Commissioners, took notice that the park’s buildings had been neglected for many years.  We embarked on a several million-dollar repair project, replacing roofs, furnaces, leaking windows, along with many other repairs.  When it came time to replace worn and outdated parks, I proposed the idea to my fellow commissioners of incorporating art to our buildings and parks. With their support, we as a board integrated the use of art throughout the park district through sculptures in the parks, and art in the park buildings.  I am not a part time politician; I am a true public servant. If I win this election, I will continue to work in the only tradition I know.  

3. What are the three issues in the village that you feel need to be addressed right away? Why are these issues important?

• 1) Elected Officials need to work in a Statesmen’s like manor.  Political attacks are hurting the image of Oak Lawn.  Differences are to be expected, but personal attacks are just unprofessional.
• 2) We need to work hard to attract new businesses while promoting existing businesses.  We are in a very competitive environment. City’s compete to attract new business all the time. We must sell Oak Lawn as a community to build its business base. In addition, we must enforce our residential codes to insure our housing stock reflects the good quality of life that Oak Lawn offers. Also of major importance is maintaining reasonable property taxes. Many residents are taxed to their maximum. 
• 3) Families are attracted to Oak Lawn because of its good schools and good public services, delivered by a professional work force. We need to continue with those traditions. Public safety is paramount. With out a sense of safety, all others objectives are lost. I am uniquely qualified in issues of community safety. I am proud of my 24 years as an Oak Lawn Police officer.   

4. Give one example of how you would work with adversarial village board?

I’ll work with the Mayor and Village trustees, on any idea or concept, which improves the Village of Oak Lawn. I will have no political loyalty except to the Village of Oak Lawn and the residents of District Four.   If I should disagree with fellow Trustees, I will state my case and cast my vote.  Should I be in the minority, I will work with the majority for the betterment of the Village.  I will respect all officials and work in a gentlemanly fashion.  I know this can be hard, especially when you are personally attacked, but I was a police officer.  No profession works in a more adversarial environment, and I was good at my job.   

5. Should Advocate Christ Medical Center be required to pay impact fees and permit fees for future expansion? Why or why not?

Christ Hospital is an asset to the Village of Oak Lawn, perhaps its best asset.  Yet, it has positive and negative aspects. No area of Oak Lawn feels those negative aspects more for then Dist. 4. I live less then two blocks from its front door. I believe the hospital greatly increases the traffic and with its transient population that uses hospital services, it increases the possibility of crime. I have to believe the management of the hospital understands the impact it makes on the neighborhood. I will partner with them, and the Mayor, along with the Village Manager to address the common needs of the Village. But any agreement must include impact fees. And a portion of those fees must be directed to address Dist. 4’s unique consequences of having a world-class hospital in its neighborhood. 

6. Should there be a cap on video gaming licenses granted to new businesses coming to Oak Lawn? Why or why not?

I support a cap on gaming licenses. As a police officer, I have seen people destroyed by addictive behavior and no addictive behavior destroys a person, a marriage, or a family more then addictive gambling. However, the State of Illinois has legalized gambling as a revenue source, thus I believe the Village should permit gaming machines. However, before we start granting new licenses, we should allow existing businesses the opportunity to profit from them. Then we should move slowly in the granting of new licenses.   

7. What do you like best about Oak Lawn?

I was born here, raised here, and raised my family here. Oak Lawn is a great family-friendly Village. Where else can you raise your children in an environment with such great diversity? Your neighbors are doctors, lawyers, businessmen and union workers of all nationalities and creeds. A true, 21st century American city.

READ MORE STORIES ABOUT TERRY VORDERER:

• OPEN LETTER: Retired OL Police Chief and War Vet Announces 4th District Trustee Run