Mokena's Front Porch Podcast
Welcome to Mokena’s Front Porch – THE podcast for Mokena history and community!
Nestled in the heart of Chicagoland, Mokena began as a small farming community that flourished after the Rock Island train line arrived in 1852. Today, with a population of over 20,000, its rich past continues to shape its future.
Your hosts:
🔹 Matt – A lifelong Mokenian, local historian, and author of two books on Mokena history. His blog, Matt’s Old Mokena, serves as the foundation for many of our episodes, bringing forgotten stories of the village back to life.
🔹 Israel – A passionate storyteller who grew up hearing firsthand WWII accounts from his grandfathers. Since moving to Mokena in 2016, he has embraced its history, working through technical challenges as a first-time podcaster to bring this show to life. He’s a BIG fan of Mokena!
Join us as we explore the people, places, and moments that make Mokena special. Visit MokenasFrontPorch.com for more stories, updates, and ways to connect. You can also find us on social media!
Pull up a chair, get comfortable, and step back in time with us on Mokena’s Front Porch.
Mokena's Front Porch Podcast
George Metanias - Candidate For Mokena Mayor
George Metanias has been a Village Trustee since 2005 and is running for Mayor of Mokena for the first time. He is running with the "Friends of Mokena" slate with candidates for Trustee and Clerk. Learn more about Trustee Metanias and his plans for Mokena, should he be elected in the April 1st, 2025 election.
You can watch my other conversation with Trustee Metanias as we took a walk around Main Park on our YouTube channel or our website.
You can view all our candidate interviews and election updates on our website and YouTube channel.
Be sure to vote on April 1st!
Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com
Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch
Check Out Our YouTube Channel For Some Great Videos
Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.
Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
MokenasFrontPorch@gmail.com
Trustee Metanus, thank you for sitting down with me. You have decided to run for mayor this election and we had a previous conversation. We really got to talk and get to know you. I dragged you around Main Park.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I thought we were going to be sitting at a bench.
Speaker 1:I have to apologize. I caught you a little off guard with that.
Speaker 2:It's fine, I have to apologize.
Speaker 1:I caught you a little off guard, I hear you, but I think it was a good conversation and we kind of tipped off a little bit. You know, we heard that you were planning to run, but so you did tell us, but we didn't really get to talk any more about that. So this is kind of an opportunity we talk more about the, you know, the political end or the business end of now that you're running. So first, just how's the campaign going? What do you think so far?
Speaker 2:It's going well. It's going really well. We have meet and greets coming up so that people can meet all our candidates, myself and all the friends of Mokina Group. Ask questions, listen to what we've got to say. So we have three dates. We have one on next February 20th, which is coming up this Thursday at Stony Point from 5 to 7 o'clock. We'll have light appetizers and refreshments. Please come on out and ask questions, get to know us a little bit better. We're there, we'll be walking around, excuse me, we'll be obviously making a couple speeches or whatever. Then we have another one on the 27th at 19th Hole. Then the last one is going to be March 6th at the VFW. We thought we'd just keep it in. We went to one side, we're staying inside, so we're trying to catch and help businesses out throughout by doing that and what's your hope?
Speaker 1:what do you think your expectations for those meet and greets?
Speaker 2:so people get to know us. I want people to know who we are, if they don't already, so I want them to learn what our policies are and what our philosophy is, and any questions they may want to ask us, we'll be more than happy to answer.
Speaker 1:So maybe start just talking a little bit. You've been on the board, for I think this is your 20th year is that right Correct? After 20 years, what made you pull the trigger and say it's time for me to run for mayor?
Speaker 2:Well, you kind of said it 20 years. It was time. It was time for me to run for mayor. I felt that, as a business person which I was in business for like 34 years in construction, actually local 134, ibw the leadership skills that I have, we need those on the board and we need people that can communicate with the rest of the board, communicate with our staff, get things happening. We need somebody in there that can move our village forward with the rest of the board, communicate with our staff, get things happening. We need somebody in there that can move our village forward.
Speaker 2:Our village is kind of stagnant right now and it's easy to blame other people for maybe your inabilities that you can't get things done. But a leader gets things done and I guarantee you I will get things done in the village, including downtown, including the rest of the village. We talked about a comprehensive plan for like years. Nothing happened, I mean. So then, when Mayor Flesher was out sick for those four or five months and I was the mayor pro tem, I communicated with the board. You know I said we need this. Here's why we need it, here's what the cost is going to be. We need to put it in the budget. So I was able to get that done and we put it in the budget. So right now it's going on.
