Investigative Report: Tinley Park Mayor Faces Mounting Questions

Tinley Park, IL – In the heart of Illinois, a state infamous for political scandals, Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz is now facing a barrage of questions regarding his administration’s handling of public records, political donations from a key contractor, and failure to support a resident who suffered catastrophic damage to her home.

Joy Gallivan, a Tinley Park homeowner, has been embroiled in a frustrating battle with the Village of Tinley Park since September 2024, after a village street resurfacing project caused raw sewage to flood her home—resulting in nearly $100,000 in damage. Four months later, Gallivan remains without answers, instead encountering a disturbing pattern of missing documents, denials, and questionable political connections.

The FOIA Failure

Gallivan submitted several Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests to obtain critical documents, including a certificate of insurance from Iroquois Paving, inspection reports, and communications between the village and contractors. These documents should have been readily available, but the response to each request was the same:

"At this time, the Village of Tinley Park does not have any records that are responsive to this request."

This response directly contradicted statements made by both Mayor Glotz and village staff, who had assured Gallivan that the village was in frequent contact with Iroquois Paving. The conflicting information leaves her wondering if the village is deliberately withholding public records.

Since September, Gallivan has made more than 60 calls and sent countless emails, desperate for transparency and accountability from village officials.

A Troubling Political Connection

On December 8, 2024, Mayor Glotz personally emailed Gallivan, telling her that her situation was a “top priority.” Yet just one day earlier, on December 7, Glotz’s political group, One Tinley Park, deposited a campaign donation from Iroquois Paving Corporation—the same contractor involved in the project that caused the damage.

To date, Iroquois Paving has donated $10,950 to One Tinley Park. The timing of the donations has raised serious questions about whether political contributions influenced how the village handled the contractor’s liability.

Financial records reveal a significant increase in payments from Tinley Park to Iroquois Paving over the past two years:

• 2022: $2,231,242.75
• 2023: $2,839,923.24

While there is no direct proof of wrongdoing, the timing and magnitude of these payments—coinciding with campaign donations—raise legitimate concerns about the potential for conflicts of interest.

A History of Concealing Public Records

Gallivan’s experience is not an isolated incident. The Illinois Attorney General’s Office has repeatedly found that the Village of Tinley Park improperly withheld public records in prior FOIA cases. Notable examples include:

• Emails between village officials regarding public comment policies
• Settlement agreements involving the village
• Village employee compensation records
• Building permit applications and inspection reports

In each instance, the Attorney General determined that the village had no legal basis to withhold the records and ordered their release.

A Resident Abandoned

For Gallivan, the ordeal has been financially and emotionally draining. With nearly $100,000 in out-of-pocket expenses, she was forced to take out a second mortgage on her home to cover the damage.

"I’ve tried everything—calls, emails, attending meetings—but I keep getting the runaround," Gallivan said. "I just want someone to take responsibility."

It wasn’t until CBS News Chicago began asking tough questions that the situation began to change. Hours after CBS reporters left Gallivan’s home, the village called to inform her that representatives from Iroquois Paving were on their way to deliver a check to begin the reimbursement process.

What’s Next for Tinley Park?

The intersection of public contracts and political donations is a longstanding issue in Illinois politics, and Tinley Park may be the latest example of why stronger oversight is needed. Residents, local watchdog groups, and investigative bodies must stay vigilant to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent with transparency and fairness.

Call to Action

Should concerned citizens of Tinley Park demand accountability from their elected officials. Citizens of Tinley Park are encouraged to attend village board meetings, submit your own FOIA requests, and insist on greater transparency. Residents can also reach out to the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor for assistance with improperly denied FOIA requests.

It’s time for the Village of Tinley Park to answer these questions: Who is truly being served—its citizens or political donors?