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Maywood, you’ve been warned Page 16

★ YOUR PROVISO VOTERS’ GUIDE 2025 ★

By Staff

Among the nine Proviso Township suburbs in the Village Free Press readership—Bellwood, Berkeley, Broadview, Hillside, Maywood, Melrose Park, Northlake, Stone Park, and Westchester—six have contested mayoral and village board races in the April 1 Consolidated Election. Created with the help of Proviso Votes, a local coalition of nonpartisan organizations dedicated to raising election awareness, this comprehensive guide is designed to give you more insight into those races, some of which could have far-reaching consequences on the future of those suburbs and the township.

First, if you’re not registered to vote, get registered! “Registering to vote has never been easier or more convenient,” the Cook Couty Clerk’s office explains. “You can register online, in person or you can download registration forms and register through the mail.” Find out more about registering to vote at cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/voter-registration.

Second, if you’re already registered, check the status of your registration at cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/your-voter-information. The county clerk’s online portal Your Voter Information is “a tool that provides key information unique to your voting address or you. The tool can provide you with details about your polling place, ballot, elected officials, and more.”

Third, learn more about the candidates and/or referenda questions on your ballot. It’s one thing to read the names and questions. It’s another thing to study what those people and issues are about. That’s where this guide will come in handy. We’ll give you a bird’s eye summary of the issue and point you to online resources—from candidate questionnaires to candidates’ forum livestreams—to continue your education.

Village Free Press/Proviso Votes

The

Publisher/CEO Michael Romain

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Creative Designer Shanel Romain

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John Wilk Communications, LLC

3013 S. Wolf Rd. #278

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PHONE: (708) 359-9148

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VOTERS’ GUIDE

from page 1

CLAUDIA VANDIVER FOR TRUSTEE PUNCH #14

Remember, there are plenty of ways you can independently vet candidates and issues (don’t just rely on what we tell you)! One important tool is the Sunshine Database (illinoissunshine.org), which was created by the nonprofit Reform for Illinois to browse political contributions in Illinois.

“The data comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections, which has been collecting this data electronically since 1994,” the website explains. “We built Illinois Sunshine to give journalists, activists, and citizens better access to and documentation for this data.”

Any political committee that exceeds $5,000 in either receipts or expenditures over a year (this is the filing threshold) is required by the Illinois Campaign Disclosure Act to report those contributions and expenditures.

“Every election in suburban Cook County requires a team of Election Judges and Polling Place Technicians to serve voters at the polls,” the county clerk explains. “These poll workers are paid $250-$400 depending on the position they work on Election Day.”

■ “Election Judges work together to ensure their polling place is running smoothly and voters are properly served. This position earns $250.

■ “Polling Place Technicians work directly with the election judges to assist voters and

“Some of us gave a little blood for the right to participate in the democratic process.”

JOHN LEWIS

Late civil rights activist and congressman

ensure their polling place is running smoothly. Polling Place Technicians also have more responsibility for setting up and maintaining the voting equipment. Due to the additional responsibility, Polling Place Technicians receive more training and higher pay.”

To find out more about working on Election Day (even if it’s not the April 1 Election), visit cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections/workelection-day.

Learn More

■ To find contact information for a campaign, call the Illinois State Board of Elections at (312) 814-6440.

■ For information on issues like election security, visit the Illinois State Board of Elections website at elections. il.gov.

Bellwood Mayor’s Race A Clash Of Personalities And Competing Visions

Mayor Andre Harvey bids for third term against political ally-turned-foe Clerk Janel Moreland as suburb’s landscape changes

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Bellwood’s physical landscape has changed significantly since Andre Harvey was elected the suburb’s first Black male mayor in 2017.

Two gas stations, a renovated U-Haul facility, a four-story, 80-unit affordable senior housing complex, and two massive light manufacturing facilities on 25th Avenue (one is currently under construction) are marks of Harvey’s two terms in office. So are some two dozen new single-family houses, an annual Taste of Bellwood that regularly draws out-of-towners, an annual holiday lights display on neatly manicured Washington Boulevard, and a $42.5 million mixed-use development flanking St. Charles Road that could be the catalyst for revitalizing Bellwood’s neglected downtown.

The mayor’s challenger, Clerk Janel Moreland, is running a campaign that centers on the possible ramifications of that change, including the loss of the suburb’s first village hall, traffic congestion, and high rent and home prices.

Earlier this month, Mayor Harvey and Clerk Moreland

sat down for Zoom interviews to discuss their competing visions and priorities for Bellwood. Here’s an excerpt from those interviews, with the candidates’ answers lightly modified and summarized for brevity.

In 2023, QuickTrip, a corporate chain of convenience stores and gas stations based in Oklahoma, opened its second Illinois location on several parcels of land at 1040 25th Ave. in Bellwood—roughly five years after a Thorntons gas station opened across the street at 1125 S. 25th Ave.

Mayor Harvey: Many people said it was one of the worst ideas to have a gas station across from a gas station. But they didn’t realize that we enacted a diesel tax ordinance that gives us $0.5 for every gallon of diesel purchased at the QuickTrip—one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. That intersection at 25th and Harrison is one of the busiest in any community because people want low gas prices. Also, business begets business. The traffic count in that area has helped to lure other businesses like the renovated U-Haul at 950 25th Ave. Also, the old SureBuilt building on the 800 block of 25th Avenue will be torn down and a new 200,000-square-foot light industrial facility will be built on that site.

Who’s Running In Bellwood

Village President

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Andre Harvey (Bellwood First Party)

■ Janel Moreland (Vision of the People Party)

Village Clerk

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Jacqueline Hargrett (Bellwood First Party)

■ Beverly A. Holmes (Vision of the People Party)

Village Trustee

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Michael J. Ciavattone (Bellwood First Party)

■ Annie N. Delgado (Bellwood First Party)

■ Ronald Nightengale (Bellwood First Party)

■ Waring Lester (Vision of the People Party)

■ Michele McCrary (Vision of the People Party)

■ Latoya Towns (Vision of the People Party)

Library Trustee

(Full 6-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Alice Bey-Pugh

■ Patricia Crawford

■ Sandra Flores

■ Reginald S. Stewart

Memorial Park District Commissioner (Full 6-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Karen Selena Martinez

■ Theodore R. Steiskal

Bellwood School District 88

(Unexpired 2-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Cynthia Eubanks

Bellwood School District 88

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ Dorothy C. Smith

■ Tony A. Morton

■ Shelia Day-Fox

■ Jasmine Mendez

■ Constance (Connie) Riales

Clerk Moreland: I get why they built the gas stations. They bring more revenue into town. But I also hear what residents say and as a resident myself, I hate driving down 25th Avenue [near those gas stations]. I try to avoid it. It’s congested. I would have looked for a different business to go in that area. I’m not saying QuickTrip isn’t beneficial. I am saying that Bellwood has our fair share of gas stations. Maybe something else, like a grocery store, could have been built there.

JANEL MORELAND

ANDRE HARVEY

What we’d like Maywood to prioritize for the next four years

Since our founding in 2017, local members of the Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership (CSPL) have heard from and met with hundreds of Maywood residents through one-on-one conversations, community meetings, public events, and listening campaigns.

These conversations with Maywood residents from diverse cultural, racial, generational and socioeconomic backgrounds have demonstrated that there are a significant number of common concerns that bring our community together.

Water Infrastructure | In March of 2021, CSPL members held a virtual public meeting with candidates who were running for Village of Maywood Mayor and Trustee. CSPL members requested that all candidates commit to reducing the Village of Maywood’s water reconnection fee, which at the time was $300, taking significant steps to fix Maywood’s water infrastructure, expanding and sustaining the Village of Maywood financial assistance program for water bills and re-establishing the Village of Maywood Water Committee. Since then, the water reconnection fee has been reduced from $300 to $150; however, there is still a great deal more to do to reduce the burden significantly that local Maywood residents face as it relates to high water bills, water infrastructure, and water quality.

Smart Routes to School | In 2019, Maywood parents and youth members of CSPL organized a grassroots campaign that brought together the Village of Maywood, District 89 and Proviso Township to jointly fund and launch a historic pilot program called Smart Routes to School. The impetus and drive for this campaign emerged from a series of listening sessions organized by community members from CSPL. The objective of the program envisioned by parents and youth was to ensure that kids could walk safely to and from school each day. Local adults would be hired from the community to be strategically placed along routes that were frequented by students each day. The school that was chosen for the pilot program was Irving Middle School. Once the funding was established, Proviso Township was asked to run and operate the program.