Speaker 2:I don't know when it's going to finish exactly, but we had a lot of input from the village. They've been to different events in the village. They have a website. People can go on and ask questions and that will tell us, you know, give us a better idea on what we can do, what we can do with the village, where things can go and not go, what we need, you know. And also in our downtown, you know, I mean, I can throw out, we need traffic study. Okay, why? Who said that's going to help us and what's he going to do? Is that going to give us grants? How? None of that has been explained to anybody. They just throw out stuff and then see if it sticks. You know it makes it sound good, you know. I think that our village it's an easy choice. Do you want to continue the path we're on now or do you want to change?
Speaker 1:So talk about that. You come into office. What kind of changes would you make, or what does that mean for you? What do you do differently than currently?
Speaker 2:Well, what I want to do is, first of all, with our comprehensive plan, I want to get the studies back and see exactly what we need to do differently than currently. What I want to do is, first of all, with our comprehensive plan, I want to get the studies back and see exactly what we need to do, whether for our downtown area. What do we need there? Do we need certain type of businesses to come in or not come in? Also, all our ordinances they're outdated. There's nothing current there, so I need to bring all those up to date. Not only that, but I want to put them on our website so that if a developer or a contractor wants to come in to our village, they don't have to make an appointment, come in and see somebody. They can go right online, get all the information, all the ordinance, what it takes, what they need to get to bring in the development or whatever they want to bring in. So I want to make sure that that gets done, because without that, it takes us forever to get through the process and I think a lot of builders, developers we're going to call it they shy away from Mokina because it takes too long to get things done. I want to speed up that process. So make sure that we bring meaningful businesses into our town and make it as easy as possible for them to get here. You know, I also want to be able to take care of our existing businesses, because it's our tax base, right. I mean, if we don't take care of existing businesses and we lose them, then we lose. Then we lose our sales tax revenue that we need. This way, we keep the taxes in Mokina low. So I want to make sure that we get all that stuff done.
Speaker 2:Also, communicate with your board. You know who was really good at that? Joe Warner. Joe Warner, when I first got elected I wasn't part of his team at the time, but as soon as I got elected he reached out to me right away and then when I got on the board, he would call, he would pitch me his thing on a development or something and he would listen to what I have to say and work with me, not just me, but the whole board. That's a communicator, that's a good leader, and we need a leader that can lead. We need somebody that can make things happen. A leader doesn't blame other people for his inabilities to lead, and a leader makes things happen and I will.
Speaker 1:I guarantee you, I promise you that Talk about, you bring up Mayor Joe Warner, and so were there any examples where he called up and you were just really in disagreement and how did you deal with it? You know, in that case.
Speaker 2:Originally, when the Myers was coming in, he called me. He was from Vegas, you know. He says hey, you know we have an opportunity to bring a buyer in. You know, I said man, I don't know if the residents have been kind of at the time. This is back. I said one, two, when you come in, let's talk about it, let's see if we can get. So we came in and we discussed it, we went over it. They showed me all the things. I got in touch with the residents see how they feel about it and we were able to bring it in.
Speaker 2:Another one is JCPenney. We, as an electrical contractor, we did a lot of work at Orleans Square Mall. There's a JCPenney there. I found out that JCPenney is looking to move away from the inside malls and do a standalone. So they were gonna go on 191st and Harlem down that way. So as soon as I found that out, I got a hold of Joe Warner. I got a hold of John Downs. I said, hey, listen, this is what's going on. We need to bring them here, you know. So right away we called meetings with them and we were able to bring them into Mokina. That's communication, that's leadership, that's getting things done, you know, and that's Joe. Warner was like a mentor to me. I learned a lot from him how to be a good leader, how to be a good communicator more than anything, you know and be able to talk with your board every week and let them know what's going on, get their input and make things work. You know, not go on the board and get surprised at things that you never know about.
Speaker 1:What do you think? As we said, you've been on the board for 20 years. What will you be able to do differently that you couldn't do as a trustee?
Speaker 2:Be a leader from the top as a trustee. The agenda is controlled by the mayor what goes on and what doesn't go on and if it's not the agenda, there's nothing we can do.
