Will County Gazette

Mayor Michael W. Glotz of Tinley Park addressed a citizen who brought a concern about a pond, which connects to wetlands in the area.

Jack Novosel came to talk to the board about his worries regarding the area behind his neighborhood. There is a water detention area behind his neighborhood that has not been draining water in the right way. He claims that there had been standing water there now for a month and it was attracting mosquitos and waterfowl that were being a nuisance in the neighborhood. 

"But I submit to you that what happens to five people happens to all of us," Novosel said. "We're not just loners, we're part of a community. And as we are affected, the community is affected. We deserve better. You deserve better. The community deserves better than having that detention area continue as it is, we ask you to seriously address this issue."

Glotz rebutted Mr. Novosel's assertions by assuring him of their attention to that area. Glotz talked him through the whole process that they had gone through in trying to tackle the issue. He explained that because it is a wetland area, there are plants called phragmites that take over very quickly and are difficult to keep up with. Also, there is a layer of peat underneath which is also impossible to work with. 

Over time, the land has risen above the level that makes drainage easy even though public utilities have kept the lines clear. Glotz also explained that because it is considered wetlands, it falls under the Army Corps of Engineers, which is a tricky organization to work with because they take a lot of time to research, consider and mobilize.  But the village has a plan in place, with permission from the Corps to do maintenance and a company poised to fix the detention area.