Election 2025: Orland Park Village Trustee Candidate Carol McGury

ORLAND PARK, IL — Orland Park residents in the thick of a contentious local election season are likely about ready to see it end. With the consolidated election set for April 1, early voting began March 17, and residents can make their picks for the village's next leaders.

Incumbent Mayor Keith Pekau's People Over Politics slate will face off against mayoral challenger Jim Dodge's Orland Park for All.

Pekau is flanked by trustee candidates Sean Kampas, Carol McGury, and Brian Riordan, along with clerk candidate Brian Gaspardo.

Dodge leads his slate of trustee candidates Dina M. Lawrence, John Lawler and Joanna M. Liotine Leafblad, as well as Mary Ryan Norwell for clerk.

Patch sent questionnaires to candidates, and their answers are now published in their candidate profiles. Early voting began March 17. Find out where and when you can vote ahead of April 1.

Candidate:

Carol McGury

Campaign website:

People Over Politics

Office sought:

Orland Park Village Trustee

Town/city of residence:

Orland Park

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race):

People Over Politics – (Republican)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for.

Not currently - brother was Chief of Police and ran the Naperville Park District

Occupation. Please include years of experience.

I am currently retired after working 36 years at Smithbucklin. My most recent position was Executive Vice President and member of our company's corporate management team.

Previous or current elected or appointed office.

First time running for office

The most pressing issues facing Orland Park are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.

I believe fiscal responsibility and continuing to invest wisely in the development of our village are the most important issues. As a resident and having lived in Orland Park for 17 years, I experienced the fact that over 40% of our roads were in poor or very poor condition after years of underinvestment until Mayor Pekau and the current trustees changed that. In lieu of investing in parks and roads, the former administration (McLaughlin and Dodge) purposely chose to ignore it and instead diverted funds to the “Downtown Triangle”, losing $47M in the development of apartments, and a parking garage. It’s incredibly important to turn that area around and ensure we have viable and interesting business opportunities (but we are not the developers) with a sound business model.

I think it’s important to continue to focus on our core services and amenities that residents of all ages benefit from. I would support the current strategic plan and continue to focus on further developing our parks. I know that pickleball courts, more basketball and tennis courts as well as bocce ball courts are important to our residents. I would like to ensure that beyond the 32 neighborhood parks that were redeveloped under Mayor Pekau and the current trustees, that we remain focused on continued development – there is still more work to be done. I support and would vote to ensure we have a regular cadence and funding model for updating our remaining parks and ensuring that we continue to have feedback opportunities for our residents to express input on future park design. Centennial Park West will host several events including Taste of Orland, summer concert series and more. I have an event execution and design background so will hope to ensure these offerings continue to evolve to meet the needs of our residents.

As Trustee, my commitment is to ensure we make fiscally responsible decisions for investments in Orland Park while always keeping the best interest of our residents in mind.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The major differences between what I would deliver and what other candidates have done is I would not default to increasing taxes as the sole solution to managing the Village's operating budget. In fact, the current mayor and trustees have voted to lower the Village's tax levy several years in a row while operating expenses (like salaries, benefits, etc.) all increased. They have taken, and I concur, with critically evaluating all aspects of our Village operations and looking for alternatives to tax increases. I concur with that thinking and our opponents unfortunately, differ in that approach.

Unlike what the current Village board has done in reducing the tax levy, the leadership for our Orland Park Library again raised the library tax by 4.3%. It's 55% of our Villages tax levy. I do value the library and its services, but it would be refreshing to have a more fiscally conservative approach and not continue multiple years of increases - seems like that should be able to be done. Orland Park Public Library Board President, Joanna Leafblad raised the library’s taxes every year for the last decade even when there was a 10% (of annual library operating budget) revenue windfall and an increase would not be necessary. Well taxes were raised anyway in fact the operational levy has increased from $4.4 million to over $7.0 million during her tenure.

Increasing taxes seem to be the financial management philosophy of our opponents. Orland Park residents do not need to pay additional taxes on food, beverage and entertainment yet John Lawler proposes a new 1% tax on those items as well as a sales transfer tax. My philosophy is that it is important to generate revenue for the Village, but not continually on the backs of our residents.

