Quinlan Looks Back on First Term, Rebuts Challenger

While reading my opponent's questionnaire, I became concerned because many of his comments were simply untrue.  I felt it was important for the residents in District 5 to know the facts surrounding my time in office.

To begin, I do want to address my opponent’s beliefs that I have been anything less than professional while serving on this board. I take strong issue with this comment.  I have always believed that healthy debate over issues is a good thing but unfortunately, that has not been the case lately. I have stated publicly that this behavior is not acceptable at any level. I have tried several times now to meet with the other trustees to have a refresher course on the proper way to conduct a meeting – specially, following the Robert’s Rules of Order.  I am still waiting for a response to my request.

 I did not raise property taxes or utility taxes in Oak Lawn. I never once said we must do this. Two years ago I did vote to approve a 3-cent gas tax, as did the rest of the board. This was a tax I felt the Village should reinstate because we were losing a lot of revenue, which was sorely needed. Many of our neighboring towns already had a 3-5 cent gas tax and yet the price of gas in Oak Lawn remained the same.  It was my strong belief that the gas station owners were reaping the benefit of this since by all accounts our gas prices should have been lower, but they weren’t.  This was also a tax that would be shared as many drivers from other areas buy their gas in Oak Lawn.

111^th Street and Cicero Development

As far as the 111^th Street and Cicero Development, I too am disappointed in the progress. I have been very vocal about this, but given the Kmart lawsuit, there is simply nothing anyone can do at this point except to follow the guidelines set forth by our court system. It is extremely frustrating because this development has the largest potential for revenue. This site right now only generates approximately $100 - $150K in sales tax revenue with about $400K in property taxes. I think we can all agree that presently this is a waste of space.  By developing this area we could generate 3-4 times that amount of revenue plus have a great selection of shops and restaurants.  This development will provide jobs and if designed correctly help alleviate flooding in our area as well. As I promised four years ago, it remains one of my top priorities.  Over the years, I have met with many developers and businesses about this site because I understand the importance of being prepared. Once the Kmart issue is resolved, we will be in great shape to choose a qualified, financially healthy developer.

108^th and Cicero Underpass

I’m quite surprised by my opponent’s notion that I have done nothing towards the 108^th and Cicero underpass. In fact one of the first things I accomplished in my first term as trustee was to have a feasibility study completed for this underpass. Obviously, the real question then is how are we to pay for this estimated $43.1 million dollar project?  My answer is that we are now on the short list for funding with CREATE, which is a partnership between U.S. DOT, the State of Illinois, City of Chicago, Metra, Amtrak, and the nation's freight railroads. CREATE will invest billions in critically needed improvements to increase the efficiency of the region's rail infrastructure and the quality of life of Chicago-area residents.   I intend to continue pursuing CREATE to release the necessary funds to move this project forward.  Please check out CREATE’s website and note the 108^th and Central underpass is 18 on its list of projects.  

Flooding

Finally, I have also worked extremely hard on flooding issues in District 5. I have seen firsthand the hardships many residents have faced with flooding since I am out checking up on our neighborhood with almost every major rain.  The flooding ranges from storm water flooding the streets and homes, to sanitary sewer water backing up into basements or even backyards flooding because there is no rear lot drainage. 

 In my four years as trustee, I have already begun to make headway on this issue. I was able to have new storm sewers added and a high curb installed along the eastside of South Side Baptist School in order to provide flooding relief for the residents that live on Laramie and 105^th St. In addition I initiated flooding relief to the residents on 52^nd Avenue and 100^th/101^st Streets by redirecting storm sewers, increasing the size of storm water pipes and increasing the pump capacity at the retention pond. I pushed for MWRD to clean the debris out of our creeks.  I have met with our engineering and public works departments to see how we can change our existing Village building codes to help alleviate some of these flooding problems.  Finally, I voted to approve a Master Sanitary Sewer Plan which will help us find the source of storm water entering our sanitary lines and provide us with a plan to make improvements. 

Since I grew up in District 5 and have seen flooding streets and basements my entire life, my goal has always been to find ways to stop the flooding in Oak Lawn. In particular I want to continue my pursuit of an underground retention pond at Dillon Park to offer more relief to those who live north of 103^rd Street.  I also want to continue my efforts with MWRD to clear out more debris from the creeks and to make sure our storm drain openings are clear of mud/debris to allow a better flow during storm events.

Four years ago, I specifically requested to sit on the Village’s Public Works, Finance and Technology Committees because of the importance of these issues to me and to the residents in District 5.  I have worked hard to fulfill my promises and will remain committed to these projects.