Despite its strong early success and effective management, the Smart Routes to School program was suspended during the pandemic. Once children began returning to school again for in-person learning, CSPL member parents and residents organized to relaunch the program and to avoid the risk of the program’s discontinuation for the 2021-22 school year, but it has yet to be relaunched. CSPL Maywood members strongly believe that the positive impact the Smart Routes to School program had on young students and families has demonstrated the critical importance of relaunching this program in Maywood and that the village’s mayor and trustees must make this a priority.

Mental Health | We have had far too many tragic suicide attempts and deaths in Maywood and across Proviso. To address this tragic reality, CSPL’s Western Suburban regional member table has organized an ongoing campaign to advocate for increased mental health resources. CSPL members believe it is essential that Maywood officials prioritize efforts to expand mental health resources in our local schools and across the community to offer critical support to youth and families.

Language Equity | According to the 2020 census there continues to be a significant year to year increase of the Latino/a Spanish-speaking population across Maywood and Proviso Township. However, even with this information, language equity is lacking in Maywood. CSPL believes that it is imperative that for Maywood to encourage its growing Spanish-speaking population to participate in village board meetings, committee meetings, and various other governmental meetings, Maywood must provide simultaneous translation services and other resources that expand language accessibility.

We look forward to working together with the new administration to create a stronger and more vibrant Maywood.

— Coalition for Spiritual and Public Leadership, a nonprofit, multiracial, multi-ethnic grassroots coalition that trains and develops faith leaders to engage effectively in public life

Vote in your local elections, your community depends on it!

As we approach the April 1 Consolidated Election in suburban Cook County, my office is putting out a call for Cook County Voters to prepare to engage! This means casting a ballot in the upcoming local municipal elections, which have the most immediate and consequential impact on our communities and the services that taxpayers receive.

Whether it’s having your street plowed, sending your children to local schools, checking out books at the library, or having the peace of mind that police and fire service is just a phone call away, we rely mightily on our local community services and the elected officials who administrate them.

Unfortunately, many voters don’t make the time to cast a ballot in their local elections and that is a sad statement for our democracy. While suburban Cook County sees an average 70% turnout in presidential elections, local election turnout struggles to reach 20%.

This must change because the votes that are cast in local elections have a direct connection to the fate of the funds that flow to local village halls, school boards, township offices, police, and fire

districts, among many others. Here is how local voters can engage:

Check out the candidates who are running for office in your community. Visit our website at cookcountyclerk.com/elections to see a full listing of the candidates on the April 1 ballot running for municipal office, township government, school boards, park districts, and more.

View a sample ballot, check your voter registration, find your Election Day precinct, and see the status of your Mail Ballot using the Your Voter Information Tool at cookcountyclerk.com/ voterinfo.

Make your voting plan! Early voting is already underway at 55 suburban locations. Visit our website for a location near you at cookcountyclerk.com/earlyvoting.

Democracy is not a spectator sport—it thrives when we all participate. Your vote is your voice, and when more of us take part, our communities grow stronger, more representative, and better equipped to serve everyone. Make your plan, cast your ballot, and encourage your friends and neighbors to do the same. It’s your town, your vote, your future!

— Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon

MONICA GORDON Cook County Clerk

At Forum, Berkeley Candidates Have Thoughts On Improving Proviso’s ‘Mayberry’

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

During a March 20 forum hosted by Berkeley Neighborhood Watch at Berkeley Public Library, 1637 Taft Ave. in Berkeley, candidates running for village board, library board, and park district board shared their ideas for improving a suburb they all agreed is Proviso Township’s version of Mayberry — the fictional North Carolina town popularized by the hit 1960s TV series The Andy Griffith Show.

Thomas J. Billups, Sr., an independent trustee candidate who moved to Berkeley from Oak Park, said he discovered the tranquil village while riding his bike through town. He eventually moved to the Proviso suburb and would frequently host friends at his new home.

“The nickname we gave Berkeley is ‘Mayberry,’” Billups said, referencing Berkeley’s reputation as a tranquil community just off the I-294 highway.

A standing-room-only crowd saw Berkeley Village President Robert E. Lee, Jr. address questions beside Kathleen Johnson, an independent candidate for village president. Lee, who has been village president since 2013, is seeking his fourth term in office. This is the first time he’s run against a balloted opponent.

Johnson, a four-year resident of Berkeley and longtime paralegal, said she moved to the suburb from Chicago and wants to bring more transparency to local government.

“There are a lot of things I saw in the four years I’ve been here that we knew nothing about,” she said. “I’ve spoken with a lot of residents here who are not pleased with what’s going on.”

Lee, who has lived in Berkeley for 60 years and whose family goes back more than a century, touted his ability to bring different groups of people together. The village president leads Robert E. Lee & Sons Company, a family-owned construction firm in Berkeley.

“I know how it is to work with groups and achieve goals,” Lee said. “I like to build and follow the teamwork concept. I think with the board members we have working together, we can achieve anything.”

Berkeley Village President Robert E. Lee Jr. and challenger Kathleen Johnson at a March 20 forum hosted by Berkeley Neighborhood Watch at Berkeley Public Library in Berkeley.

lars in grants the village has received over the village president’s three terms and the many events the village hosts, including last year’s Centennial celebrations featuring a time capsule opening ceremony.

Watch the Forum

You can see the livestream of the full Berkeley Neighborhood Watch candidates’ forum on the group’s Facebook page.

Lee is running on the Building Berkeley Together 2025 slate alongside incumbent Clerk Belia Nowak (who is running unopposed), incumbent Trustees Jason Matthews and Roger Thomas, and trustee candidate Teresa McKelvy, a former Proviso Township High School District 209 board member.

Lee and his running mates also touted the millions of dol-

The village president said major economic development is coming to St. Charles Road, the village’s main economic corridor. He said he’ll share more details later.

The vagueness, however, didn’t satisfy Johnson, who took issue with how the village communicates its plans to residents and took aim at Corner Food Park, the food truck park the village owns and operates at 5544 St. Charles Rd.

“We need a restaurant there. We don’t need the food trucks,” Johnson said, adding that if she’s elected village president, the residents “will become president, too.”

Building Berkeley Together trustee candidates Thomas and McKelvy pointed to the village’s Berkeley Connects newsletter, the fact that it has a board agenda packet on its website for

Who’s Running In Berkeley

Village President

(Full 4-Year Term, Vote for One)

■ Robert E. Lee Jr. (Building Berkeley Together 2025)

■ Kathleen Johnson (Independent)

Village Clerk

(Full 4-Year Term, Vote for One)

■ Belia Nowak (Building Berkeley Together 2025)

Village Trustee

(Full 4-Year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Jason Matthews (Building Berkeley Together 2025)

■ Roger Thomas (Building Berkeley Together 2025)

■ Teresa McKelvy (Building Berkeley Together 2025)

■ Thomas J. Billups, Sr. (Democratic)

Library Trustee

(Full 6-Year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ David Ditchfield

■ Denise Mason-Smith

■ Christina Hawn

■ Shawn Dooley

Berkeley Park District

(Full 4-Year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Elvia Laura Garcia-Graham

■ Paul Smith

■ Teresa Larem

Memorial Park District

(Full 6-Year Term, Vote for One)

■ Karen Selena Martinez

■ Theodore R. Steiskal

Berkeley School District 87

(Full 4-Year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ Rose Mason

■ Cosette Espinoza

■ Dennis Jackson

■ No Candidate

the public to see supporting documentation underlying board decisions, and the many community meetings as evidence that the village already communicates effectively.

Billups, who also lauded the village’s communication process, recommended the village do even more by digitizing more information and livestreaming village board meetings. Berkeley library and park district candidates also shared their thoughts on improving the suburb. Three incumbent library board members and candidate Shawn Dooley are running for four open seats. Incumbent Berkeley Park District President Teresa Larem, Berkeley Park District Vice President Paul Smith, and challenger Elvia Laura Garcia-Graham are running for two open seats on the park district board.

MICHAEL ROMAIN

Hello, I am DAWN WILLIAMS

I have a very long history of involvement in our Maywood community.

