South Cook News

During a public forum Tuesday, former Tinley Park Trustee Diane Galante voiced concerns about the amount and number of political donations that Mayor Michael Glotz and his One Tinley Park party have collected from companies that have business pending before the village board. 

"I think this village needs to stop letting the board, which is all of you, you're one political party now, stop taking donations from people who come here to do business," Galante said during the village board committee of the whole meeting Tuesday. 

"It looks wrong. It's wrong. It's wrong. You shouldn't do it," Galante said.

"Especially when [businesses] are in here, when they come to this board, and they're talking about doing business in here and you have donations in your account at the same time. It really looks bad. I would hope that somebody on this [board] sees the importance of protecting the people and maybe writing [an ordinance] to stop that, because it's really concerning to see how many donations … I think it's $160,000 you guys took from vendors and businesses in our town. I hope you're not out for people to give you donations."

Last week, South Cook News reported that Mayor Glotz and the One Tinley Park party he controls has accepted tens of thousands of dollars from the owner of Lenny's Gas N Wash, who is currently seeking zoning changes and gaming and liquor licenses from the village board.

South Cook News also reported that companies controlled by Leonard McEnry donated $31,270 to the mayor' and his One Tinley Park political action committee.

In February, "Gas N Wash" owner Leonard McEnrey donated the $20,000 to campaign funds controlled by Mayor Glotz. In May, Gas N Wash franchise was honored at the village board meeting. And on Tuesday, the committee of the whole voted to forward McEnrey's request for gaming and liquor licenses at a proposed new location on LaGrange and 183rd Street, which still hasn't won Tinley Park Plan Commission approval for zoning changes and special-use permits. 

A representative for Mayor Glotz responded to the report in a voicemail message that offered to explain what "the real story." Glotz, however, has not yet responded to questions about whether accepting donations from McEnrey amounts to a conflict of interest. 

South Cook News also has reported Mayor Glotz and One Tinley Park had accepted tens of thousands of dollars from developer and video gaming company owner Rick Heidner, who previously won village board approval to develop the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center into a "racino" before Gov. J.B. Pritzker nixed the deal. 

Heidner has longstanding business ties to a banking family whose financial involvement with mob figures helped torpedo the proposed Emerald Casino in Rosemont, according to the Tribune.

At Tuesday's meeting, neither Mayor Glotz, nor trustees affiliated with One Tinley Park political organization responded to Trustee Galante's public rebuke.