Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau update

We had a fairly short agenda last week, though it was a divisive one for residents, as I am sure that you are all aware. We extended Waste Management’s contract without going out for bid.  There were good reasons for this.  First, we have been happy with their service. Second, since we are no longer vacuuming leaves for 13% of the Village, we were able to negotiate an extended period of time each year for Waste Management to pick up yard waste and provide bins to those residents that will need to adjust to the changes in our leaf vacuuming program.  Additionally, there were changes to the recycling program and additional home pickup of electronics and other large items.  More information will be sent by public works. The big issue for the night was gaming.  The explanation of my position and my vote will follow (although I have written about it several times).  The vote was 4 to 3 to pass gaming (Trustees Fenton, Carroll and Ruzich joined me with Yes votes).  My rationale and an explanation of the ordinance is as follows: The State of Illinois passed the law allowing video gaming in 2009.  I think that was a mistake and wish they never did so.  However, they did and now, 10 years later over 92% of Illinois communities allow video gaming and Orland Park is surrounded by it. My position on this has always been that I am not philosophically opposed to video gaming as long as it is tightly controlled.  It also was not a priority issue for me and as such I did not push this issue forward.  However, I felt that if it was pushed forward, we needed to hold several public meetings and meet with the clergy – and we did with over 5 hours of public testimony.  The ordinance passed to allow video gaming subject to the following restrictions: Only businesses with Class A Liquor licenses (restaurants and bars with full kitchens and over 50% of revenue from food) are eligible Businesses are required to have Class A liquor license for 18 months before being eligible for gaming license (keeps out gaming parlors) A six-month probationary period for a new owner of an established business with a gaming license, subject to approval by the Village Board  Of these, it will be limited to 30% of Class A liquor license holders (works out to 21 establishments) Limited to 5 machines per establishment Bet limit of $2 with a payout limit of $500 Not to be located within 100 feet of a school or place of worship No video gaming before 11:00 AM Video gaming must be monitored by a licensed employee at all times Lights and sounds are not to be visible or audible outside of the gaming area A physical barrier must be in place to separate the gaming area and must be approved by the Village All gaming establishments shall have burglar alarm systems and video camera surveillance of the gaming areas.  Orland Park police shall have access to these systems at any time On premise signs must follow the village signage code Off premise signs are prohibited per the village signage code No advertising on public rights of way or public locations A prominent sticker, provided by the Village, must be displayed indicating that gaming is on premises I heard several issues raised to argue against video gaming.  In the end, none of these arguments were strong enough to change my opinion.  These arguments follow: The character of our community will change:  Nobody gave me a concrete example of a village that has a significant change in their character due to video gaming.  In fact, several people told me they would move to Lemont or Mokena if we put in gaming.  Both of those communities have gaming and I visited several establishments with gaming and barely noticed the gaming machines We will have gaming cafes, gaming in gas stations, and flashing signs everywhere.  This ordinance restricts gaming from these locations and all businesses will need to comply with our signage code that does not allow flashing signs  “I won’t go to a place with a sticker in the window that has gaming”:  This is the point.  If you don’t want to patronize a business that has video gaming, then don’t Moral opposition to gambling:  For some, this is absolutely understandable.  However, others expressing this view also point out that they gamble in Vegas, play the lottery, Superbowl pools, BINGO, etc.  Personally, I am not morally opposed to gambling (fantasy football, March madness pools, etc.), and don’t believe there is a distinction. Gambling addiction that will increase in Orland Park:  Addiction is a problem and a concern. Those addicted in Orland Park already live here, and we are dealing with it -- they can go 50 feet outside of Orland Park and gamble. The most common argument against gaming was the outcome of the referendum. First, this is not a rationale for being against video gaming, it only tells me how many people are against it.  Moreover, here are a few facts on referendums: The election results of the Village’s referendum were 6,014 to allow gaming and 6,264 against (49 to 51%) with a turnout of approximately 25%.  Less than 13% of the voting age population supporting a position is not a mandate, particularly on an advisory referendum. On this ballot another non-binding referendum legalizing cannabis passed 54% to 46% in Orland Park.  I won’t be supporting that either. The Sportsplex was put up for referendum and had 7,864 votes to support it and 9,519 against it (45% to 55%) with a turnout of over 50% and the board voted to put the Sportsplex in anyway. Elected officials sometimes need to make hard votes. My position has remained consistent on this issue since I was first asked during the last campaign in 2016.  It is not a priority issue for me, but if it comes before me it warrants significant public discussion (which we had).  Also, I believe that Illinois did the wrong thing by allowing gaming statewide.  However, I am not philosophically or morally opposed to gaming, but it must be tightly restricted and controlled.  As noted, we voted on the most restrictive gaming ordinance in the State of Illinois. This vote was hard for many of us on the board floor and I am no exception because we see both sides of the issue.  Regardless of how each Trustee voted, I know that it was given a lot of thought and there are valid reasons to vote either way. At the end of the day, I believe this was the right decision for Orland Park.  I am convinced that this ordinance is sufficiently restrictive and the character of Orland Park won’t change because of it. ******************************************************* I also want to let everyone know that this whole issue was raised due to politics.  My position on this has been known since December of 2016 and my future opposition has observed that I stick to my positions and don’t flip-flop without factual rationale. For those of you who are against gaming, this is on the agenda because it was put on the agenda by the Village Clerk to have us vote on an ordinance that was already in place.  What would be the motivation to put an issue on the agenda that was already an ordinance?  There is only one motivation - politics.  It’s the same reason he grandstanded by stepping off of the dais to speak on the issue. Additionally, several pamphlets were put in the Metra stations implying that I was corrupt and bought off.  However, they failed to point out the following: The donations were made before this item was put on the agenda, because these restaurants support my leadership in the Village Every Trustee, either as a candidate, or member of the First Orland Party, have received donations from these restaurants – yet they were not called out as “corrupt”, violating ethics, or asked to recuse themselves.  I have to ask why?  Trustee Fenton did make a point (twice) of saying that she never took money from any restaurants on the list.  Just to be clear, in case it comes up, she in fact did - as a candidate in April of 2013 and as a member of First Orland Party in 2015 Others on the board received more than her, but the bottom line is that campaigning costs money and local businesses and residents support candidates I may disagree with the Trustees from time to time, under no circumstances do I think that any of them have ever been influenced by a donation I also received donations from one of the leaders of the anti-gaming effort, who asked me to recuse myself on the board floor Monday night.  Since we never spoke of any specific issues, I assumed, like the restaurants, he supported my leadership This was Chicago and Illinois Politics at its finest.  Mark my word that this was done to create an issue for the upcoming April election and for my re-election.  Regardless of your position on gaming, these types of political games are not good for Orland Park.