Another reason I'm different - I'm in this to truly serve the residents of Orland Park. I am glad that Mayor Pekau and the trustees voted for term limits and to eliminate pensions - that was 100% the right decision. I'm recently retired and want to bring my business background and reputation for ethics to support decision making. I'm not a politician or in it for personal deals like when Lawler who worked with Jim Dodge and former mayor McLaughlin on a shady land swap deal that allowed Lawler to profit on land and have a private park maintained by the village, costed residents thousands of dollars. My background is in service and that is why I tossed my hat into the ring. Our People Over Politics team has and will benefit our residents and not self-interests.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

Not applicable

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

As a 17-year resident, I can see what this current board has done to advance Orland Park and move beyond the failures of the past. I am excited for the future of our Village and we are in a strong position to keep the successful momentum going. The growth of our local businesses and creating an environment that Orland Park is both easy to do business as well as a place that supports business growth is something we can't lose. Over 5,000 local jobs have been brought to/created in Orland Park. We are one of the safest communities with an A+ police department; we have leadership that takes a fiscally conservative approach to running the Village while investing in parks, roads and services for our residents - all done while protecting our working families tax dollars.

Transparency is a key tenet of our team and has been with the current administration. Village board meetings are live streamed (they weren’t prior to Mayor Pekau), he has numerous meetings and opportunities for residents to ask him questions. Budgets are mailed to residents. Residents are asked for their input. Our opponents opposed live streaming. People Over Politics is future focused and has a proven track record for thinking of our residents, being transparent, lowering taxes, investing in parks and roads and supporting local businesses. We can't afford to move backward.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

This is my first time running for office so I do not have direct results as a Village Trustee. I have been a member of the Orland Park Technology Commission for four years so I have knowledge of Village business operations and protocols. Through the input of the Technology Commission, we have improved the technical infrastructure with an emphasis on cyber security. As part of the Technology Commission, I got a glimpse into the mission critical decisions needing to be made to improve technology for the Village including much needed investment in self-service systems for residents. I have been able to be part of the team to review RFPs, interview providers and provide input into budget development.

I believe my business background gives me a foundation for supporting the Village board and enabling me to make sound decisions. I have deep experience from my 36 years of working my way from entry level to an Executive Vice President with Smithbucklin. We served both for profit and non-profit clients. During that time, I dealt with HR related issues, budget management, financial forecasting, audits, business modeling, acquisitions, strategic planning and marketing. In the last 11 years of my career, I ran a collective team of over 150 individuals focused some early in their careers and some tenured. Balancing the needs of my team with that of the company and our clients wasn't easy. I see parallels with decisions that need to be made with the Village and know my background is a strong foundation for me serving as a trustee.

Why should voters trust you?

I have a strong reputation of having business ethics. I do what I say I will do. I keep an open mind and will always vote in the best interests of our residents. I can be trusted since it’s not about me – it’s about the residents so I can fully support and work in a team environment.

I fully support what our mayor and trustees have done to improve transparency and bring strong governance to Orland Park. I applaud their decisions that eliminated the unnecessary pension benefits and reduced the pay for trustees which in turn preserved our hard-earned tax dollars. I fully support the term limits the current board put in place – this is not going to be my second career! There can no longer be career politicians and back door deals with what has been put in place by our current Village board. Live streamed public meetings that can also be easily accessed afterwards along with a new resident centric mindset is one I fully support.

I am stepping up to serve with the People Over Politics team since I know they are trustworthy, ethical, smart business people who are doing this for the right reasons.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

I see success as reducing our village’s debt further while continuing to make the necessary investments in roads, parks and services. Debt was over $100 million under the prior administration yet parks and roads were neglected. I see success as with our Mayor, Keith Pekau and the People Over Politics team continuing to be strong financial stewards for our Village while ensuring residents have the services and infrastructure they need.

We can't leave a future board in a position like this current board was left. We have to ensure the Village is in sound financial condition for the next four years and beyond.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

First, we need to ensure we have a surplus in our operating budget and a reserve level to support the Village. This does not mean we get there on the backs of our residents. We have to make tough decisions at times. Our financial goal should always be focused on the future and ensuring we do not leave a future board with a mess – like was done by the previous administration. We will continue to invest our tax dollars wisely and only spend what we have to. And when our residents can save a little money, we pass that onto them (like lowering the tax levies).

