New Orland Park Magazine pits senior needs against election

New Orland Park Magazine pits senior needs against election

By Ray Hanania

When Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau forced the Secretary of State services facility to close last June, he falsely blamed the closing on Jessie White. But in the fight, Pekau wasn’t thinking about the interests of Senior Citizens.

Now, however, several months before he has to face re-election, Pekau has re-discovered Orland’s seniors and their importance.

After nearly four years in office, Pekau has decided to appeal to seniors launching an expensive, 36-page full color glossy page magazine called “Orland Park Seniors.” The magazine is mailed to Orland seniors using data collected by the village. It is dated “October 2020,” suggesting it will be published monthly.

When it comes to wasting money and bullying people who don’t bow down to his ego, there is no end to how much Pekau will spend in taxpayer dollars. Like the $66,000 for his waste-of-taxpayer money lawsuit to stop COVID-19 restrictions, and now the tens of thousands of dollars needed to produce a magazine purely intended to boost his sagging political image. Pekau claims his lawsuit forced Pritzker to backdown from his restrictions. If that were true, then why did Pritzker reinstate the same restrictions when the virus surged this past week?

Pekau’s senior magazine has a lot of rehashed information that seniors can easily get from PLOWS: The Council on Aging. There is a lot of generic fluff, including information about a couple of the programs the village offers. It has information taken from other sources like the Orland Historical Society.

The only original content is his photo and full-page column in which he blathers about how much he has done for seniors, asserting “senior members of the community have always played an integral and vital role in Orland Park.”

Another column on the next page by newly appointed Police Chief Joseph Mitchell asserts crime “has decreased.” He writes, “We are happy to write that property crime is Orland Park is down significantly this year.”

Not two pages later is a story in the same issue of Pekau’s senior political magazine headlined “Preventing Ruse Burglaries” which “continue to be a concern in the region.”

In the column, Chief Mitchell blames homeowners for the theft of their cars, explaining, “Theft of cars in Orland Park is mainly a result of keys left in unlocked vehicles. Please stay vigilant and remember to remove all keys from vehicles and lock your car.”

Pekau needs this senior magazine to repair his beleaguered public image before his Spring re-election campaign. Pekau desperately needs votes and one of the biggest voting blocks in Orland Park is Senior Citizens.

Seniors don't benefit from the magazine. But Pekau must think he will.

ORLAND TOWNSHIP VERSUS ORLAND PARK

While Pekau hasn’t paid much attention to seniors until now, many months before his re-election, other officials have worked to address the needs of seniors. One of those is an official Pekau has frequently targeted in personal and political attacks, Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady.

Unlike Pekau, O’Grady has done everything for Senior Citizens, including making room for the Secretary of States facility which he just opened last week. Most Orland Park's senior citizens know that if they want services, the place to go is to Orland Township, not Village Hall. O’Grady, who has held office there as supervisor since April 2009, has created an efficient and transparent senior system that works and is productive

Bringing the Secretary of State services to Orland Township has proved to be a real benefit as you can see from the hundreds of residents who lined up on the first day that facility re-opened. (A Pekau supporter moaned about how crowded the opening day was, but the long lines showed how popular the Secretary of State facility is to residents and seniors.)

You don‘t get much from Pekau in terms of services but you do get a lot of yelling, name-calling, finger-pointing, personal attacks and animosity at board meetings, in his political eNewsletter, or in the comment section of news websites where a small handful of his minions using anonymous names trash people who dare to challenge Pekau’s failed leadership.

The new Secretary of State facility is so convenient and offers a lot of services that seniors want. They include: Address Change; Commercial Drivers License Renewal, and Vision Screening; Disability Placards, Temporary First Time Issuance, and Temporary Replacement; Driver Record (Abstract); Drivers License including Duplicate/Corrected and Renewal; License Plates, Renewal Stickers and Sticker Replacement; Non Sufficient Funds; Organ Donor Registry; Reinstatement Fees including Discretionary Suspension (Traffic related), Failure to Appear Suspension, Parking Suspension, and Tollway/Automated Traffic Suspension; State ID including Duplicate/Corrected, First Time Issuance, and renewal; Vehicle Registration Renewal and Sticker Replacement; and Voter Registration Applications.

That’s what Seniors Want.

The new Secretary of State facility at Orland Township, at 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue is open from 8 AM to 4 PM Monday through Friday and is closed on the weekends.

The contrast between Peaku’s lack of concern for seniors and O’Grady’s commitment to seniors is striking.

“Our elder residents are the anchors of our community and I am committed to their well-being. This cause is close to my heart and it is deeply personal. Seniors face many challenges as they get older,” O’Grady said reflecting on the challenges he saw his own parents face.

Adding he is concerned for those seniors who may not have family near them, “From a vast array of social activities that include trips, dances and luncheons to health and fitness programs, I feel that I can ensure that by providing important services, Orland Township will help seniors maintain their quality of life.”

In addition to the themed dinner dances and monthly luncheons, under O’Grady’s supervision, Orland Township hosts activities nearly every day of the week for seniors. The Township provides a variety of exercise classes to accommodate those at every level of fitness, drop-in days for seniors to play cards, bingo and socialize, and other free programs and services.

They include: CPR classes; DakimBrainFitness which is the only clinically tested brain fitness software designed specifically for adults over 60; Assistance registering for property fraud alerts to protect their homes through the Recorder of Deeds Office; Senior Health Insurance Program that assists with Medicare claims and statements and Medicare Part D prescription coverage; Monthly movie day; Senior choir; and, Knitting.

O’Grady also instituted several annual events that provide fun, social engagements for seniors while raising funds to support the Orland Township Scholarship Foundation. Those events include: Speed Dating; The Dating Game; Senior American Idol; and, Dancing with the Senior Stars

“My goal has been to expand Orland Townships health services programs for our seniors. In addition to the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP), where a counselor reviews and explains current and potential insurance coverage, seniors can visit the Township for many health screenings or purchase vouchers for discounted doctor services at participating medical centers,” O’Grady said.

“I have partnered Orland Township with different groups and organizations to expand the programs and services available for seniors. Driving safety classes through AARP; cell phone availability through the Cook County Sheriff’s Office; amplified phones program through the Illinois Telecommunications Access Corporation (ITAC); and, diabetic shoe entitlement program in conjunction with AD Medical, Inc. These are partner programs that have value for our seniors. The Township also allows senior groups to utilize space for their meetings, broadening the range of groups and interests available.”

O’Grady also encourages seniors to volunteer at various Township events, utilizing their skills and keeping their minds sharp.

“We provide door-to-door transportation services, for a nominal fee, to ensure that seniors can get to and from doctor appointments and other areas within the Township," O'Grady said.

“By providing these programs, services and opportunities, my goal is to help our elder residents to enjoy their golden years and lessen the feelings of isolation and loneliness that can plague many seniors.”

Unlike Pekau, O’Grady doesn’t need an expensive pre-election newsletter to provide these real and important program and services to Orland Township's seniors.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning former Chicago City Hall reporter and columnist. He now writes opinion commentary analyzing regional issues and events. Visit his personal website at www.Hanania.com)