Speaker 1:So if you have an agenda item that you want on something you're bringing and the mayor doesn't agree, how do you get it as part of the agenda? How can you get it on them?
Speaker 2:Well, because we kind of push it really hard to get it on there. Well, because we kind of push at it really hard to get it on there, you know, and when it gets on there, you know there'll be times that we do put it on the agenda and you know you'll have, you know, the mayor saying you know, you don't belong in Mokina to this business. You know, and like Andy's frozen custard, he told them you don't belong in Mokina. I mean things like that.
Speaker 1:And again, you know, now that they're in there, any context to that, like why he might have said that or thought of it.
Speaker 2:I'm not sure what his mindset was. Maybe they thought they weren't good enough. I don't know. That's something he's got to have to answer, but I mean just stuff like that that you know. That's why. I's why I said you need somebody that's a good leader, somebody that can lead and move this village forward, and I guarantee you I will not blame anybody else for my failures if I make any. Whatever I do, I will make things happen, and the way to do that is communication. I'm telling you it's the most important thing in the world is talking to people talking to your board, talking to your staff, getting information, getting all your ducks in a row before you start talking to everybody so you know why you need all this stuff and explain to them why. Okay, not just throw things out there and see what happens.
Speaker 1:Talk about your relationship with the village administrator, as well as some of the staff and how you work with them.
Speaker 2:We have a good relationship. I talk to them weekly about things. Excuse me, john Tomaszewski calls us every week to let us know what's going to be in the agenda and we go over it with him. You know our economic development director, you know things that come up. I'll call him up or he'll call me and say here's what's going on.
Speaker 2:We have a good relationship with our staff. I do it with our staff and, no matter how you look at it, our staff really pretty much runs things because they're day to day. We're not, you know, but in order to find out what's going on, and a lot of times, you know, they may call me on something and say, hey, can you reach out to this person? You know, and blah, blah, blah, and you know, see what you can do, and I do that you know. So, yeah, it's important that again we go back to communication. You know, be able to communicate with your staff, be able to communicate with your board. You know, be able to communicate with developers and the residents in Waukena and you know, be transparent on what's going on.
Speaker 1:Can you talk a little bit? You know as a trustee the direct kind of impact you can make and maybe give some examples.
Speaker 2:And you've given a couple as a trustee.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like maybe examples of things you've directly had an impact on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I can tell you this. On Front Street there by my government, there used to be a gravel parking lot. I got calls from residents saying that.
Speaker 1:So it's Front and Wolf the Terrafin lot.
Speaker 2:The Terrafin. Yeah, that's what it was called before. So we graveled that and we actually were renting spaces out for the Metro. Well, I would get phone calls. Hey, you know, my wife almost twisted her ankle. My, you know, blah, blah, blah. And also they said you know, you're renting this out in the wintertime. It gets dark by 3, 3, 4 o'clock and you know, my wife, my daughter, whatever, you know, it's not lit up, it's dangerous. So I said okay. So I got a hold of Kirk's owner at the time. I said let's get ComEd, call ComEd. We got ComEd to come out to the site. They got all those poles all the way down. Being an electrical contractor, I know what they do, what they can do and not do. So I asked them if they could put lights on every one of those hitting the lot without blinding people on the other side. And after a couple of meetings they agreed to do it at no cost to the village whatsoever.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, yeah, so they were able to put that up and then I pushed to get that lot paved, for safety reasons first of all, and it's a temporary pavement, that if a developer wants to come in then it's not going to be. It didn't cost us like it would if we had to do it complete. And that's the other thing we don't have a marketing person in our village. We have nobody that can market our town, nobody that can market our downtown.
Speaker 1:And is that a standard thing, something you typically see in surrounding villages?
Speaker 2:Yeah, they have, and we need somebody that can market our downtown. Let's say okay and say hey, you know what? Here's what we have Call businesses up the therapist site. We've had it what 10, 15 years now Sitting there. There hasn't been a for sale sign put up. It hasn't been put on the market whatsoever.
Speaker 1:And it is, or technically is, for sale. Is that right?