I have served 2 terms as Maywood Park Commissioner and have been a true and strong public servant. I have served through any and all of the many challenges that arose. I realize that accomplishments at the parks mean a lot to all of us.

Here is some of the key work at the five parks managed by the Maywood Park District that reflect my deep devotion and experience:

 Worked to secure and manage a $1.62 million State of Illinois grant and converted the former Orphanage Building, that had been vacant for decades, into a modern facility to host a variety of recreational programs for many decades to come, now named the Sen. Kimberly Lightford Recreational Center at 9th Avenue & Madison Street.

 Worked to obtain and manage a $400,000 Open Space Lands grant to overhaul the outdoor parks at the Central Area Campus.

 Upgraded the interior of the Central Campus facility to accommodate many activities for the young and old.

 Opened a new park site with a kids playground, the Chris Welch Park, on south 10th Ave.

 At Bosco Park, the improvements have focused on much cleaner grounds.

 At Burton Park, removing an eyesore building and sprucing up the play equipment and grounds highlight the improvements. Plans for a new field house are being explored.

 A new community garden center site was also created on South 8th Avenue.

I am a unique candidate that brings the very valuable experience of working with IAPD (Illinois Association of Park Districts), KaBoom! (playground builders) , state legislators, our local governments, and most importantly, the people of Maywood.

My work does include, but goes far beyond, simply wishes and future promises. It includes more of the real progress you see right here. There is so much more work to be done that relies on both energy and experience. For that, I need your help to continue with a new 6-year term. Please cast a write for me on election day or during early voting.

Be Blessed

THANK YOU

New Landscape & Gardens

Fitness Equipment

Recreational Field Trips

New Landscape & Gardens

New Meeting Rooms

New Park Site Tot Play

New Playground Equipment

Refreshed Playgrounds

Sturdy Outdoor Equipment

In Broadview Mayoral Race,

A Two-Term Mayor Fends Off A Political Outsider Arguing For Reforms

Mayor Katrina Thompson points to economic progress as her challenger, accountant Angela Patterson, critiques village’s spending priorities

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

The village’s first Black female mayor, Katrina Thompson (Broadview People’s Party), is vying for her third term against challenger Angela Patterson (Broadview Community Party).

In 2016, Broadview voters approved a referendum limiting mayoral tenures to two consecutive four-year terms, effectively ending the political career of Sherman Jones, Thompson’s predecessor and the village’s first Black mayor.

Learn More

Read more about Thompson’s Broadview People’s Paraty at friendsofkatrinathompson.com. Read more about Patterson’s Broadview Community Party at broadviewcommunityparty.net. You can also read a letter to the editor Patterson submitted to Village Free Press at vfpress.news.

In June 2022, however, voters approved another referendum limiting all elected village positions to four, four-year terms. Thompson has touted her record of economic development in the village, pointing to new restaurants and entertainment establishments on Roosevelt Road like The View, 1701 Roosevelt Rd., the Red Door Meeting Place, 1519 Roosevelt Rd., and the Magnified Gift Theater Company, 1807 Roosevelt Rd.

Thompson also pointed to the village acquiring a new fire engine and a Chick-fil-A that opened in Broadview Village Square

last year as signs of progress. Mayor Thompson lauded the village’s racial progress and economic progress during her tenure. In 2020, Broadview became the first municipality in Illinois to make Juneteenth an official holiday. The mayor often touts the litany of firsts during her tenure, including the appointment of the first Black fire chief, and the first Black-Japanese police chief. During Thompson’s two terms, the village also saw its first trustee board comprising all women.

The mayor said if elected to a third term, she’ll focus on bringing more economic development to the village’s Roosevelt Road corridor, environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing, and developing future government leaders.

Patterson, an accountant and president of the Lindop District 92 Parent Teacher Association, said she’s running for mayor to bring reforms to Village Hall. She said, if elected, she’ll reallocate money going to a mayoral vehicle for transportation for residents, improve the village’s permitting and licensing process, and reconsider the village board’s decision last year to raise the mayor’s salary to $110,000—effective May 1.

Who’s Running In Broadview

Village President

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Katrina Thompson (Broadview People’s Party)

■ Angela Patterson (Broadview Community Party)

Village Clerk (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Kevin McGrier (Broadview People’s Party)

■ Carolyn Wilson (Broadview Community Party)

Village Trustee

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Judy Rose Abraham (Broadview People’s Party)

■ Patricia Chao-Malave (Broadview People’s Party)

■ Lakecia A. Whimper (Broadview People’s Party)

■ Tamara Jackson (Broadview Community Party)

■ Karyn Williams (Broadview Community Party)

■ Kellee Clifton-Williams (Broadview Community Party)

Broadview Public Library District Board Member (Full 6-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Willie Akins

■ No candidate

■ No candidate

Broadview Park District Commissioner (Full 6-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Carrissa Gillespie

Lindop School District 92 Board Member (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Jonathan “JP” Patterson

■ Maxine Johnson

■ Orrin Myrick

■ Keith McGrier

Patterson said she doesn’t approve of the pay raise and, if elected, would consider lowering the salary for whoever is elected mayor in 2029.

Patterson also pointed out the many public safety problems caused by The View, an establishment she said was supposed to only be a restaurant but functions more as a nightclub. She added that the village is short several police officers, with many veteran officers leaving the force. She lamented that a contract dispute between Broadview and the police department’s union had to go to federal mediation last year before officers were rewarded retroactive pay raises.

Patterson added that, if elected, she’d eliminate parking fees on Roosevelt Road, hire more police and firefighters, make village celebrations and initiatives more inclusive of other cultures, and implement services that promote homeownership.

KATRINA THOMPSON

ANGELA PATTERSON

Proviso’s Longest-Serving Mayor Seeks

Another Term Against Perennial Foe

Mayor Joseph Tamburino faces outspoken community activist Roger Romanelli

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino, Proviso Township’s longestserving mayor, is seeking his 12th term against urban planner Roger Romanelli. During a February forum and two separate interviews in March, the two candidates presented contrasting visions and ideas for the suburb.

Tamburino touted the Hillside Fire Department’s Class 1 rating from the Insurance Services Office (ISO), the highest rating for fire departments, indicating excellent service and fire protection capabilities. He said the rating also helps keep residents’ insurance rates relatively low compared to suburbs with fire departments that don’t have the rating.

The mayor also said Hillside has repeatedly received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting (COA from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States of America (GFOA). The distinction is given to local governments that prepare “annual comprehensive financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure,” the village’s website explains. “The goal of the program is to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles.”

ing in the village.

Romanelli said, if elected mayor, he would require all village employees to reside in Hillside. He also said he’d consider providing a $1,000 tax rebate to residents, among other campaign promises.

Romanelli criticized what he described as Mayor Tamburino’s opaque approach to economic development and said he would make the economic development process more transparent and inclusive of residents’ voices and concerns.

He also criticized the Taft Avenue senior housing development, claiming the nonprofit property developer will not pay property taxes on the site. He said if elected mayor, he would force some concessions from the developer.

Watch Both

Interviews

You can see both interviews on the Village Free Press Facebook page or at vfpress.news. You can see the video of the candidates’ forum at youtube.com/@VoteforHillside

Tamburino lauded the police department’s “78% conviction rate,” which he said is 13% higher than surrounding communities, and the village’s diverse employee base. He said Hillside staff is 45% minority.

The mayor also referenced the new senior apartment complex under construction on Taft Avenue. He said the project will help address the critical need for affordable senior hous-

Here’s a brief excerpt from interviews with Mayor Tamburino and Romanelli earlier this month.

On Feb. 23, village officials held a groundbreaking for the Hillside Senior Apartments at 547 Taft Ave. in Hillside. In 2023, the village board approved the Planning and Zoning Board’s recommendation for constructing the 42-unit facility on the grounds of an unoccupied church. The facility could open in summer 2026.

Mayor Tamburino: The argument against the development is we gave up a lot of money in property taxes. We picked the church for that property because they hadn’t paid property taxes in 100 years. So, we’re not losing anything but we’re gaining a place because I’m tired of losing seniors in this town to other towns that have the senior housing. Romanelli: The mayor is blocking new property taxes on Taft Avenue … The developer has plenty of cash to buy the land from us on Taft Avenue. We don’t want the building to go forward for many reasons, but if I am elected there’s no question they’d have to buy the land.

