Longtime Trustee Dave Seaman Chosen as Tinley Park Mayor

Tinley Park has its new mayor to serve what’s left of Mayor Ed Zabrocki’s term, but the vote was a close one.

In a 3-2 decision Tuesday evening, trustees selected Dave Seaman, a trustee of 31 years, to fulfill the remaining two years.

Trustees Brian Younker and Jake Vandenberg cast the dissenting votes, after urging that the vote be postponed until Trustee Michael Pannitto returned from out of the country, so the vote from the third member of their “Concerned Citizens” slate could be counted, Chicago Tribune reports. Prior to the vote, Vandenberg stressed the importance of the decision, and asked that the trustees give pause.

“We’re trying to convey the magnitude of this,” Vandenberg said, as reported by the Tribune.

Mayor Ed Zabrocki officially resigned Monday, halfway into his 34th year as mayor, citing a recurring cancer.

He hand-picked Seaman, 62, as his replacement, with the final decision in trustees’ hands.

After concerns arose over his replacement receiving longevity pay that would have amounted to $36,000 over two years, Seaman vow that he would not accept the bonus.

The board will select a replacement for Seaman’s trustee seat, which he will relinquish once the choice is made. The Village opened the application process to the community, and received 20 applications. One candidate has since dropped out.

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