Speaker 2:But you know, and we talked about it up there as trustees or whatever to put up for sale. So I didn't put it up for sale and nothing happened. Nothing moved forward. Nothing went in the agenda. Nothing happened. Nothing moved forward. Nothing went in the agenda. So you know, we need a marketing person that can come in and market our town you know our downtown absolutely, you know and trying to bring people in the rest of our town I'm sorry, my voice is a little off the last couple of days, so we don't have that. That's something I want to get in. I want to make sure that we can market our Mokina village of Mokina and we had the Southland before. It wasn't marketing anything. We're paying all this money, we're paying like $40,000 for really maybe putting us on there once or twice. So we decided to get rid of that Get rid of what the.
Speaker 2:Southland, not be within them anymore. Okay.
Speaker 1:What is that? The Southland Chamber of Commerce? Okay, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's $40,000. We can take that money and use it towards our own marketing person. And so now they came back to us this last time and they they wanted to put us on there for free, you know, because they get money if they have us on.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I said, for free, let's do it yeah but uh, we do need our own marketing person to do that. And you know the same thing with the therapist side. You know getting it paved, getting the lighting in there. And you know same thing with the therapist side. You know, getting it paved, getting the lighting in there. Our downtown used to be like stones and stuff like that and people were tripping over it. It was dangerous. I pushed hard, me and Jillian Herstadt actually pushed hard to get that, get those out and put pavers down, and we got that done. And then getting the flower pots and making it look nice. You know we also have a facade program for our downtown. It's $10,000. Somebody wants to improve their facade. We give them $10,000 to do it. We have a TIF.
Speaker 2:We made a TIF program in there so that it can make it easier for developers to get money to be able to develop there, you know. So there's a lot of things that you know. You said what I've done. I've done as much as I can as a trustee to get this village moving forward, bringing JCPenney in, getting our you know downtown. You know.
Speaker 1:So there was a village president I think it was back in November of the tariff in sight and the potential development there with the restaurant from Payless, which is really exciting, a great-looking plan, but nothing else has really come of it. There hasn't appeared to be any offers or a solid offer for purchase. Is there anything that we can point to that's holding that up or why there hasn't been any more progress there?
Speaker 2:I really can't talk too much about it because we're in the process of negotiating with that. But again, it takes communication, it takes leadership to make things happen instead of pushing them back and pushing them back, and that's something that I will do. As a leader, I will do all that. But the therapist side right now with the restaurant stuff, like I said, I can't really talk too much about it. But it's not dead, it's still there. But it's again negotiations. You have to know how to negotiate right as a contractor. I mean, I did that all the time. I negotiated contracts. I had payroll, I did it with unions, work orders, contracts, all that stuff that, as a business owner, you learn how to do and this is how you learn how to lead and how to be a good leader. So you know that's. I can't really say too much about it because I don't want to, but it's not a dead issue.
Speaker 2:I think that's something that's in the works of talking about it.
Speaker 1:Well, those type of projects, I mean to me living in downtown is really exciting because, you know, between the dock, you know, I think the dock hopefully will really kick things off.
Speaker 2:I think it's going to do really well, as well as the other business, you know, between the dock. You know, I think the dock hopefully will really kick things off.
Speaker 1:I think it's going to do really well, as well as the other business. You know Zapp, so it's good to see. But maybe what would you like to see? What would your ideal downtown Molkina look like?
Speaker 2:You know, I'd like to see a downtown, I'd like to see our village, our downtown, to have the restaurants you know like, even like this Franklin House, that they're talking about going in Doc's and maybe a few more, so then people can go out and they want to go here today, there tomorrow, or they want to go here, there and there and there, and that's how you get traffic in our downtown. Once you get that in, then you can do maybe your little shops and stuff like that, that people are walking around and they're able to shop, you know, in the little shops, because right now and you have to remember a business has to make money to survive and without having the foot traffic in our downtown, a business is going to have a hard time surviving. So we need to bring the foot traffic in, okay, including possibly maybe a walking path that connects that people can walk to your downtown, and stuff Possibly maybe a walking path that connects, that people can walk to your downtown and stuff.
Speaker 2:So there's a lot that can be done, but you have to do it. You can't talk about it, you have to do it and that's something that I'm the type of person that gets things done. I do things, I don't just talk about them. Day one I'm going to start right off the bat with all our ordinances. Try to get that updated, get modernized with our electronics. Everything is electronic nowadays. Everything's at your fingertips. And we're still back. We need to move forward.
