Homer Glen
would be rather difficult to work with,” she said. “After watching a few board meetings, they chose not to interview again.”
Consolino said she was concerned because O’Grady made a donation to Neitzke-Troike’s campaign and was not parliamentary certified. She questioned whether it was a conflict of interest to work for Homer Glen while being Orland Township supervisor.
Reynders questioned whether being a personal friend of the mayor was a conflict.
O’Grady graduated magna cum laude from Loyola University in Chicago and earned his law degree from Loyola University. He received additional certifications from the Harvard School of Law and the FBI National Academy.
He said he has worked for municipalities around the state and negotiated union contracts for police, fire and public works. He has worked for divided boards in the past, he said.
“I put my credentials on the table,” O’Grady said. “I’ve done this type of work. I’m an expert in this type of work. … I know about the acrimonious atmosphere up here. I’m ready for it.”
Records show O’Grady donated $500 to Neitzke-Troike’s campaign in August.
“I look at it as political nepotism at this point,” Fialko said.
Neitzke-Troike responded that political donations have gone both ways. She said Odelson and Sterk, the law firm hired in 2021 as legislative counsel for Homer Glen trustees, donated to the Homer Township Republican Organization, which most recently back Reynders for mayor.
Legislative counsel Cary Horvath of Odelson and Sterk’s term ended with the new mayor, but the village board has the right to appoint another legislative counsel.
Neitzke-Troike was also the deciding vote to restore the mayor’s authority to appoint committees. In 2021, the Village Board stripped the mayor of that authority.
Neitzke-Troike said she wanted to restore the procedures to how it had been done since the village incorporated in 2001.
“It worked for 20 years that way,” Neitzke-Troike said. “It should remain that way.”
“I find it comical that you guys can take away something that was in the hand of the village president for 20 years and be OK with it but now sit here today and have an issue of it being taken away from you,” she said.
The Village Board also voted Wednesday to make several improvements to its parks and recreational facilities.
The board approved establishing a memorial tree and marker program, in which residents can pay tribute to a loved one by planting a tree in one of the village’s parks. The village offers options from $300 to $1,800 that include planting a tree or installing bronze plaque only or both planting a tree and having a plaque set in either concrete or stone.
The board approved an $84,175 contract with U.S. Tennis Courts to resurface its tennis courts and basketball courts at Stonebridge Park and another $15,300 with U.S. Tennis Courts to add a tennis backboard at the tennis courts at Heritage Park for residents to practice serving and hitting against a wall.
The board approved an $11,525 contract with Wunderlich Doors, Inc. for new concession stand doors outside its sports fields at 15354 W. 151st St., and a contract for $21,660 for roof repairs on the baseball concession stands, shelter and football well house at Town Center Park.