I fully support and applaud what the mayor and trustees have done to fiscally manage the Village. Even with the headwinds they had, they cut operating expenses, paid down over $25 million in debt, rebuilt reserves, and lowered property taxes. They did all of this again with investing in our police, parks, roads and more.

Ensuring we remain steadfast in serving our working families, reducing their tax burdens while giving them great experiences here in Orland Park is what it is all about.

What are your thoughts on the crime rate in your community, and what more can be done to combat crime — especially violent crime — in town?

We are so fortunate to live in Orland Park knowing we have the best police department and leadership focused on our safety. Orland Park is once again rated one of the safest towns in America. Over the last 6 years, we have achieved the lowest level of crime in the last 31 years. Of the 360 largest suburbs in the country, we are top 5 for lowest property crime (#2) and lowest for violent crime (#5). For cities with over 50,000 residents in Illinois, we have the lowest violent crime rate for the last 5 years. And during the riots and looting in 2020, we proactively kept our residents and businesses safe. The Village Board walks the talk - they make the necessary investments in law enforcement to equip them for the difficult roles they have. Investments in body cameras, equipment, new training facilities and pay are the right things to do to ensure our police force is set up for success.

What is your view of the Village's approach to commercial and residential development?

We need both commercial and residential development. During the current administration over 600 new retail, restaurant, auto and other businesses have been welcomed. It's clear businesses want to establish here and so we need to ensure we make it easy for them to do so. I would like to see us continue to have a blend of big and small businesses (we need both). We also need to continue to bring in residential developments (single family homes, townhouses) in reflection of the growth of our village.

When it comes to development, what are some key areas for improvement or additions you feel are most wanted by residents? What will need to be done to make this happen?

As I've mentioned a few times, it's important that we continue to provide a friendly and financially viable environment so businesses will continue to come to Orland Park. We have a great community of residents; we have a strong brand for being a safe community and supporting our businesses. As a trustee I will fully support a strong business development environment ensuring new businesses get the support they need to establish here in Orland Park.

This strong environment already exists. I'm excited that the development at 143rd and Lagrange (what was known as the Triangle) will break ground in the next month with plans for completion by end of 2026. There is a residential development breaking ground this year with over 125 homes planned for between Costco and Marcus Theaters. I also know there are plans for development on the east and west corners of the south side LaGrange and 159th. Although its been vacant for many, many years there are plans int he works for where Andrew Corporation was located. I certainly hope we can work together to ensure we fill that vacancy.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I am thankful to be running with the People Over Politics team and supporting their strong fiscal management, ensuring we keep board meetings and other decision-making meetings transparent ensuring our tax dollars are spent wisely. I hope to augment the team by bringing a different perspective as both a resident and steward for the Village.

I got more involved with what was happening in the Village when I co-organized a go fund me for our Orland Park and Orland Hills police officers to buy gift cards for lunches, dinners, etc. for their breaks. We bought only from local businesses who were struggling. The vitriol about "defund the police" struck a nerve with me since I come from a family of public servants. I always support our public servants and was glad to make a difference here.

For over 20 years I served as a member of my company's corporate management team responsible for client service, fiscal management, employee/HR issues, technology, legal and overall business operations. I led a team of over 150 professionals.

I've served in many leadership roles over the years, including being the chair of my industry association's foundation, the Marriott Hotel Customer Advisory Board, and as chair for Helping Hand, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with disabilities in suburban Cook County and the greater Chicagoland communities. I was also honored with selection to Crain’s Chicago Business list of Notable Women Executives Over 50.

My husband Rich and I grew up in the south suburbs and have lived in Orland Park for 17 years, with our beloved 14-year-old dog, Gia. I am an active member of St. Francis of Assisi serving as the co-chair for CHRP’s 25th Anniversary and a member of SFA’s cooking/baking team in support of the Crisis Center for South Suburbia. I also serve on the Village’s Technology Commission and am a regular at the Sportsplex Zumba classes.

I have a bachelor’s degree in communications with a minor in business from St. Xavier University and a master’s degree in public service administration from DePaul University.

It would be a privilege to serve the residents of Orland Park. I know I can make a difference.