'It Never Gets Old': Mayor, Trustees Celebrate New Term at Inauguration

For the ninth time, Ed Zabrocki was sworn in as Tinley Park on Tuesday at an inauguration ceremony at Odyssey Country Club.

Mayor Ed Zabrocki has more than a passing familiarity with inauguration ceremonies. Being elected mayor of Tinley Park for nine terms will do that. But that doesn't mean the event has become old hat or that it's something he takes for granted. READ: Zabrocki, Team Tinley Incumbents Stay in Office "It never gets old," Zabrocki said during a post-inaugural reception Tuesday, May 14, at Odyssey Country Club. "Each time, it's new and exciting." Zabrocki was joined by Village Clerk Patrick Rea, trustees Dave Seaman, Brian Maher and T.J. Grady and members of the Tinley Park Public Library Board and the Tinley Park-Park District Commission during Tuesday's ceremony to swear in the recently elected village officials.  The ceremony was conducted by…

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Election 2013: Early Voting Keeps Growing in Tinley Park

As of Tuesday, Tinley is about 300 percent ahead of previous election years when it comes to early voting ballots, according to the village clerk.

Early voting continues to be popular among Tinley Park residents, with the village about 300 percent ahead of previous municipal elections, according to Village Clerk Patrick Rea, who went over voter information at Tuesday's Village Board meeting. As of Tuesday, April 2, 32 residents had cast votes at the Tinley Park Village Hall, Rea said. That compared to 10 and 11 total early voters for 2009 and 2011, respectively, the past two years when municipal elections were held. READ: Early Voting for April 9 Election Begins Village Hall also is only an early voting location for Tinley residents living in Will County, which is just a small segment of the village's overall population. Tinley residents in Cook County can vote early at the Orland …

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Tinley Park's Term Limits Commission: What You Need to Know

The public body that will give its recommendations on whether the village should have term limits for local elected officials met for the first time last week. Find out what happened and what it means to you.

The first meeting of Tinley Park's newly formed commission to investigate term limits for elected village officials laid the foundation last week for its six-month mission. About 25 people attended this initial Wednesday, March 27, meeting of the commission, which was created as a response to an advisory referendum on the November 2012 ballot. That referendum posed the question: “Shall the Village Board of the Village of Tinley Park pass an Ordinance imposing term limits on all elected officials?” READ: Voters Pass Advisory Referendum on Term Limits for Elected Officials While residents voted yes on the referendum by a 3-to-1 margin, the village board is under no obligation to act on it. But village officials decided to form a commission …

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Looking For The Truth in Tinley Park

2:33 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2013

Ok "Ready" what should the Mayor have done given half an idea from Ebby that wasn't a fully formed thought? How much money does the Commission waste? Any idea how much? I don't know and you might know. I think Ebby is just petulant because he has to run against the incumbents instead of them just jumping off the ballot and allowing him to run uncontested. You do realize there has to be a post-…   more ›

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

Tinley Park Mayor Ed Zabrocki and lawyer Steve Eberhardt both turned in their nominating petitions Monday for the village's mayoral race. Find out who else threw their hats in the ring for other races.

  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 …

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Tinley Park Honors Its Veterans, Then Dedicates Plaza to Rea

This year, the village's Veterans Day ceremony had two goals: Pay tribute to Tinley's military men and women and dedicate its new Veterans Plaza to native son Patrick Rea. It did both, although 4 people fell ill during the event.

Joseph Detratto apologized Sunday for visibly sobbing as he talked about the surprise Christmas gift his daughter and ex-wife had given him: a brick with his name along the "hometown hero walk," part of the new Gen. Patrick Rea Veterans Plaza at the renovated 80th Avenue Metra Station. "It was beyond words," said Detratto, who just minutes before had had his picture taken by his daughter, Emily, in front of the brick. "I'm forever grateful for it. It was one of the best gifts I've ever gotten." READ: One Sent to Hospital, Three Treated by Paramedics at Veterans Day Ceremony Detratto enlisted in the Marines in 1970 and served for two years in the corps. He was scheduled to do a tour of duty in Vietnam, but his unit was not called up as the …

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Editor's Notebook

Village Fosters Bond With Its Veterans

The relationship between Tinley Park and its military veterans goes beyond Veterans Day ceremonies. Find out how the two have worked together to help the community as a whole.

