Tinley Officials Demand Action On Former Mental Health Center

TINLEY PARK, IL — Tinley Park officials gathered in the center of town Thursday afternoon to give updates and express concern regarding the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center property, where it was recently discovered that 2.1 million gallons of water spilled out of the property’s buildings and into Tinley Park's storm sewers due to a water main break.

A discussion surrounding the property — located on the northwest corner of 183rd Street and Harlem Avenue — has been ongoing since its 2012 closure. A previous inspection of the former mental health center took place in December 2019, revealing numerous environmental concerns. State inspectors with the Illinois's Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Public Health couldn't enter various buildings on site due to the high level of contaminants, including asbestos and black mold.

In June 2020, the state allocated nearly $17 million in funds for projects and improvements around Tinley Park. The mental health center was the largest recipient, receiving a $15 million grant to support environmental cleanup.

On May 6, the village informed residents of the water spill, saying it equated to more than $17,000 in damages and water waste. On Thursday, Tinley Park Mayor Michael Glotz said the spill is concerning, adding that the sewer discharges into the Union Drainage Ditch, which heads south to Hickory Creek and over to the Des Plaines, Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. The water will eventually make its way to the Gulf of Mexico, according to Glotz. The mayor went on to say he is “completely and utterly outraged” at the lack of action from the state.

“The Village has been pleading with the state to do something about this for years," Glotz said. "I cannot for the life of me understand why those with the power in State Government to effectuate a transfer of this property to the Village continue to stonewall Tinley Park."

“In the 583 days since the state sent a letter to the village informing us they no longer wished to sell us the property ‘at that time,’ effectively killing a $450 million-dollar project and economic engine that the Southland desperately needs, we have attempted over and over again to get someone — anyone — at the state to talk to us. That letter was the culmination of what reeks like political ping pong and is all too often is the case when politics are put above doing what is right.”

Related: Asbestos Found Throughout Tinley Park Mental Health Center Site | Tinley Park, IL Patch

Glotz said he has sent over 13 emails to Sen. Michael Hastings, who represents the 19th District. Hastings never directly responded to Glotz, but the mayor alleged that in an indirect response, Hastings "threatened" to "cut Tinley Park into five different districts, so Tinley Park never gets anything done." The mayor added that Hastings said "a couple of other despicable comments" that he didn't want to repeat.

On Tuesday, Patch reached out to Hastings' representatives regarding the property, asking to speak with the state representative, or receive a statement, but didn't get one at the time of publication. EDITOR'S NOTE: After this story was published, Hastings sent the following statement, Thursday afternoon:

"I have worked tirelessly in the Illinois State Senate for the past eight years to do what's best for the Village of Tinley Park, and for the future of the former Tinley Park Mental Health Center site.

We have now had four different mayors in Tinley Park during those eight years, and it's disappointing that the new mayor has only been on the job a few days and now immediately goes on the attack. I secured a $15 million appropriation in the 2019 capital bill for environmental cleanup at the site. I have presented several pieces of legislation and urged the Governor's office to sell the center property, and I call on them to release the funds for the site cleanup. I ask my fellow legislators who also represent Tinley Park to step up and join me in these efforts.

Rather than point fingers and make baseless accusations, we should work together to bring this issue to a close and find the right future for the use of the Tinley Park Mental Health Center land, and we should do it today. The good people of Tinley Park deserve better than this."

"Senator Hastings has personally told me he doesn't care about Tinley Park," Glotz told Patch. "The most disturbing thing to me is that he is not down in Springfield trying to help the Southland. It's been brought to my attention that he is trying to get the state reps and senate to split Tinley into five districts to hurt Tinley Park, instead of working to help our region. I'm happy for the Southland [that] he is running for Secretary of State, so we have a better representation in the 19th District."

Officials say the village has footage of the property that contains rusting equipment, collapsed structures, broken windows, graffitied walls, large amounts of foliage — which many noted blocks the view of the property while driving past — and other issues.

On April 19, Tinley Park Code Compliance Officer Ken Karczewski sent a notice to the Department of Central Management Services (CMS), stating that upon visiting the property, village officials found nearly 10 health code violations, before being asked to leave by a member of the Allied Universal Security Services. The violations included accumulation of rubbish or garbage, defacement of property, sanitation and weeds, among others. The village demanded CMS respond with a "plan of action" to abate all property maintenance, hazardous, and environmental issues.

On April 30, Terrence D. Glavin, a CMS representative sent a letter to the village stating, “The state is not subject to the Village of Tinley Park ordinances and requirements,” indicating they are exempt from these violations.

“Clearly, the state has fallen far-short of maintaining this property in a manner that protects the Health Safety and Welfare of the residents of Tinley Park,” said Paul O’Grady, village attorney. “The only conclusion to draw from Mr. Glavin’s letter is that CMS sees themselves above the law, and if Tinley Park wants corrective action we have to litigate with our state and waste more precious taxpayer dollars.”

Officials told Patch trespassing to the property plays a role in the damages on site. The village has requested the state place a fence around the perimeter, to stop people from stealing materials. The property itself may be contaminated, but Patch Editor Yasmeen Sheikah was able to drive a car onto the property, past security's car, and take a variety of photos and video, before voluntarily leaving.

A freedom of information act request revealed documents from 2014 indicating that the state paid about $74 million for security for all state owned properties. Other documents omit the total cost, and it is unclear what the state currently pays for security measures on site.

See the press conference the village held outside the Tinley Park Mental Health Center property below:

Related:
Legislation Introduced To Sell Tinley Park Mental Health Center | Tinley Park, IL Patch

Mental Health Center Site Talks Stall Amid Coronavirus Pandemic | Tinley Park, IL Patch

Editor's note: This story was updated with a statement from Sen. Hastings.