Who’s Running In Hillside

Village President

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Joseph T. Tamburino (Citizens Improvement Party)

■ Roger Romanelli (Hillside Unity Party)

Village Clerk

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Linda L. Gould (Citizens Improvement Party)

■ Elva Arroyo (Hillside Unity Party)

Village Trustee

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Claudell Johnson (Citizens Improvement Party)

■ John N. “Jack” Kramer (Citizens Improvement Party)

■ Frank J. Lomeli, Sr. (Citizens Improvement Party)

■ Tommie Beasley (Hillside Unity Party)

■ Keegan Goss (Hillside Unity Party)

■ Rhonda Taylor (Hillside Unity Party)

Library Trustee (Full 6-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Yolanda Bindert

■ Maureen Sypkens

Memorial Park District Commissioner (Full 6-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Karen Selena Martinez

■ Theodore R. Steiskal

Hillside School District 93 Board Member (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ Stisha Lexen

■ Whachesha Evans

■ No Candidate

■ No Candidate

Last year, Hillside’s Planning and Zoning Board of Appeals last week unanimously approved a proposal to develop a data center at 101 N. Wolf Rd. on a 13-acre plot of land west of the Hillside CarMax. That project, however, fell through after the village learned that ComEd would not provide power to the proposed data center, Mayor Tamburino said.

Mayor Tamburino: We’ve moved on. I sent a letter to the president of ComEd expressing my disappointment because they never even communicated to me or my village board why they can’t provide us with power. They seem to be able to continue to provide power to Northlake data centers. I never received a response to my letter and that’s very disheartening, but we have moved on and are vigorously working on other solutions for that property.

Romanelli: In Westchester, they’ve built wonderful singlefamily townhomes … On Wolf Road with the developer and property owner, we’ll say, ‘Look, we think one of the highest and best use is residential.’

JOSEPH TAMBURINO

ROGER ROMANELLI

Local Maywood Races Are Proxy Battles In Larger War Over Village’s Future

Four candidates, including two write-ins, are hoping to unseat incumbent Mayor Nathaniel George Booker and his far-reaching ambitions

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Among Proviso Township suburbs, Maywood has the most crowded and hotly contested local races. The village’s incumbent mayor, Nathaniel George Booker (Maywood Together Party), faces two candidates on the ballot — Trustee Isiah Brandon (People’s Choice Party) and Mary “May” Larry (My Maywood) — as well as two registered write-in candidates not on the ballot: Trustee Aaron Peppers and Quincy Johnson. The races for library district and park district are essentially proxy races between Booker’s Maywood Together and Brandon’s People’s Choice parties. The incumbent mayor has ambitious plans to dissolve the park district so the village can be the sole steward of parks and recreation. There has also been some discussion about the village eyeing vacant property next to the library for a municipal campus. The mayor will need votes on both boards for that to happen. Brandon’s candidates (and other independent candidates) could be major obstacles to those plans and potential checks on the mayor’s ambitions.

Maywood residents will also face a major choice in a referendum question asking if they’d like to change the village’s form of government from council-manager to strong mayor—a change that, if implemented, would give a future mayor of Maywood enormous powers, including the power to fire and hire any employee at will.

Another major issue addressed during a forum on Feb. 22 was the annual pay for the mayor, which would go from $15,600 to $65,000 effective May 20. The village board passed the measure 4-3 last year at the prompting of Mayor Booker, who argued that he deserved a raise due to the many hours he worked—even though the raise will go to whoever is elected mayor in April. The village’s ordinance calls for a part-time mayor.

All of the mayoral candidates in attendance—sitting trustees Isiah Brandon and Aaron Peppers (who opted to run as a write-in candidate for mayor rather than for reelection as a trustee), and former Maywood liquor commissioner Mary “May” Larry—said they would not take the raise, adding that they would either give the money back to the village or donate it to local nonprofits.

Brandon’s People’s Choice Party and Larry’s My Maywood Party are the only other formal slates with candidates running for village clerk, trustee, and mayor. Like the Maywood Together Party, the People’s Choice Party is also endorsing candidates running for seats on the library and park district boards. You can go to the party’s respective Facebook pages to see all of the candidates they’re endorsing.

Learn More

Proviso Votes hosted candidate forums for Maywood village board (mayor and trustee), clerk, library board, park district commission, and District 89 candidates on Feb. 22 and March 1. You can see those forums at vfpress.news, on the Proviso Votes Facebook page and/ or on the Proviso Votes YouTube page. Some candidates also completed candidate questionnaires available at ProvisoVotes.org.

Who’s Running In Maywood

Village President

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Mary “May” Larry (My Maywood)

■ Isiah Brandon (People’s Choice Party)

■ Nathaniel George Booker (Maywood Together Party)

Village Clerk (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Diann W. Baker (My Maywood)

■ Cassandra Green (People’s Choice Party)

■ Tori Garron (Maywood Together Party)

Village Trustee

(Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Nina Westbrook (My Maywood)

■ Rachel Montgomery (People’s Choice Party)

■ Eileen Olivier (People’s Choice Party)

■ Dora Velazquez (People’s Choice Party)

■ Asia Ousley (Maywood Together Party)

■ Antonio Sanchez (Maywood Together Party)

■ Steve Smily (Maywood Together Party)

■ Claudia Vandiver (Independent)

Maywood Park District Commissioner (Full 6-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Jeffrey Christopher Fowler

■ Norma Ivette Alonzo

■ Verneka Smith

■ Tanya T. Butler

■ Marcellus Wells

■ Arnold Varela

■ Perry Randall

Maywood Park District Commissioner (Unexpired 2-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Anthony Cook

■ Taeveon Johnson

■ Amanda T. Smith

Maywood Public Library District Trustee (Full 6-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Eric Jackson Stith

■ Erica Cuevas Sanchez

■ LaSondra Banks

■ Marcus Cash

Maywood Public Library District Trustee (Unexpired 2-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Xavier Doyle

■ Brianna A. Henderson

Maywood-Melrose Park-Broadview School District 89 Board Member (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Laighton Scott

■ Teri Lee Cervone

■ Sandra Ciancio

NATHANIEL GEORGE BOOKER

MARY “MAY” LARRY ISIAH BRANDON AARON PEPPERS QUINCY JOHNSON

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

★ YOUR PROVISO VOTERS’ GUIDE | MAYWOOD REFERENDUM ★

For the first time in nearly 50 years, Maywood voters will weigh in on the village’s form of government. They’ll see the following questions on their ballots: “Shall the Village of Maywood retain the managerial form of municipal government?” and “Shall the Village of Maywood adopt the strong mayor form of government?”

Maywood’s managerial form of municipal government was adopted in a special referendum election on Dec. 7, 1977.

According to old Maywood Herald articles, citizens voted in favor of adopting the village managerial form of government 63% to 37%. Former Maywood trustee Gary Woll recommended the referendum be placed on the ballot after former mayor James Parrilli sued trustees earlier that year over who has the power to appoint department heads. A judge ordered the mayor and trustees to settle the dispute among themselves, prompting trustees to recommend putting the issue to voters.

The village’s mayor, Nathaniel George Booker, says the prospect of changing the village’s form of government has been talked about among community members for years, but many residents felt blindsided by the referenda.

They pointed out that the village hasn’t answered basic factual questions like what it might cost to switch to a strong mayor form of government and how any mayor with the power to hire and fire employees virtually at whim might be held accountable.

Mayor Booker’s supporters and his Maywood Together Party have been circulating information claiming that surrounding suburbs like Hillside, River Forest, LaGrange Park, and Western Springs have strong mayor forms of government. The village’s attorneys said those claims are false. All of those suburbs have mayor-council/president-trustee forms of government with appointed administrators or managers. Mayor Booker also shared the false information on his Facebook page, possibly violating state ethics laws that prohibit elected officials from advocating for referendum questions.

In Maywood’s current council-manager form of government, the mayor plays more of a legislative role and the village council delegates day-to-day managerial responsibilities to a village manager.