Speaker 1:Anything ordinance-wise specific that you would want to target first?
Speaker 2:There isn't really a specific ordinance that I want, but there's a lot of ordinances that are outdated. Okay, because we have a lot of issues and a lot of problems with residents that have done something already. You know, and it's not against the ordinance, you know, and it's not a bad thing, but it's against the ordinance. It's something that we need to work and look at and get things done. So I can't give you specifics on that, but all our ordinances have to be updated and brought up to date and they have to be put on our website and the applications can be up there. So everything's at your fingertips and you don't have to make appointments to come in and get this and you don't have to make appointments to come in and talk to somebody about our ordinance, what they are and stuff. I want to fast-track our permit applications and all that so it doesn't take forever, because unfortunately, we're known as the village that is against development and I hate that. That bothers the heck out of me because we're not.
Speaker 1:Where do you think that falls? I mean, I've heard the same thing. You know people that want to come in and it's either just struggles or kind of walking through mud a lot of times to get things done. I'm sure it can fall on the developer as well as both sides. But how do we make it easier for people wanting to come in?
Speaker 2:Again, we fast track it, meaning with the permit applications and our ordinances, so people know what they are. Okay, we don't bring them in front of us two or three times before we approve anything. Do our homework, work with the developer, work with our staff. Get it all set, bring it to the board, move it on, move it on. And you know it gets frustrating sometimes when you see things are not moving and you know I want things to move.
Speaker 1:It's got to be extremely frustrating as a developer. I mean, I don't know all the situation, but you know, you think about some of the development on Front Street and you know there's somebody with a desire to do something to make it better. You'd hope the village you know would work hand in hand to help out.
Speaker 2:Well, like Gino, gino wanted gaming. Okay, we have gaming everywhere. I mean, rios has it, l'oreal has gaming okay, we have gaming everywhere. I mean, rios has it, ll has it. Okay, and he wasn't allowed to put gaming in the downtown and that's what you know. He called me George. I can't get nobody in here without the gaming. You know, can you do anything? And I talked to the rest of the trustees and everything. So then, although Mayor Frank was against it, you know he got outvoted on it, but as soon as he got the gaming man, we got docs.
Speaker 2:So I mean things like that that you know you can help a business person. You know, move forward. Or you know something that you know inspection wise. You know you failed on something. You know move forward. Or you know something that you know inspection wise. You know you failed on something. You know. And I'll get involved a little bit and say, okay, is it a life safety thing? What's going on? You know, and we get it resolved, you know. So it's things that good leadership does. I'm telling you it's it's uh.
Speaker 2:And communication. You have to be able to talk to people one-on-one, not just over the phone. I like meeting with people and you know that I like to meet somebody face-to-face because when I'm talking to them I can tell where they're at and where they're not. I can tell by their eyes. So I like to see somebody in person and I do that a lot. I meet people for lunch. This is more casual, more relaxed, and people can talk to you and be honest and see if you can work something out. And I did that through my business and I continue doing it now as a trustee, as mayor. I will escalate that.
Speaker 1:So, as you're talking to people, as you're running what?
Speaker 2:are you finding? What do people bring up that's important to them? Change, change. They want change. They're tired of nothing happening. They want somebody in there that can move this village forward. That's what I'm hearing, and I will give that change. Do you want to know about my life, my wife, my kids.
Speaker 1:Sorry, yeah, as.
Speaker 2:I said this one's a little bit more. Hopefully, I'm giving you information that you know absolutely no, I think it.
Speaker 1:I think it's helpful, um, and part of the reason I'm not. We talked a lot about that and I think, uh, you know it was good to get more background, but I'll, I have some more, you know, light-hearted questions for you, as we.
Speaker 2:i'm'm just kidding, I'm just joking with you.
Speaker 1:No, and I really appreciate it. It's good to get a kind of an open view of what's going on and somebody coming in or not coming in, but changing a position, the perspective that you'll have if you come in.
Speaker 2:Being the mayor. Okay, the mayor doesn't vote, okay, so the only time he votes is if it's a tie If it's 3-3, then he'll vote, but the key is to make sure that hopefully never is a tie. And that's where communication comes in with your trustees. When I was mayor pro tem, I would call every trustee every week before the meetings and discuss the agenda. What do you think about this? What's your viewpoint? What's this? What's that? I would give them mine and they would give me theirs, and if we don't agree, that's fine. We don't have to agree. I knew where everybody was at and if I could convince them the reason why I think it's important, then I would do that. But it's communication with your trustees and your staff, but especially with the trustees, to get things moving and get things done, and that's something that hasn't been going on at all. So that's something I will definitely.
