Politics & Government

THE BLADE: Larry Deetjen Takes It Like A Man, News from the 'Phelan Tattler'

The village board meets tonight (Tuesday) which means 'fun night' for Oak Lawn Patch.

Larry Deetjen Takes It Like A Man

After being publicly spanked by the mayor on Ch. 4 at the Feb. 14 Oak Lawn Village Board meeting, and organized by his brother-in-law in Florida—is it any wonder that Village Manager Larry Deetjen might be considering making a job change?

Deetjen showed considerable grace during Mayor Dave Heilmann’s soliloquy that the village manager who came back with a preliminary concept for a 9-story office tower—one of several “alternative scenarios” that are being explored.

This is the third or fourth time including gigs in Massachusetts and Alabama.

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Deetjen made the first cut from a list of ten candidates for consideration for city manager in League City, TX. The position has been vacant since July 2011.

There’s even a Phalen on the city council, although he spells it differently than Oak Lawn’s sixth district trustee.

Find out what's happening in Oak Lawnwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Daily News in Galveston County, TX, reports that Councilman Phalen wanted Deetjen’s and other candidates’ names pulled off the list because they “either changed jobs too frequently or didn’t have the right background.

Deetjen said his name is being floated by a consultancy group and doubts if he is seriously being considered. League City is growing at a fast clip—84,000—and is in need of a “real manager.”

“My profession is ‘brutal’ when it comes to getting credit for doing anything right,” Deetjen said. “I really do enjoy Oak Lawn, however, some folks would probably not want to hear that.”

We wonder who those "folks" could be?

Candidates begin interviewing on March 6.

News from the ‘Phelan Tattler’

Considering Oak Lawn Patch’s numerous attempts to be added to the email list for the village’s ‘A Community United’ newsletter, we look forward to receiving Trustee Tom Phelan’s email newsletter that goes out to over 3,000 households in Dist. 6. Without it, we wouldn’t know nuthin’.

Set ‘em: Brunswick Zone, which was the scene of a parking lot gang shooting the summer of 2010, is reportedly being taken over by the original owners of Arena Bowl.

Strike ‘em: “I met yesterday with the family who built the Arena Bowling Alley that is now known as the  This family ran the facility from its beginning in 1956 until they sold it to Brunswick Corporation in 2001.  I was extremely pleased to learn during our meeting that the family recently completed negotiations to take back the facility and re-name it the Arena Bowling Alley.  I was even more pleased to learn of their plans for the new facility, which they anticipate taking over in July of this year.”

For awhile we thought we were off that list--and according to another big-mouthed reporter we were--until magically we started receiving it again. Thankfully, other readers forward it to us.

Bladlings

Join for a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony at, from 5 to 7 p.m. March 1. The restaurant will also be the scene of the chamber’s ‘Business After Hours’ offering relaxed mingling and networking. The frivolities are free to chamber members.

—Boy Scout Troop 619 and Cub Scout Pack 3619—are hosting in the church basement from 1 to 6 p.m. on March 4. Adults, $7; seniors and children 6-11, $5; children under 5 are free.

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