'It Hurts A Bit': Ousted Tinley Park Trustee Reflects On Loss

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park Trustee Diane Galante wanted to see if she could keep her seat on the board, independent of a slate. A day after her loss, she reflected on social media with her take on what proved to be a heated election season.

"My difficult run for re-election was also an amazing life lesson for me," Galante shared on social media. "My family could not understand why I would even try to run alone. I wanted to know if an individual, working honestly for the people had a shot.

"Lesson learned."

Galante was first elected to the board in 2019 as part of the One Tinley Park slate. She later removed herself, she said, "after becoming concerned about the actions of members of the group not being in the best interest of the people, and the lack of independent thinking welcomed within the group."

Village board meetings in recent years have been fraught with tension—often with officials interrupting or speaking over each other. Tempers flared in January 2022, when Galante was found guilty of violating the Village's ethics ordinance by disclosing confidential information to a lawyer who was suing the village.

Tensions continued last spring, with Galante being removed from a May 2022 board meeting following a heated exchange with Mayor Michael Glotz.

In January 2023, when the board voted to buck tradition and hold its own fireworks celebration on July 3 at the 80th Avenue Metra Station, Galante voiced her disapproval and cast the lone dissenting vote. She was also the only to dissent in the vote to negate the Village's decades-old vehicle sticker program.

Galante grew to be seen by some as an embattled member of the board. She spoke openly of bullying by other board members and Mayor Michael Glotz. In the days leading up to the election, former mayor Jake Vandenberg took to social media in support of her.

"Ask me two years ago if I would ever support Diane Hines Galante and the answer would be unequivocally NO," Vandenberg wrote. "Fortunately, Diane and I have set aside any previous differences."

Vandenberg went on to write about a shared experience of purported "political bullying, personal bullying and professional bullying" by Glotz.

In her personal note about the loss, Galante wrote of having "to question if we are all fighting for what’s best for our families anymore?"

"The 'machine' is just the strongest power," she continued. "I’m looking forward to the day the people decide to take their power back.

"I hope the people of Tinley Park start going to meetings and ask questions yourself. We should not be attacking our business and community members personally.

"I know it’s hard to keep the faith, but the people really do have the power to make changes."

Galante's vacated seat will be filled by Ken Shaw.

Her full statement can be seen on her campaign's Facebook page.