Speaker 1:Well, I did it and I'm going to do it again so you had uh time at the beginning of the year when the mayor was out and you did as you said. You stepped in as mayor pro tem. So anything else that you share about that or what that process is like. What did it show you? Did that give you any motivation to run for mayor now?
Speaker 2:Well, yes, because I saw how things moved. I mean we moved that village pretty quick and I told Thomas Ashby bring everything in. You know, let's not. We moved that village pretty quick and I told Tom Osakie bring everything in, let's not hold back here, let's get as much stuff as we can done. And we did.
Speaker 1:And what is that? The role of Mayor Pro Tem? Are you technically I mean fully the mayor at that point?
Speaker 2:Yes, a Mayor Pro Tem is. Um, I was appointed by frank as mayor pro temp and it's been done in the past and usually the senior trustee not always, but usually the senior trustee becomes the mayor pro temp. This way, let's say, if the mayor is sick or he's not out or something, that you can step in and continue the meetings, so you have full power. You know, and I did that when he was out for those few months when he was in the hospital, and I did that again because he got sick again another time. So I was able to fill in for another month or two, a couple months in, but and but he took me off mayor pro tem. These reasons where we don't agree on things, you know, on certain things or whatever you know, so, which is fine. So now, every time he's not there, the board has to vote me in as the mayor pro tem every time. So I have to hold a meeting beginning and do this and take a vote, and you know was there a conversation there when that happened?
Speaker 1:When?
Speaker 2:he took me off.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he said that you know we don't see eye to eye on things and I said what does that have to do with it? I said you know I'm just filling in, but in my opinion it was political.
Speaker 1:At that point, you were planning to run already, do you?
Speaker 2:think it was known Not really to be honest with you, but I think they motivate me a little bit.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:I think they motivate me a little bit.
Speaker 1:So you're running with Melissa Martini for clerk? Yeah, she's our clerk, now Melissa Fedora. She's a trustee already. Josh Bailey.
Speaker 2:Josh Bailey. He's on an economic development committee. He's also a finance guy, he's also a CPA. He's got a photogenic memory. It's amazing. Very smart person, very smart, somebody that can really help with a lot of the development things that are going on. And then then Gilbert, he's on the park board. Now Okay. And then you got Colleen. You know she's, she's been in town for forever, I mean, I think I don't know if she was born here, but she was here since she was little. She knows a lot of people. You know, she's involved in a committee with our village also, and she's very smart, a woman that she wanted to run for office. She wanted to help, to be able to make a difference. Colleen Leonard, colleen Leonard.
Speaker 2:And so I think I have a great group of people running with me that I think this group can move this village forward. They really can, because they're all smart. I have young, I have older, I have it's a combination of women, I have guys, so actually there's three women and three guys running. So you know me, josh and Dan, and then you got you know Melissa, melissa and Colleen. So I think this group can really make a difference in this village. I think we could be a working board that we can work together and make things happen. They're all smart, they're all involved in the village in one way or another. They're all involved. They've all done, they're on a committee or they've done stuff. And Dan, he's not been on the park board I don't know if it's second term or whatever. He's been elected a couple times, I think, so he knows how government works and how things are. So, yeah, we've got a very good group. I'm very proud of him. What? I've got a very good group, I'm very proud of them.
Speaker 2:What went into putting your slate together? Well, I was trying to find people that I believe they have independent thinking, people that are smart, people that love their village, first of all, and want to see it move forward and succeed. So I made some calls, you know I've already. I talked to a couple of them, a couple of them an election ago about it. They were interested in it. It just didn't work out at the time. So I contacted them, I met with them, you know, and had a conversation to see if our philosophies are, you know, the same, we don't have to agree. And I told them we don't have to agree on everything. If you're set on something like that, on something, then it's, you know, but let's communicate, let's talk and respect each other up there, let's not yell at each other and it gets. But so this is how, and then I had the rest of the team kind of meet him, you know, and we decided to put this light together and move forward.
Speaker 1:So how are you getting your message out? Well, right now.