If Maywood votes to become a strong mayor suburb and the board adopts a proposed local ordinance enacting the strong mayor referendum, a future Maywood mayor will inherit a broad array of authority and power, acting more as a CEO. That person would be able to ap-

Maywood Voters To Decide On Village’s Form Of Government

A ballot question will ask if voters want to switch from council-manager to a strong mayor form of government

A sign urging Maywood residents to vote against changing the village’s form of government hangs in a Fifth Avenue business on March 22.

point and fire administrative assistants, budget and finance directors, the heads of all departments, and to “appoint and remove all other officers of the municipality, commissions, boards, and agencies,” according to the state statute regarding strong mayor municipalities. The state statute says that employees “covered by the civil service act in municipalities which have adopted said act” will be exempt from arbitrary termination but the local ordinance adopted by the Maywood village board on Jan. 7 doesn’t mention the civil service act, which is designed to protect employees work-

nicipal League, a strong mayor form of government also requires the creation of an elected treasurer position and individual wards with alderpersons elected to each ward. That means that the mayor and trustees elected on April 1 must brace to run again for alderperson seats. Those elections could happen in four years or sooner.

On Feb. 10, Mayor Booker wrote in an email to Proviso Votes, a group of nonpartisan organizations that are working on voter education and awareness (full disclosure: Village Free Press is part of this group), that “there will be more to come out about [the ballot questions] soon as I am working with legal representatives to ensure my response is aligned with legal restrictions.”

In a memo, Maywood’s attorney, Michael Jurusik, said the village has the authority under state law to change its form of government, but “the potential for legal challenges […] need to be considered.”

State law allows a certain number of voters in municipalities to petition a circuit judge to place a referendum changing their form of government on a ballot. In Maywood, however, the choice to put the village’s form of government on the ballot wasn’t made directly by voters going through the circuit court process but by a four-person board majority after roughly 30 minutes of council dialogue.

Maywood Mayor Nathaniel George Booker joined Trustees Melvin Lightford, Ray Williams, and Antonio Sanchez in voting for the ballot measures. Trustees Isiah Brandon, Miguel Jones, and Aaron Peppers voted against the measures.

Recently, a group of community members seeking more information about the impact of the ballot measure and other local government issues formed an organization called the Coalition for Accountability.

On Feb. 16, the group hosted a Zoom town hall about the proposed ballot referenda featuring Jason Grant, the director of advocacy for the International City/County Management Association.

ing for the public from unfair and unwarranted practices by politicians, and it isn’t clear if Maywood has adopted the act.

The importance of civil service protection is at the center of President Donald Trump’s Schedule F, an ongoing effort to purge the federal government of career civil service employees, replacing them with political loyalists. Schedule F is the name of the new employment category created by one of the president’s executive orders, according to the nonprofit Protect Democracy.

According to state law and the Illinois Mu-

Grant said according to his research, strong mayor governments with a higher concentration of powers tend to have more bureaucracy, are less likely to implement cost-saving strategies when compared to municipalities with the council-manager form of government, and are less likely to utilize revenue forecasting and other more sophisticated cost-saving measures.

“The council-manager form is 57% less likely to have corruption convictions than mayorcouncil,” Grant said. “A lot of that has to do with the way the forms of government are structured, but you can have corruption in any form of government.”

MICHAEL ROMAIN

Westchester Village President Hopefuls Both Eye Full Terms

Seeking his first full term since his write-in victory, President Greg Hribal faces Trustee Gia Marie Benline

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Westchester Village President Greg Hribal is vying for his first full term against Trustee Gia Marie Benline. Hribal, the village’s former acting manager, won as a write-in candidate in 2023. Hribal served the remaining term of former Westchester village president Frank Perry, who died in 2021.

President Hribal, who has worked for Westchester in various capacities for 30 years, said if reelected he will continue to recruit more employees to work in Westchester. The village has been chronically understaffed for several years.

President Hribal also said he’ll continue looking for development opportunities for the two village-owned buildings on Enterprise Drive and the vacant 3-acre property at the corner of Roosevelt and Mannheim roads. Hribal also touted a new Transparency Portal added to the village’s website during his tenure.

Trustee Benline, who was elected to the village board in 2023, centered her campaign on fiscal responsibility, enhanced community engagement, and economic development.

Benline said the village should hold

more town halls about important issues and that village-owned properties like the Enterprise Drive buildings should be listed and marketed more effectively to spur private interest. She said if elected, the village will host a quarterly town hall on various important issues.

Who’s Running In Westchester

Village President (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Gia Marie Benline (Westchester Community First Party)

■ Gregory P. Hribal (Westchester Progress Party)

Village Clerk (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Sophia Collins (Independent)

Village Trustee (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Kevin Canfield (Westchester Community First Party)

■ Edward S. Lezza, Jr. (Westchester Community First Party)

■ Kevin R. McDermott (Westchester Community First Party)

■ Evelyn Ann Slavic (Westchester Progress Party)

■ Terrance J. Jones (Westchester Progress Party)

■ Brian M. Cross (Westchester Progress Party)

■ Deanna Breneisen-Forney (Independent)

■ Jeannie Halgesen (Independent)

■ Joseph F. Nero (Independent)

Library Trustee (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Deborah J. “Shannon” Flint

■ Stephanie Pedersen

■ Greg Christoff

■ Elizabeth Hunter

Westchester Park District Commissioner (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Two)

■ Derek Gordon

■ Daniel “Danny” Maldonado

■ Anthony Kelly Parrilli

Westchester School District 92 ½ Board Member (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Three)

■ Dana Wesolowski

■ Gina C. Sanchez

■ Tishaunda McPherson

Learn More

There were two virtual forums for village president and trustee candidates that you can view at ProvisoVotes.org or youtube.com/@lwvproviso. You can also see one-on-one interviews with each candidate at vfpress.news and on the Village Free Press Facebook page.

One of the two village-owned buildings on Enterprise Drive in Westchester. The village is looking for developers for the facilities.

GREG HRIBAL

GIA MARIE BENLINE

Proviso Township And District 209 Board Races Are Contested

Proviso Township Supervisor

Michael A. Corrigan faces his first balloted challenger in 16 years

By MICHAEL ROMAIN Editor

Proviso Township Supervisor Michael A. Corrigan faces his first challenger since he beat former District 209 school board member Theresa Kelly for the position in 2009. He’s running against Triton Trustee Tracy Jennings, a former Westchester trustee who ran unsuccessfully for the suburb’s mayor in 2023. In an interview earlier this month, Corrigan said he’s running on the township’s long record of service to the neediest residents during his tenure. He cited the many programs in the township’s Youth Department and the thousands of senior citizens who depend on the township’s transportation service, among other achievements.

Jennings said, if elected, he’ll bring more transparency to the township, including an overhauled website that will feature a transparency center. He also said he wants the Proviso Township Mental Health Commission to prioritize funding for veteran services, among other ideas.

The Proviso Township High School District 209 board race features eight candidates vying for four open seats. Candidates Rolandra Morris, William Fisher, Nicole “Molly Bee” Molinaro, and Ebony “Nicki” Smith comprise the Proviso 209 United slate while candidates Candice Ross, Zihualpilli Hernandez, Arbdella “Della” Patterson, and Jerry L. Jenkins comprise the Students 1st Party. Patterson is the only sitting board member among the eight candidates. Four people are vying for three seats on the Triton Community College District 504 trustee board. Those candidates include Princess Dempsey, Rich Regan, Glover “Tres” Johnson, and Diane M. Viverito.

Learn More

Both candidates for township supervisor sat down for extensive one-on-one interviews that you can view at vfpress. org or on the Village Free Press Facebook page.

The Proviso League of Women Voters of Oak ParkRiver Forest and the Forest Park Public Library hosted a virtual D209 candidates’ forum on March 18. Only candidates from the Proviso 209 United slate appeared at the forum, which you can view on the Forest Park Public Library’s YouTube page at youtube.com/watch?app=deskt op&v=vr4k0HgV3Jo

Where races are uncontested

The village board races in Melrose Park, Northlake, and Stone Park are all uncontested this year. Uncontested mayors and political parties include: Melrose Park Mayor Ronald M. Serpico Sr. and his Melrose Park Visionary Party, Northlake Mayor Jeffrey T. Sherwin and his Northlake Independence Party, and Stone Park Mayor Beniamino Mazzula and his Neighbors in Action Party.

Who’s Running To Govern The Township and D209?

