Tinley Park trustee interested in bringing Secretary of State’s Office to town
Also: Classic car parade kicks into gear in Tinley Park
By Jon DePaolis
One town’s loss could be another’s gain, as a Village of Tinley Park official is interested in seeing if the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office is interested in relocating after closing its office in Orland Park last month.
In May, the Secretary of State’s Office permanently vacated its location in the Village of Orland Park, located at 14700 Ravinia Ave. The Village of Orland Park and the Secretary of State’s Office offered different reasons for why the express facility was closed.
Last week, Tinley Park Trustee Michael Glotz sent an email to Village staff asking them to look into the possibility of the Village finding a home for the Secretary of State’s Office. For Glotz, finding a local spot for the Secretary of State’s Office is a matter of convenience to the residents.
“The place was always loaded with seniors,” Glotz said of the closed Orland Park office. “I’ve seen people from Tinley [there]. My main concern is for the seniors to have something close. And for our residents, it stinks having to go somewhere else.”
Glotz said he has gone to the Secretary of State’s Midlothian facility and experienced long wait times.
“I’ve been third in line and waited an hour and a half to get called,” he said. “It’s more of a convenience for our seniors in our surrounding communities [to have a nearby location]. It gives them more options.”
Potential landing spots could include: using space at the Village’s Kallsen Center; repurposing the vacant facility on Duvan Drive that was previously used by the state for emissions testing; or trying to find a Tinley Park building owner who could put together an agreement with the Secretary of State.
Glotz said he has not gauged interest from the rest of the Village Board about bringing the Secretary of State to Tinley Park. He also said he had not heard if the state agency had responded to the Village as of yet.
Dave Druker, a spokesman with the Secretary of State’s Office, responded on June 22 that he believes the agency has been approached by Tinley Park. He also said the agency is still looking at possible locations in Orland Park despite vacating the Frederick T. Owens Village Hall building.
“We are disappointed that mayor did not want us there, as we thought this was a good intergovernmental agreement that served the people of Orland Park well,” Druker said. “We are committed to finding a location in the area.”
Classic car parade kicks into gear
By Jon DePaolis
TINLEY PARK, Ill. – The Village of Tinley Park kicked off its summer Cruise Nights series Tuesday, June 16, with a twist.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Village adapted the series to a car parade.
While the route is set to change from week to week, residents lined the streets to cheer on the classic cars as they passed by a little after 7 p.m.
Classic cars travel down 80th Avenue Tuesday, June 16, during the Village of Tinley Park’s classic car parade for its Cruise Nights series. PHOTOS BY JON DEPAOLIS/RICHARD FREE PRESS
Learn more about the Cruise Nights car parades at https://www.tinleypark.org/government/departments/marketing_department/cruise_nights.php.