April's Ballot Takes Shape as Candidates File on First Day

Nine candidates—including five incumbents—filed their nominating petitions for village offices up for election in April, according to the Tinley Park Village Clerk's Office.

The village races on the April 9 ballot include those for mayor, clerk and three trustee seats.

As expected, Mayor Ed Zabrocki, who is running for his ninth term, will be facing at least one challenger in Tinley Park lawyer Steve Eberhardt, who announced his candidacy in October. Earlier this year, Eberhardt petitioned to have an advisory referendum on village term limits added to the November ballot. Voters passed the non-binding referendum.

Both candidates are running as part of larger slates. Zabrocki and the incumbents in the other races are running under the Team Tinley 2013 banner. Eberhardt is running with three candidates for the Village Board seats.

Candidates can file nominating petitions at the Village Clerk's Office through Dec. 26, a deadline that was extended by the state. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Dec. 26; 9 a.m. to noon Saturday; and 9 a.m. to noon Dec. 24. The office will be closed Dec. 25, Christmas Day.

The following looks at the other candidates, listed in alphabetical order, who filed petitions Monday.

Village Trustees

Andrew DeLuca: Working in the engineering field for more than 40 years, DeLuca runs a Tinley Park scrap and recycling business. He has lived in the village for 13 years and is focused on the village's fiscal responsibility and making sure officials address residents' needs.

T.J. Grady (incumbent): A former Tinley Park Police officer, Grady was appointed to the board after Trustee Mike Bettenhausen stepped down. As a trustee, he is the chairman of the Building and Compliance Committee. He has worked with various police organizations, including the D.A.R.E. program and the Tinley Park Patrolman's Association, serving as president for four years with that group. He also serves on the board for Tinley Wish, which he has done since its inception.

Brian Maher (incumbent): Running for a fourth term, Maher was first elected to the board in 1999. He currently is the chairman of the Public Safety Committee and has headed the village's Budget and Administration Committee. Maher is a lawyer with Weis, DuBrock, Doody & Maher in Chicago and is a member of the board of directors for Family Focus, a nonprofit that helps the children of low-income families in the Chicago area.

Nancy Petro: Living in the village for 12 years, Petro has worked in marketing and public relations, with a bachelor's degree from Illinois State University. Currently, she is working on her teaching degree. She decided to run because she was concerned for the village and wants residents to have a say when it comes to how their tax dollars are spent.

Dave Seaman (incumbent): The CEO of Pronger Smith MedicalCare, Seaman has served on the board since 1984 and is currently the chairman of the Finance and Economic Development Committee. He is a retired colonel of the Illinois Air National Guard, serving for 39 years. As a board member, he helped retain the village's Standard & Poor’s AA+ bond rating and sponsored the Fiscal Policy Ordinance, which gathered financial management best practices and guidelines for the village. Seaman also has worked extensively with the American Cancer Society, earning the organization's St. George National Award in 2010.

Karen Weigand: An office manager for the Cook County State's Attorney's Office for the past 35 years, Weigand announced her candidacy along with Eberhardt in October. She also worked with Eberhardt to collect signatures for the petition to put the term limits referendum on the November ballot.

Village Clerk

Patrick Rea (incumbent): After serving as a trustee for 37 years, Rea, a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserves, was appointed as clerk in 2009. Over the years, he has been the vice president and corporate banker for Bank One Capital Markets; worked as executive director for the Illinois Development Finance; and served as regional administrator for the Small Business Association's Midwest region from November 2003 through January 2009. He received the 2004 Secretary of Defense Medal of Outstanding Public Service Award, and .

SOURCES: Information from Team Tinley 2013 website and campaigns for DeLuca, Petro and Weigand

Where to Find Candidates Online

• Team Tinley 2013: Website and Facebook page
• Steve Eberhardt: Website and Facebook page
• Karen Weigand: Website and Facebook page

Other Election Stories on Tinley Park Patch:

• Voters Pass Advisory Referendum on Term Limits for Elected Officials
• Tinley Attorney Announces Mayoral Candidacy
• Petition Filed for Referendum on Term Limits in Tinley Park
• Should Local Elected Officials Have Term Limits?

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