2017 OP_Summer Newsletter

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

LETTER FROM THE MAYOR

Dear residents, Thank you very much for the honor and privilege of serving as your mayor. I have only been in office for a few days, but it is a pleasure coming to work knowing that I can positively impact 60,000 people every single day. I understand that many of you do not know much about me, so I thought I would first introduce myself and give you a brief background. First and foremost, I know what the community means to us. I was born and raised in Orland Park. My dad was a trustee for Orland Park for six years and helped bring Orland Square Mall to the village. I played OYA baseball and basketball, and was on the very first Pioneer football team. I am a product of our local school system and attended Carl Sandburg High School. I also have a Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from Arizona State University and an MBA from Duke University. My Air Force service began in 1989. I became the youngest Mission Ready Navigator and youngest Instructor Weapons System Officer in the F-15E. My career included over 1,500 hours of flight time, including three tours to Southern Iraq where I logged over 150 combat hours in Operations Desert Storm and Southern Watch. Upon leaving the Air Force in 1998, I moved back to Orland Park with my wife Betty and our three children: Lisa, Tim, and Amanda. Since returning to Orland Park, I coached baseball and basketball with the OYA and Orland Park Magic for over 10 years. The Pekau family has grown to include a granddaughter named Maddie. On the business front, I worked as a management consultant for two international consulting firms helping companies with market growth, strategy development, value based management and acquisitions. In 2003, I purchased a tree service business and became a local business owner. The business has grown over 600 percent by targeting new segments and geographies, re-branding the business, introducing a series of new product and services and marketing through new channels. The Village of Orland Park staff has worked hard to make my transition as smooth as possible. Additionally, you may notice some changes in the Orland Park Public. The staff has included several articles in this issue at my request, including articles on our water system, streets, sports fields, ponds and siren usage. I encourage you to read these articles as they provide critical information on key issues and processes the village uses to make decisions. I am humbled by the trust Orland Park voters have placed in me to lead our community for the next four years. I pledge to you an administration dedicated to transparency, accountability and honesty. I will serve according to the principles that have guided my life since my time in the Air Force – integrity, service before self and excellence. With your help, I know we can make Orland Park a great place to live, work and play. Sincerely,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Pictured (l to r) Trustee Michael Carroll, Trustee Patricia Gira, Trustee James Dodge, Mayor Keith Pekau, Village Clerk John Mehalek, Trustee Carole Griffin Ruzich, Trustee Daniel Calandriello, Trustee Kathleen Fenton

Around Town

2 6 8 9

Veterans

Inquiring Minds

TRUSTEES

Keith Pekau Mayor

Water Infrastructure Road Improvement

Kathleen Fenton Development Services, Planning & Engineering

10 12 14 16 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 30 32 33

John C. Mehalek Village Clerk

Village Fields and Ponds

Cinépolis

Orland Park Health & Fitness Student Government Day

James Dodge Mayor Pro Tem; Technology, Innovation and Performance Improvement

CPAC

Police Events

Patricia Gira Parks & Recreation

Weather Sirens Summer Concerts

Carole Griffin Ruzich Finance

CPAC

Market at the Park

Pandemonium

Daniel Calandriello Public Safety

Taste of Orland Park Community Pride Vehicle Stickers Calendar of Events

Michael Carroll Public Works

Keith Pekau Village President

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| SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 |