Proviso Township Supervisor (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Michael A. Corrigan (Township Advocates of Proviso)

■ Tracy Jennings (Public Servant Party of Proviso)

Proviso Township Clerk (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Anthony “Tony” Williams (Township Advocates of Proviso)

Proviso Township Assessor (Full 4-year Term, Vote for One)

■ Steven J. Zawaski (Township Advocates of Proviso)

Proviso Township Trustee (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ Joseph Christopher (Township Advocates of Proviso)

■ Evelyn Chavez (Township Advocates of Proviso)

■ Gay F. Chase (Township Advocates of Proviso)

■ Tom Olson (Township Advocates of Proviso)

■ Stacy Armstrong (Public Servant Party of Proviso)

Proviso Township High School District 209 Board Member (Full 4-year Term, Vote for not more than Four)

■ Rolandra Morris

■ William Fisher

■ Nicole “Molly” Molinaro

■ Ebony “Nicki” Smith

■ Candice Ross

■ Zihualpilli Hernandez

■ Arbdella “Della” Patterson

■ Jerry L. Jenkins

MICHAEL A. CORRIGAN TRACY JENNINGS

COURTESY PROVISO 209 UNITED

Proviso 209 United candidates (left to right) Ebony “Nicki” Smith, Nicole “Molly” Molinaro, William Fisher, and Rolandra Morris.

COURTESY STUDENTS 1ST PARTY

Students 1st Party candidates (left to right) Zihualpilli Hernandez, Candice Ross, Arbdella “Della” Patterson, and Jerry L. Jenkins.

PROVIDED

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford receives the Chicago Defender’s Vanguard Award.

Lightford honored with prestigious Chicago Defender’s Vanguard Award

CHICAGO – Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford was one of three women to receive the prestigious Chicago Defender’s Vanguard Award for her 26 years of contributions of bettering the lives of the people of Illinois.

“Thank you to the Chicago Defender for this tremendous honor. To be recognized among such extraordinary women is truly humbling,” said Lightford (D-Maywood). “In reality, this isn’t my award. This award belongs to the Black girls who were seen but not heard. The Black girls who suffered trauma at the hands of a loved one. The Black girls who were told they couldn’t be all they could be.”

The Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence Awards celebrates local African American women who inspire others through their vision and leadership, exceptional achievements, and participation in community service. They are women who exemplify extraordinary stature, poise and grace. These women do it all while maintaining the delicate balance of filling the roles of helpmate, mother, teacher and professional.

Lightford received the award Friday in front

COMMUNITY briefs

of nearly 1,000 people at the Chicago Defender’s annual “Women of Excellence Event.”

“As I accepted this prestigious award, I vowed to continue to show up at the table God has prepared – to make room for others, and to see, hear and feel,” said Lightford. “I’m truly honored –this timing is perfect and I will use it as my fuel to continue to press on.”

Triton College’s Alumni Association selects Westchester trustee and Franklin Park

Battalion

Chief Nicholas Steker as a 2025 Wall of Fame inductee

RIVER GROVE – The Triton College Alumni Association has selected Westchester trustee and Franklin Park Fire Department Battalion Chief Nicholas Steker as one of four Alumni Wall of Fame inductees. This honor is awarded to individuals who have made a significant impact in their profession, community, and beyond.

“Triton has been the baseline for everything I’ve done in my life,” said Steker. “I can attribute all of my success to Triton College.”

With a self-proclaimed “service-based identity,” Steker’s passion for helping others led him to Triton’s Fire Science Program in 1997. After earning his associate degree from Triton in 1999, he was hired full-time as a firefighter and Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with the Franklin Park Fire Department.

Steker completed a bachelor’s degree in fire science management to further his education at Southern Illinois University’s satellite program held at Triton in 2004. He earned a master’s degree in public safety administration from Lewis University in 2014.

Now in his 26th year with the Franklin Park Fire Department, Steker has climbed the ranks, becoming a lieutenant in 2003 and achieving the position of battalion chief in 2023. As second in command of the 43-member department, he plays a vital leadership role.

In addition to his service as a firefighter, Steker is an adjunct faculty member in Triton College’s Fire Science Program, mentoring students who share his call to serve.

Beyond his professional commitments, he further helps his community by serving as a Westchester trustee since 2009. He was the acting village president from 2022-2024, following the untimely passing of Westchester Village President Frank Perry.

Steker has also participated in charitable or-

ganizations such as Toys for Tots, Shop with a Cop, St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the BEDs program, Christmas in Proviso, and the Westchester Food Pantry.

“A Triton education can open so many doors,” he said.

Reflecting on the Wall of Fame honor, Steker sees it as a full-circle moment for him.

“I’ve grown as a firefighter and as a man,

father, husband and now the ability to mentor students as an instructor,” he said. “I appreciate the recognition and leading the future generation down the same successful path.”

View a short video featuring Nicholas Steker: www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2y6RPHTp7c

Lindop teachers, staff honored by Black Men United, Lindop’s Men of Distinction

On March 10, Lindop School District 92 hosted Lindop’s Men of Distinction and Black Men United for a surprise giveaway and catered lunch in honor of the school’s teachers and staff. District 92 board member and Lindop parent Greg Buchanan said the event was held to celebrate “the incredible teachers and staff who pour your hearts and soul into this school every single day.

“This afternoon is about stepping away from the demands of your work, enjoying a meal, choosing a small token of appreciation, and most importantly, reconnecting with one another,” said Buchanan, who is also the Black Men of Distinction’s president.

PROVIDED

Lindop District 92 board member Greg Buchanan, center, with Lindop staffers on March 10.

BATTALION CHIEF NICHOLAS STEKER

This Is Not An Endorsement, It’s A Warning

Four years ago, after lots of reporting and interviews with about a dozen well-respected and trusted nonpartisan Maywood stakeholders, I reluctantly endorsed Nathaniel George Booker for mayor. Four years later, I cannot bring myself to do so again.

I didn’t even want to write this column and quite honestly haven’t been doing much reporting lately (over the last several months, I’ve been burnt out), but as the poet W.H. Auden once wrote of the poet W.B. Yeats, “Mad Ireland hurt him into poetry.” Mad Maywood hurt me into writing this missive, which you should consider a warning.

The catalyst for my joining the messy political fray in Maywood was the sloppy and hamfisted way in which Mayor Booker and Trustees Antonio Sanchez, Melvin Lightford, and Ray Williams added a strong mayor question onto the April 1 ballot (read my reporting on the matter on page 12). There was virtually no public discussion on the matter, contrary to what Mayor Booker said at the board meeting where the measure passed. Something as drastic as changing the form of government that the village has had since 1977 should’ve been done more carefully and more out in the open.

I have been reporting on referendum questions in multiple suburbs for more than a decade. I’ve seen referenda pass and fail, but I’ve never seen a taxing body handle a referendum question this important and consequential so haphazardly.

State law prohibits elected officials from advocating for referendum questions, but they can and are usually encouraged to share factual, nonpartisan information about the implications of a referendum question. How much it will cost, what changes it will introduce, and so forth. Typically, the taxing body will put that information online in the form of an FAQ for community members to see.

Not only has Mayor Booker’s administration not educated the public with solid information, the mayor may have violated state ethics laws by spreading misinformation about the ballot question. The Maywood Together Party, chaired by Mayor Booker while Sanchez is the party’s treasurer (according to reporting documents available online), posted information claiming that surrounding suburbs like Hillside, LaGrange Park, and River Forest have strong mayor forms of government. They don’t. The misinformation

material also claimed that there would be no need for a future election, which is contrary to what the state statute pertaining to strong mayor forms of government says.

The village’s attorneys—the attorneys who warned the village board to refrain from advocating one way or another for the ballot measure—told Mayor Booker that the information on his campaign material was not true. I also interviewed Hillside Mayor Joe Tamburino, who told me, in clear language, that his village does not have a strong mayor form of government. Meanwhile, this campaign misinformation has been spreading, with Mayor Booker campaign documents inappropriately including Maywood’s official logo (and the official logos of other suburbs that I’m willing to bet did not permit their logos to be on inaccurate campaign material).

Voters should also know that if this strong mayor form of government referendum passes, it does not mean that the next “strong mayor” of Maywood will be Booker. As with the mayoral salary increase that will take effect in May, the new government will only apply to mayor, alderperson, and treasurer candidates who win a future election that must take place by law (contrary to what Booker and the Maywood Together Party have argued in their propaganda).

