'I Won't Quit': Tinley Park Trustee Kicked Out Of Meeting Plans Return

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park Trustee Diane Galante told Patch she will continue to attend and serve at Board of Trustee meetings after an argument at a board meeting last week led to Galante being removed from the chambers.

During the May 17 meeting, Mayor Mike Glotz called for a motion to remove the first-term trustee after an argument which began when he said Galante filed a false police report against him. The motion carried at a vote of 4-1 with Galante voting to remain at the meeting.

WATCH HERE: Village Board Meeting - board comments begin at 1:13:43.

The argument started during the board comment section of the meeting when Glotz referenced a police report Galante filed following an April 5 board meeting. According to Glotz, Galante accused him of blocking her path out the door after the April meeting and "intimidating her by quietly speaking discourteous comments to her."

Glotz responded by calling the accusation "crazy" and referenced multiple other board members who he said could support his claim that he couldn't have blocked the door or physically intimidated Galante. Glotz also said he did not "go after" Galante's family and only asked for "restitution" following a 2020 incident involving Galante's son at Village Coins.

Glotz did, however, admit to telling Galante she was "rude and embarrassing with what you're doing."

"Diane, you have absolutely no remorse for what you are doing or any of the lies that you spew up on this dais," Glotz said during the meeting. "Please stop your games, and let's work together — or just resign, so we can get back to business."

BACKGROUND: Tensions have been high between the mayor and Galante since Galante was accused of sharing confidential information with a lawyer who was in the midst of suing the village. An ethics investigation found Galante disclosed details of a private conversation with the village attorney to the lawyer but did not violate Freedom of Information Act procedure.

In a May 25 interview with Patch, Galante also called the incident "embarrassing," but said she filed the police report to document the behavior in case Glotz escalated. According to Galante, the police report had "nothing to do" with the board and could have remained confidential had Glotz not brought it up during board comments.

"Mayor Glotz does not have the right to take away the peoples' voting choice to put me on the board by kicking me out," Galante said. "He thinks he can decide who is worthy of being on this board but I'm not going to be quiet. Those bullies are not going to make me quit."

Galante said a "situation in [her] 20's" showed her the importance of reporting any intimidating behavior to police. By diminishing her fear in that moment, she said, Glotz was sending a dangerous message.

"I have a right to file a police report if I am fearful," Galante said at the May 17 meeting. "I went to the police department out of fear. I feared myself that day as you whispered in my ear, and that's why I went there."

"How dare you," she continued. "I wasn't going to let you belittle me and do what you do and walk out that door, like you were going to make me feel bad quietly. I wanted everybody to understand what you did to me at that door that day. That's why I did it. I have a right as a person to have fear, and I have a right to file a police report out of fear. And I'll do it every time if I am fearful."

Another trustee, however, said Galante was lying about the April 5 encounter, as Trustee Colleen Sullivan said she witnessed the interaction. After a brief back and forth between Sullivan and Galante, Glotz called for the vote to expel Galante from the meeting.

When asked if she would continue to serve on the board or choose to resign, Galante told Patch she would continue "doing the job voters elected [her] to do." While Galante said Glotz has removed her from multiple committees, she is still proud of the changes she's made while on the board and hopes to "encourage other independents to run [for the board]."

Patch was not able to find other trustees or witnesses to support Galante's version of events from April 5.