Mokena Mayor Makes Return After 4-Month Absence

MOKENA, IL — Mokena Mayor Frank Fleischer was back on the dais in his return to the Mokena Village Board of Trustees meeting Monday. Fleischer had been absent since being hospitalized for a fall that happened at his home Feb. 11 and a subsequent previously planned procedure.

"As you can see, I'm sitting here, I feel good, and I'm the mayor of Mokena. And I'm going to be the mayor of Mokena for a long time, and I want people to understand that," Fleischer declared. "You voted me into this office, you put me here for a reason, you want me to do the job I've been doing for the past nine years. I'm gonna do it."

Fleischer's comments were met with a spattering of applause from those in attendance.

Fleischer went on to thank Trustee George Metanias for filling in as mayor pro tempore for the previous eight meetings. He also thanked the board for their work on finalizing a deal May 9 to build a new police station.

During Monday's discussion about the Village's fiscal year 2023 budget, which was passed unanimously by the board, Fleischer indicated that he had been in contact with Village Administrator John Tomasoski "a lot," as well as with some trustees, during his absence.

The Village had not provided any public updates on Fleischer's condition since late March, which led to speculation on social media among some Mokena residents as to when — or even if — Fleischer would return to his duties as mayor.

Fleischer began the Mayor's Comments portion of Monday's meeting by misquoting Mark Twain, saying: "The rumors of my demise have been very much exaggerated."

Some of the rumors may have been fueled by an audio recording from the 911 call from Fleischer's home on Feb. 11. The recording was obtained by Patch, as well as private Mokena residents, via a Freedom of Information Act request.

The 911 recording appeared to paint a bleaker picture than what was being presented by the Village in its updates on Fleischer's fall. The recording included conversation between the caller and the 911 dispatcher about Fleischer "turning blue," and multiple attempts at CPR by both the caller and responding emergency personnel before Fleischer was taken by ambulance to an area hospital.

Fleischer said he was "looking forward to the next meeting" June 27, so he could thank "a few people" for his return to the public. He said he wanted to keep Monday's meeting "as joyful as I can," but had things he wanted to say about "some things that kind of upset me a little bit."

"I don't want to talk about them tonight. But, believe me, in two weeks I will be talking about them," he said.