The same rule applies to the staggering mayoral salary increase for a village whose ordinance calls for a part-time mayor. If Booker is not elected, he and his board allies who supported such a haphazard measure, will have set the stage for anybody who is the mayor in May to acquire a $65,000 salary for a job that, by ordinance, doesn’t require them to work full-time. This is yet another example

of the haphazard way Mayor Booker and his allies have governed. They bring to mind the quote from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby:

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy—they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”

More Reasons to Worry

There are more reasons to worry about Maywood changing to a strong mayor form of government that would put the power to hire and fire just about anyone at will in the hands of a single politician.

We saw the dangers early in Mayor Booker’s mayoralty when the village board acquiesced to his desire to give former Kankakee mayor Chasity Wells-Armstrong the village manager’s position, only to fall out with her shortly afterward. Wells-Armstrong was fired roughly a year later, but not before the village paid thousands to a law firm to investigate her termination. Wells-Armstrong eventually sued the village, claiming that Mayor Booker’s behavior disrupted her work, caused her humiliation, and prevented her from doing her job.

We saw the dangers of unchecked power when in 2022, Chicago Police found Mayor Booker asleep at the wheel of a village-owned SUV blocking traffic. Not only did the mayor embarrass Maywood nationally and expose the village to massive legal liability, but he also admitted to officers that he was driving from a political event, which you can’t do in a village-owned vehicle. Despite the DUI and court supervision, the mayor continues to drive the taxpayer-funded vehicle without so much as a whimper from a village board dominated by his political allies. One can only wonder the grief that a hypothetical Trustee Booker would have given a hypothetical Mayor Isiah Brandon (the other Maywood mayoral candidate with a DUI history), if the latter had been found drunk-napping on the expressway in a village-owned vehicle.

We saw the dangers last year when Mayor Booker inappropriately ordered the Maywood Park District’s headquarters closed. When I approached him about the closure, he told me Cook County was responsible, despite paperwork showing the village behind the building’s closure. I asked the mayor if

he could produce the document supporting his claim that the county closed the building. The document never came. Booker said the building temporarily closed because of code violations. But the park district’s acting director said he believed the building closure was about the mayor’s vendetta against the park district—a vendetta the director said stemmed, in part, from a dispute over an event the mayor wanted to throw on park district grounds. Again, the mayor has denied that account, but why would he openly admit to bullying another taxing district into political submission?

Four years ago, I warned that Booker was the most capable candidate among the four people in the mayoral field, but that he was also the most dangerous. “He is controlling,” I wrote. “He has the tendency to work against stakeholders rather than collaboratively with them.” Four years later, that judgement stands, especially the one about his danger. I’ve spoken with many community stakeholders who have bore the brunt of the mayor’s tendency to dominate and control, and his inclination to personalize policy decisions that should be decided with the public foremost in mind.

There’s no doubt Mayor Booker has improved the village in many respects. During his tenure, the village landed a Starbucks and has ushered in a host of small businesses, including new dine-in restaurants. I’m sure many residents also appreciate that they have a mayor who understands his power and can leverage that power to do things more efficiently.

But nobody wants to be a passenger in a speeding sports car with no brakes. That’s what happens when we sacrifice our democracy for comfort and when we remove guardrails (like independent trustees and village employees hired for their expertise instead of political loyalty) designed to keep politicians accountable. We’re already speeding unsafely at the national level with a federal government in power that seemingly invites chaos, corruption, executive overreach, and abuse of power. Trust me, Maywood will regret replicating that reality at the local level, because well after Mayor Booker has moved onto his next play, it’s residents like you who will be left to clean up his mess.

Vote On April 1 As Study Reveals Racial And Income Disparities in Referendum Turnout

By Staff

Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas

In a first-of-its-kind analysis, the Cook County Treasurer’s Office found much higher property tax referendum turnout in wealthier, predominantly white communities where nearly all people own their homes than in areas with mostly minority populations, lower incomes, and lesser rates of home ownership.

The study also found that tax referendum turnout in 2024 topped 50% in fewer than five of 10 cases and 33% in fewer than four of 10 cases, leaving the few to decide for the many in most cases.

“Rising property taxes always anger property owners. Despite that, most don’t vote in referendums that determine whether their taxes go up or down,” Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas said.

Key Findings:

Demographic Disparities

■ Tax districts with median incomes that top $100,000 had turnout rates in 2024 that exceeded 50%, while areas with incomes below the median county income of $81,797 had an average turnout rate of 34%

■ Predominantly white taxing districts showed greater participation with an average turnout rate in 2024 of 55.2% compared to 33.3% in Black majority districts and 29.2% in districts with Latino majorities.

■ Communities with more renters also had lower referendum turnout. In districts where 80% or more of residents own their own homes, average turnout neared 59% compared to about 34% where more than a fifth of residents rent.

Low Overall Voter Turnout

■ In 2024, 35 property tax-related referendums were held, with 26, or 74% passing. Voter turnout averaged 45.9%

in 2024, up from 33.7% in the previous four years.

■ The March primary referendum vote averaged just 20.9%, while the November presidential general election referendum vote averaged 62.6%.

Property Tax Measures

■ Bond Votes: Fourteen of 15 bond issuances passed, totaling $563 million in new debt.

■ Tax Levy Increases: Eight local governments sought approval for tax increases beyond state-imposed caps.

Two examples from the low-turnout March primary highlight the demographic disparities.

In Robbins, a majority Black lowincome south suburb where less than 73% of residents own their own homes, just 14.1 percent of voters weighed in on whether to raise taxes to pay for the construction of new parks and a recreation facility. Less than 240 residents voted to raise the levy, and the measure passed by 45 votes.

Compare that to Kenilworth, a majority white, high-income North Shore suburb where 97% of residents own their homes. In the same election 33.5% of voters went to the polls — the highest turnout in the primary. They approved a bond issuance by a nearly 3-1 margin.

With less than a week to go before the April 1 consolidated election in which more than $200 million of taxes and debt are on county ballots, Pappas says the numbers are troublesome.

“These findings highlight the pressing need for increased outreach to lowerincome and minority communities, where participation is often the lowest. As property tax decisions impact all residents, it’s vital that more people educate themselves and exercise their right to vote, because right now, the few are deciding for the many,” Pappas said.

A link to the full study is available at cookcountytreasurer.com/ voterturnout2024.aspx.

PUBLIC NOTICE BID NOTICE

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the President and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Melrose Park, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be received for the following Improvement: Street Improvements 15th Ave.: Bloomingdale Ave. to Armitage Ave.

DCEO Project No. 23-203347 Village of Melrose Park, Illinois

This project includes milling and resurfacing asphalt roadways and other related work.

Sealed bids will be received during regular business hours up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at the Village Clerk’s Office, in the Village Hall located 1000 North 25th Avenue, Melrose Park, Illinois 60160, and will be publicly opened and read at that time and location.

Electronic copies of the bidding documents are available from the office of the Engineer, Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., via email request to info@ehancock.com upon a nonrefundable payment of the sum of Thirty Dollars ($30.00). The Engineer has been authorized to refuse to issue plans, specifications and proposals to any person, firm, or corporation that he considers to be unqualified. No proposals will be issued after 4:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 15, 2025.

Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided. All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond, cashier’s check, or certified check in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into, and the performance of the contract is properly secured.

Checks shall be made payable to the Village of Melrose Park. No bid proposal will be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the proposals without the consent of the President and the Board of Trustees of the Village of Melrose Park for a period of 45 days after the scheduled time of opening bids.

The bidder is specifically advised that the Village is a grantee of the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) and the Village, and this Project is subject to the provisions of a Grant Agreement entered into and between the State of Illinois and the Village. Payments to the Contractor will be made by the Village only insofar as the payments are in compliance with the terms of the Agreement and the Village has determined that the work subject to such payments is in accordance with the terms of the aforesaid agreement and is eligible for reimbursement from the grant.

