Vorderer To File Nominating Papers for Second Run as Oak Lawn Dist. 4 Trustee

OAK LAWN, IL -- Oak Lawn Tr. Terry Vorderer has announced that he will run for a second term in the fourth district in the April 4, 2017 consolidated election.

Vorderer plans to file his nominating petitions on Monday morning, the first day candidates can file for various offices up for renewal in suburban Cook County. The filing period continues Dec. 13 through Dec. 19. Oak Lawn village board seats in even-numbered districts -- 2, 4 and 6 -- as well as the offices of mayor and village clerk, are up for election in 2017.

After he files his petitions, Vorderer said in a news release that he is meeting with the village manager and mayor to discuss Oak Lawn’s 2017 operating budget.

Vorderer is retired as chief of patrol after a 34-year career with the Oak Lawn Police Department. He also served for six years an Oak Lawn Park District commissioner.

“We accomplished a lot in the last three years, but there is still a lot I want to get done for the residents of the 4th District,” Vorderer said in a written statement.

The first-term trustee said claimed that he and his fellow board members are about to lower the village’s tax levy for the fourth time in as many years. Oak Lawn trustees are set to approve the 2017 budget at this Tuesday’s board meeting.

“The tax-burden on Illinois residents is one of the highest in the country, and when I ran for Trustee in 2013,” Vorderer said. “I vowed to do everything I could to reduce that burden.”

Vorderer maintains that he is active in the community and a member of the St. Germaine’s Men’s Club, the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce, Johnson-Phelps VFW Post 5220, the Elks Club, and the Knights of Columbus.

He touted such accomplishments as eliminating pension benefits for elected Oak Lawn Village Board members, actively promoting commercial and residential development, and putting more focus on crime prevention which he claims led to a 25-percent drop in crime since 2013.

Vorderer also pointed to the recent decision by CEC Entertainment to move its Chuck E. Cheese’s franchise out of Oak Lawn. He’s already received his first endorsement by former Tr. Steve Rosenbaum, who served in the fourth district seat on the Oak Lawn Village for three terms.

“I’ve known Terry since his days on the police department,” Rosenbaum said in Vorderer’s announcement release. “I’ve been following his work as trustee the last several years and I’ve been really impressed.”

Vorderer cited work on a new senior housing development in the fourth district that he hopes to see built in his second term. He is also in discussions with the property owner of the Kmart-anchored mall at 95th Street and Pulaski Road, to improve the important entryway to Oak Lawn.

“I’m proud of the work our board has done and the collaborative approach the majority of us take when governing,” Vorderer said. “My goal is to keep that collaborative approach going and build on our positive momentum so we can continue to do great things for Oak Lawn.”

Photo: Tr. Terry Vorderer, 4th District Trustee, Village of Oak Lawn