Metanias seeking re-election as Mokena trustee
By Jon DePaolis
MOKENA, Ill. — Village of Mokena Trustee George Metanias is seeking another term this April.
Metanias, 63, who has served on the Village Board of Trustees since 2005, is a 25-year resident of Mokena. He coached for the Mokena Burros football organization, as well as baseball and softball.
“I am deeply committed to the future of this community,” Metanias said. “I have had the privilege and honor of serving our residents since 2005 as a Mokena Village trustee.”
Metanias has owned and operated a union electrical contracting business for more than 30 years, and is a member of Local 134 IBEW, the building trades association, South Holland Business Association, the Mokena Chamber of Commerce, and is chairman of the Mokena Electrical Commission.
“I'm very proud of the work I've been doing with the Village Board and my collaboration with the Friends of Mokena team and what together we've accomplished for this Village and its taxpayers,” Metanias told Richard Free Press on Monday, Feb. 8. “Let's talk fiscal accountability and responsibility: We haven't raised our property tax rate in nearly eight years. In fact, our rate has been cut. Mokena now has the lowest municipal property tax rate of 23 surrounding Will County communities. We have the highest credit and bond rating of any nearby town. We've pursued policies to attract business, and that has allowed us to more than double our commercial revenue, saving homeowners millions of dollars in property taxes.
“We are upgrading our wastewater treatment facilities; nearly fully funded our police retirement fund; brought in new environmentally friendly LED street and parking lot lighting, new landscaping and parking downtown to attract new businesses; and accomplished all this and more without a tax increase of any kind.
“I'm proud of this record and want to continue serving taxpayers on the Village Board to advance these successes.”
Metanias said that fiscal responsibility will be a hallmark of his continued presence on the Village Board if re-elected.
“We accomplished quite a lot for this community, and we've done it for only 4 cents,” he said. “Let me repeat that: All the Village services homeowners receive they get for only 4 cents. Only 4 cents of every property tax dollar people pay goes to the Village to provide and maintain all the services that we do.
“I want to continue pursuing our fiscal responsibility policies, keep laser-like focus on ensuring safe drinking water [and] meaningful development of our downtown area, and continue to create responsible policies to attract more businesses to further enhance our commercial tax base, so we can continue to save homeowners money.”
Metanias said he also wants to continue to advance Mokena's public safety and anti-crime record.
“A recent Federal Bureau of Investigations study showed that crime has gone down in our community,” Metanias said. “We have a very professional police force in Mokena, headed right now by our temporary Police Chief Tim McCarthy — a former Secret Service agent and police chief in Orland Park. We have a strong law enforcement presence throughout our community and will be enhancing that through our soon-to-be-built police station.”
Metanias said he also wants to see purposeful planning and development of the Village’s downtown area that builds the community’s economic base while enhancing aesthetics and property values.
“I also want to make sure that we maintain the reputation we have built — namely for fiscal accountability and responsibility,” he said. “We've been keeping a close eye on every tax dollar and doing more with less just like Mokena families have done. We need to continue doing so, because people expect and deserve no less.”