Like other towns across the country, Tinley Park will hold a Veterans Day ceremony Sunday to honor the men and women from the community who have served in the military. And while Sunday's event also will dedicate the Veterans Plaza at the renovated 80th Street Metra Station to Patrick Rea, a retired brigadier general and current village clerk, the Tinley Park ceremony stands out for another reason: It shows yet again the strong, long-standing bond the village has developed with its veterans. READ: New Veterans Plaza to be Dedicated to Rea "Tinley Park is very veterans-friendly," said American Legion Post 615 Cmdr. Bob Shaffner, a U.S. Army veteran who fought in Vietnam. "Just about everything we need they help us out. … They help us out as…

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Joe Vince

5:53 pm on Sunday, November 11, 2012

@Kelly Gee: Thank you for leaving such kind words about your father. I'm sure he's as proud of you as you are of him. Joe Vince Tinley Park Editor   more ›

Village Sees Strong Turnout on First Day of Early Voting

The number of early voters Monday topped the village's 2008 numbers. This, along with a very successful voter registration drive, could be an indicator of record turnout for November's election, Village Clerk Patrick Rea says.

Although it was only the first day of early voting for the Nov. 6 election, Tinley Park officials were already seeing an increase in participation Monday compared to previous years, including the 2008 presidential election. READ: Zabrocki, Other Area Mayors Put Support Behind Peloquin At a little past 3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 22, about 20 voters had completed early voting ballots at Village Hall, said Village Clerk Patrick Rea, adding that he expected a few more voters before voting stopped at 4:30 p.m. In 2008, the village had less than five ballots cast on the first day of early voting, Rea said. During that same year, the village had 328 early voters, and the biggest turnouts came in the last four days of early voting, he added. Early voting…

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New Veterans Plaza to be Dedicated to Rea

Village Clerk Patrick Rea, a Tinley Park native and a retired brigadier general in the U.S. Army Reserve, will receive the honor at a Nov. 11 ceremony at the new plaza.

Although Veterans Plaza might be a new addition to Tinley Park, the site will be associated with someone who has been a representative of the village for years. READ: Tinley Park Takes Another Step in 'Hometown Hero Walk' Officials announced Monday that the Veterans Plaza will be dedicated to Tinley native and current Village Clerk Patrick Rea in a Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11, according to a village press release.   "Patrick E. Rea is an iconic representative of Tinley Park and its veterans," Mayor Ed Zabrocki stated in the release. "In many ways, Patrick can be considered a modern renaissance man—a man for all seasons," Zabrocki added. READ: Local Retired Brigadier General Prepares to Pledge The mayor's characterization of Rea stems …

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Dennis J. Belotti

3:42 pm on Thursday, November 8, 2012

Your point is well taken. Unfortunately career politicians have enormous egos that can only be satisfied by physical evidence of immortality... Regards, a combat veteran and Tinley Park resident   more ›

Petition Filed For Referendum On Term Limits For Tinley Officials

A petition has been filed to hold an advisory referendum on term limits for elected officials in Tinley Park.

Unless there is an objection by Monday, voters in Tinley Park will have the chance in November to vote on whether elected officials in the village should face term limits in the future. A petition containing 1,900 signatures asking the Village Board to hold an advisory referendum on term limits was filed with the Village Clerk’s office on Monday by attorney Steve Eberhardt. The petition asks the village to place the following question on the November ballot:  “Shall the Village Board of the Village of Tinley Park pass an Ordinance imposing term limits on all elected officials?” Village Clerk Patrick Rea said the petition met the state’s standards for advisory referendums. “Unless there’s an objection filed by Monday, the question will be …

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