Park District Blasts Village, Claims 'Retaliation, Punishment': Letter

TINLEY PARK, IL — A strained relationship between the Village of Tinley Park and Tinley Park-Park District was exacerbated last week, with the park district issuing a letter accusing the Village of retaliation and punishment in return for the group's interest in acquiring the Tinley Mental Health Center land.

In the letter dated Feb. 13 and signed by all park district board members, the group responded to statements made by village officials during a village board meeting earlier this month, claiming "numerous untruths were made to the board, and to the public, about the park district."

The park district says it "is simply not feasible" for the two to work together on public events, as the tensions continue to build.

At the crux of the conflict between the two entities purportedly lies each's pursuit to acquire the long-vacant Tinley Mental Health Center land. The park district says its decision to pursue the land as a sole entity has irked the Village, causing officials to create complications and obstacles with local events. Village officials dispute that, instead pointing to other reasons for changes or adjustments to plans, and claiming lack of communication from the park district.

The park district says the feud has led to the cancelation or rescheduling of park district events, including the 40-year tradition of its July 4 event, plus date and cost changes to local foot races.

Last month, the park district canceled its annual July 4 fireworks, after the Village announced its plan to hold its own celebration on July 3.

Earlier this month, the park district also said moves by the Village forced it to reschedule its Running O' The Green 8K race, typically held the same day as the town's Irish parade. In its announcement, the park district said the Village cited staffing issues on the original scheduled date of March 5, forcing it to be rescheduled to a week later. Park District Executive Director Shawn Roby also noted that the village will charge the park district for EMA, police and public works presence during its races, a practice not previously in place. With the Village's estimated rates for police and public works presence, the March race—now being held March 12—will cost the park district an estimated $2,000, according to figures provided to Patch.

The Village's moves, the park district says, "are exactly what they appear to be—retaliation and punishment of the park district because we bid on the Tinley Mental Health property."

The verbal sparring remains the latest sign of the fraying relationship between the two taxing bodies, who are each eyeing the 280 acres on the corner of 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue. Listed as surplus property owned by the State, the Village has long sought after the land, with hopes of using portions of the land in different ways, in part for a sportsplex and multi-purpose athletic fields, and also to centralize all Village resources by moving Village Hall, the police department and more to one location, Glotz said. The Village's most recent attempt to purchase the land at a price tag of $4.5 million fell through as recently as February 2022.

<< READ ALSO: Village, Park District Bat Blame As Perceived Feud Continues >>

The park district in November declared its intent to pursue the property as a sole entity. In December, the park district released its preliminary plans for the property, with visions of multipurpose athletic fields, a domed sports complex with a full-size soccer field, a stadium with a track, a playground and splash pad, concession stands, spectator stands, lighting and ample parking, as well as a pond, picnic areas and open green space. The Village said it was "shocked" by the park district's plan, saying that had they acquired the land, they planned to work with public bodies like the park district to make the best use of it.

Both bodies have faced backlash from residents amidst the fallout regarding ownership of the land, and conflict surrounding town events. Village Manager Pat Carr took to social media recently in an attempt to explain the Village's reasoning behind planning its own, separate July 3 celebration at the 80th Avenue Metra Station, rather than sharing in the planning of the event with the park district at McCarthy Park. Carr refuted claims that the land dispute and the Village's planning of a separate event were connected, citing instead safety issues and concerns.

The park district was not informed of the change to the event prior to the village announcing its own event at a Jan. 17 board meeting, the letter reads.

"The Village made no attempt to discuss this new plan with us in advance of your meeting, nor did anyone with the Village discuss with us your safety concerns for our event, which according to you were apparently significant and serious," the letter states.

<< READ ALSO: Fireworks As Park District Cancels Theirs After Village Plans Own>>

When asked last month why Village officials had not collaborated with the park district to improve its existing event prior to making the decision for a new event, Carr told Patch he was not sure why that hadn't happened. Roby told Patch that Carr attended a park district board meeting in early February, and he and Carr met privately afterward, when Roby says he asked for a debriefing on the police department's concerns on the previously established event. Carr agreed to that, but the park district board never received it, Roby contends.

In an email response to the park district's letter, Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz told Patch, "It's extremely disappointing that they continue to ignore our plea to work together and go to social media to claim otherwise.

"It's sad that he and his board are trying to politicize our Park District for their upcoming election and not being truthful and upfront. What are they scared of? I don't know how many times we can reach out to them and keep getting the door shut on us."

Glotz shared with Patch several emails sent to the park district in late January, in which he asked Roby to work with them on the event.

"I recognize the communication on this issue has not been ideal," Glotz wrote in an email sent Jan. 26. "Having said that, it is only January, and we’re discussing an event that will occur six months from now.

"If the Park District and Village work together, potentially fully utilizing the adjacent park district resources, I think we can create a new, safer event that will respect the traditions of the past while still planning for the realities that we face today. I urge the park district to reconsider and join in planning for what I hope will be a new way for Tinley Park to celebrate Independence Day."

Roby maintains that he communicated individually with Carr following Carr's attendance at a Feb. 1 park district board meeting. The board, the letter reads, "took him at his word when he said the Village had erred in not consulting with the Park District on the new July 3 event."

Communications between Carr and Roby were misrepresented by the board at the Feb. 7 meeting, the park district said in its letter.

"It is now abundantly clear that you never intended to work with us in earnest," the letter reads.

At a Feb. 21 village board meeting, Carr confirmed to the board that he and Roby had met following the Feb. 1 park district board meeting. Roby said the letter is a statement that the park district is "done going tit for tat" with the Village.

Mayor Glotz's statements at the Feb. 7 meeting, Roby said, "showed us that there’s no good faith. … I really did have hopes that what Pat and I were working on, was going to maybe lay some groundwork, and build some trust back."