'280 Acres Of Contamination:' Glotz Demands Cleanup Of MHC Site

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park Trustee Michael Glotz wrote a letter to state lawmakers, including Governor J.B. Pritzker, and agencies urging action on the Tinley Park Mental Health Center property. The property was recently revealed to be filled with asbestos, black mold and barrels filled with various chemicals after an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency inspection in December.

Glotz and other Tinley Park elected officials have been vocal about the property, which takes up 280 acres of space northwest of 183rd and Harlem, being cleaned up. It has been in the hands of the state of Illinois and its Central Management Services since the Mental Health Center was closed in 2012.

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"The Village has dealt with this property for over 8 years and now desperately seeks your help remediating the TPMHC," Glotz wrote in the letter, which can be read in full here:

Dear Governor J.B. Pritzker, Congressmen, State Representatives, State Senators, Cook
County Commissioners, Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS),
United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (IEPA):
As you may be aware, the Illinois Environment Protection Agency (“IEPA”) conducted a
multi-media site inspection (“Inspection”) at the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center
property (“TPMHC”) located near 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue in the Village of Tinley
Park (“Village”). The inspection was requested by representatives in Springfield following
their review of a citizen complaint. The Inspection was performed by six (6) IEPA
representatives on December 17th & 18th, 2019. Following the Inspection, the IEPA issued
an Evaluation Report (“IEPA Report”) which identified various environmental areas of
concern including the presence of asbestos throughout the TPMHC. I have included for
your review a copy of the IEPA Report.
As detailed in the IEPA Report, the inspectors refrained from entering various structures
at the TPMHC without respirators due to the presence of asbestos. In addition, most of the
structures at the TPMHC contain friable asbestos and black mold. Accordingly, the Village
believes that the results detailed in the IEPA Report create an immediate concern for the
health, safety, and welfare of the Village and its residents.
Since 2012, it has been the Village’s mission to remediate the environmental concerns at
the TPMHC and revitalize the property into productive use for the Village and its residents.
However, the Village’s mission was stymied by the Rauner Administration’s failure to
enact appropriate measures to remove any hazardous substances at the TPMHC.
Nevertheless, the Village believes that if remediated, the TPMHC could be an economic
catalyst towards the revitalization of the Southland. As such, the Village has continually
tracked the progress of various bills introduced to the General Assembly to assist in the
remediation of the TPMHC, as follows:
• SB1472, filed on 2/13/2019, amends the Brownfields Redevelopment and
Intermodal Promotion Act. Provides that monies in the South Suburban
Brownfields Redevelopment Fund may also be used for environmental
remediation for State surplus property in Worth, Bloom, Rich, Bremen, Thornton,
or Orland Township, if and only if an economic development project has been
developed and approved by the municipality and the South Suburban Mayors and
Managers Association. Provides that monies in the South Suburban Brownfields
Redevelopment Zone Fund shall be held to fund eligible projects through 2016
(currently, 2021). This bill passed third reading in the Senate on 4/10/2019. On
4/10/2019, it was referred to Rules Committee in the House. On 4/24/2019, it was

referred to Executive Committee in the House. On 5/10/2019, Rule 19(a) / Re-
referred to Rules Committee. It appears that was the last action on SB1472 in

the House.

• SR0074, filed on 2/5/2019, urges Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Director of the
Department of Central Management Services to conduct an environmental study
at the cost of the State and properly identify any and all environmental issues
related to the Tinley Park Mental Health Center property. On 2/21/2019 it was
placed on the Calendar Order of Secretary’s Desk Resolutions March 5, 2019.
On 7/3/2019 it’s listed as Pursuant to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to
Assignments. It appears that was the last action on SR0074.
• SR0075, filed on 2/5/2019, urges Governor JB Pritzker and the Director of the
Department of Central Management Services to conduct three independent
appraisals required by state law in order to further the sale of the Tinley Park
Mental Health Center. On 2/21/2019 it was placed on the Calendar Order of
Secretary’s Desk Resolutions March 5, 2019. On 7/3/2019 it’s listed as Pursuant
to Senate Rule 3-9(b) / Referred to Assignments. It appears that was the last
action on SR0075.
The Village has dealt with this property for over 8 years and now desperately seeks your
help remediating the TPMHC. Accordingly, the Village desires to coordinate a meeting
with our Village Representatives, Mayor, myself, our Village Manager, Environmental
Consultant and Village Attorneys to discuss cooperative efforts to clean up the 280 acres
of contamination that exist at the TPMHC.
As such, please contact Lisa Valley, at our Village Hall, with a list of dates and times that
you are available to meet and discuss. The Village would like to meet between February
24th and March 6th. Lisa can be reached at lvalley@tinleypark.org, and/or 708-444-5000.
Thank you so much for your service to the constituents of Illinois and “WE” look forward
to working together with all of you.
Sincerely,
Michael Glotz