The successful bidder for the construction of the improvement will

be required to file a performance bond equal to 100% of the bid, with sureties to be approved by the President and Board of Trustees, which performance bonds shall be conditioned upon proper and faithful performance by the Contractor of the work specified in accordance with the plans and specification therefore, according to the time and terms and conditions of the contract; and also that the bidder and contractor shall properly pay all debts incurred by the Contractor in the execution of the work, including those for labor and materials furnished. The successful bidder will be required to furnish sufficient insurance or guaranty of indemnity to the Village and the Engineer against any and all claims which might arise for damages to persons or property due to the negligence of the Contractor or Subcontractors, or their officers, agents, employees or servants, during the construction of said improvement and until the said improvement has been finally accepted as complete by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Melrose Park.

The Village reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals.

The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards.

Dated at Melrose Park, Illinois, this 21st day of March 2025.

President and Board of Trustees Village of Melrose Park, Illinois By: /s/Ronald M. Serpico Village President

Attest: By: /s/Mary Ann Paolantonio Village Clerk

Published in Village Free Press March 26, 2025

NOTICE

Meeting Notice

The Village of Maywood invites the public to attend a Public Informational Meeting regarding an engineering study of the Garfield School Pedestrian Safety Improvements Project within the Village of Maywood. The purpose of the meeting is to seek public input and comments on the proposed preliminary design plans. The meeting will be held in an open house format from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on April 8, 2025 at Garfield Elementary School located at 1514 S. 9th Avenue, Maywood, Illinois. Exhibits will be on display for viewing and representatives from the Village and their consultant will be available for discussion and to answer questions. Written comments may be completed at the meeting or mailed

CLASSIFIED

in until April 29, 2025. Inquiries may be directed to Ms. LaSondra Banks, Director of Community Engagement, at 708-450-6366, or lbanks@maywood-il. gov. This meeting will be accessible to persons with a disability in compliance with current Accessibility Standards prepared by the Capital Development Board. Persons with a disability planning to attend and needing special accommodations should contact the person listed in this Notice by April 3, 2025.

Published in Village Free Press March 26, 2025

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC., Plaintiff, -v.-

AMALEK V. SMITH; FELICIA SMITH; ADMINISTRATOR OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, AN AGENCY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA; Defendants. 2024CH00915

915 Ferdinand Ave., Forest Park, IL 60130

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 2/4/2025, an agent of Auction.com, LLC will conduct the auction in person at 12:00 PM on May 7, 2025 located at 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60606, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.

Commonly known as 915 Ferdinand Ave., Forest Park, IL 60130

Property Index No. 15-13-408-0240000

The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $236,725.20 Sale Terms: 20% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to Auction.com, LLC, No third party checks will be accepted. All registered bidders need to provide a photo ID in order to bid. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. (relief fee not required) The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a

condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Diaz Anselmo & Associates, LLC (630) 453-6960 please refer to file number 6706-196067. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60606 - 872225-4985 You can also visit www. auction.com.

Attorney File No. 6706-196067 Case Number: 2024CH00915

NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

I3262496

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff,

-v.-

CHRISTOPHER FRANKLIN A/K/A CHRISTOPHER J. FRANKLIN, KNIGHT SPECIALTY INSURANCE COMPANY

Defendants

23 CH 6039 1718 SOUTH 7TH AVENUE MAYWOOD, IL 60153

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 27, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 29, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1718 SOUTH 7TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153

Property Index No. 15-14-157-0130000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $110,648.28. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within

twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact The sales clerk, LOGS Legal Group LLP Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207, Bannockburn, IL, 60015 (847) 291-1717 For information call between the hours of 1pm - 3pm.. Please refer to file number 23-099722. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. LOGS Legal Group LLP 2801 LAKESIDE DRIVE, SUITE 207 Bannockburn IL, 60015 847-291-1717

E-Mail: ILNotices@logs.com Attorney File No. 23-099722

Attorney Code. 42168

Case Number: 23 CH 6039 TJSC#: 45-346

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 23 CH 6039 I3262919

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENTCHANCERY DIVISION CITIMORTGAGE, INC., Plaintiff, -v.-

ELIDIA R MARTINEZ AND RICARDO MARTINEZ, Defendants. 23-CH-03024

413 N. EAST END AVE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 5/3/2024, an agent of Auction.com LLC will conduct the auction in person at 12:00 PM on April 30, 2025 located at 100 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.

Commonly known as 413 N. EAST END AVE, HILLSIDE, IL 60162

Property Index No. 15-07-413-009-0000

The real estate is improved with a Single Family Residence. The judgment amount was $224,690.70 Sale Terms: 20% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to Auction.com LLC, No third party checks will be accepted. All registered bidders need to provide a photo ID in order to bid. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. (relief fee not required) The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: Heavner, Beyers & Mihlar, LLC (217) 422-1719 please refer to file number 1674389. Auction.com LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60606 - 872-

225-4985 You can also visit www. auction.com.

Attorney File No. 1674389 Case Number: 23-CH-03024

NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. I3260600

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE FOR SOUNDVIEW HOME LOAN TRUST 2005-OPT4, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-OPT4 Plaintiff, -v.CHARLES E. SILMON, CASSANDRA SILMON, DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE OF HSI ASSET SECURITIZATION CORPORATION TRUST 2006-OPT2, MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-OPT2, STATE OF ILLINOIS - DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS

Defendants

2020 CH 05803 529 49TH AVE BELLWOOD, IL 60104 NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on April 16, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 16, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 529 49TH AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104 Property Index No. 15-08-408-051-0000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure

sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527

630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-20-05247

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2020 CH 05803

TJSC#: 45-617

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2020 CH 05803

I3262839

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY

DIVISION

US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST Plaintiff,

-v.UNKNOWN HEIRS AT LAW AND LEGATEES OF SIMON O. KIERULF, ANABELLE KIERULF, CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO CHARTER ONE BANK, N.A., LEYDEN CREDIT UNION, ASSET ACCEPTANCE, LLC AS SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO WASHINGTON MUTUAL, WILLIAM P. BUTCHER, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SIMON O. KIERULF. DECEASED, KRISTEN MIGHTY, SIMON PETER KIERULF, SIMON JOSEPH KIERULF, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS

Defendants 2022 CH 05111

2204 W. 14TH STREET BROADVIEW, IL 60155

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 10, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 14, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 2204 W. 14TH

STREET, BROADVIEW, IL 60155

Property Index No. 15-22-126-005-0000

The real estate is improved with a residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-24-00276

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2022 CH 05111

TJSC#: 45-308

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2022 CH 05111 I3262610

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

MORTGAGE ASSETS MANAGEMENT, LLC F/K/A REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Plaintiff,

-v.JOHN BROWN, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN

DEVELOPMENT, LVNV FUNDING, LLC

Defendants 2021 CH 05582

1318 S 17TH AVE

MAYWOOD, IL 60153

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on June 7, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 8, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 1318 S 17TH AVE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153

Property Index No. 15-15-104-039-0000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C.

Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales

Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100

BURR RIDGE IL, 60527

630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com

Attorney File No. 14-20-05214

Attorney ARDC No. 00468002

Attorney Code. 21762

Case Number: 2021 CH 05582

TJSC#: 45-535

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 2021 CH 05582

I3262109

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

PHH MORTGAGE CORPORATION Plaintiff, -v.-

DEBBY MCCLINTON A/K/A DEBBY C. MCCLINTON, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, OCWEN LOAN SERVICING, LLC

Defendants

2020 CH 03113 549 48TH AVE

BELLWOOD, IL 60104

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the

above cause on June 13, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on April 8, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 549 48TH AVE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104

Property Index No. 15-08-409-073-0000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of

1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR

RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

CODILIS & ASSOCIATES,

Please join House Speaker and State Representative Emanuel “Chris” Welch and Bellwood Mayor Andre F. Harvey for a

COMMUNITY SHRED DAY

Saturday, April 19, 2025 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Bellwood Village Hall

3200 Washington Blvd. | Bellwood, IL 60104

• Limit two boxes per car.

• Cardboard boxes cannot be left at the event.

• Residential shredding only (no commercial shredding).

• Shredding accepted until shred trucks reach capacity.

Please remember to remove all paper clips, staples, and other bindings.

Emanuel “Chris”

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE 7th District STATE REPRESENTATIVE

Help protect yourself from identity theft! Bring documents that contain your personally identifiable information – such as old bank statements, tax returns, bills, receipts, credit card applications and outdated medical records –to be safely shredded.

For more information, please contact Rep. Welch’s constituent service office at 708-450-1000 or RepWelch@EmanuelChrisWelch.com