Speaker 2:You saw, the signs came rolling out this week, the signs finally starting to come out. Well, the weather obviously now impaired us from putting more signs up.
Speaker 1:It gets a little hard in a frozen ground, doesn't?
Speaker 2:it. We put about 25 4x4s up. I ordered another 20. So we got a lot more coming and with yard signs. People are asking me coaching football. I coached the Burroughs for 20 years. The kids that I coach now are adults, so I coach. I need signs.
Speaker 1:Talk about that because I thought we talked about it when we walked around the park. But I still think it's interesting. The scoreboard yeah. And that you were responsible for getting this score.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, the Burroughs used to have like a wagon or something. They pulled a scoreboard out, you know, and set it on there and you know it. It took a lot of years that way. And, uh, one point, I decided, you know what I mean, we need a scoreboard. So I was able to contact uh coca-cola, I think it was at the time, and I said, hey, you know, I need a scoreboard for an organization. What can you guys do, you know? So I talked to him for a few times. I decided they were going to donate the scoreboard yeah, that's great yeah again, that's what leaders do correct.
Speaker 2:They lead and get things done. So I was able to get that scoreboard in. We put it up, wired it and no cost to the boroughs whatsoever or anybody you know.
Speaker 1:So that's great that was a neat little history memory thing to learn. Talk about your relationship with the Park.
Speaker 2:District. What have you done? I have a really good relationship with the Park District. They reach out to me a lot of times about things, especially not with the development that they're doing, not development, but the barn finishing it up and stuff like that. They've had some issues on things. They call me up. I'd meet them over there, discuss it, go over it, get them resolved. We move forward the park. When I was coaching football, obviously we had a really good relationship because it's at the park, we're doing it. So I get along with everybody at the park. We communicate, not on a daily basis or weekly, but we communicate. If there's anything they need, they call me and I know a few of them on there personally. So yeah, and I think it's very important that we work together with our practice the village, like the fireworks, we're able to partner with them, split the cost and we're doing it at their park. So I think it's important to support them and they support us.
Speaker 1:You know, the one thing that always comes up is the Yunker Farm there and the big field that really sits between the park and downtown. Any thoughts there?
Speaker 2:Well, I've talked to some people at the park about it and some are saying well, you know we don't have a lot of open field anymore. You know that would be nice to make like a walking area and things you know for the residents to enjoy. You know, then you know development there. I haven't got into depth with them about that conversation, about that, if they're looking to possibly sell it or develop it or do something. But I think it would be a shame to I mean, you've got such a nice open area, there's residents all around there. You know to do something that's going to impair the residents in any way. So they're doing a little comp plan themselves right now, a five-year plan, I think it is. So let's see what that all comes out to be and what they're looking to do. So that's a conversation that we will have in the future.
Speaker 1:You bring up the comp plan again and the village has gone through that whole process. What's the next step? Once the company delivers, you know they bring a plan to you. Is that how it works?
Speaker 2:Yeah, what they'll do is they'll bring a plan to us and say, okay, here's what we figured out, okay, that your downtown needs this, this, this and this 191st to bring. You need the businesses certain businesses here, certain businesses there what we need to do. So do we need any traffic studies on anything? They will give us an idea and it's not a brand new comp plan because our village is pretty much built out. It's more updating our comp plan because right now our company is like 20 years old.
Speaker 2:You know so, and I push for that to happen, obviously, and I put it in the budget for it. But once they come back with their recommendations, then staff will present it to the board. We'll sit there and we'll discuss it, We'll talk about it to see exactly, even like extending the downtown area Instead of being just here and here, maybe extend it down to Wolf Road or whatever, to make it even bigger, because our downtown is actually kind of small and we want to be able to attract businesses into our downtown area. So there's a lot of things that and I don't want to get ahead of what they want to recommend. But they're going to make their recommendations and they'll come back to the board and then we act on them.
Speaker 1:Well, our village at one point has had bars all the way almost to schoolhouse road. It's been a long time, but I could see it as a longer stretch of, yes, of front street yes, I mean not saying that will, I'm just saying that's a possibility, that's a possibility, but uh, it's good to. I, I think that it's great to have dreamers in office, sure, uh, as well as the balance of people that you know, bring us, bring you to reality, but it's a good balance to have it is, in our it is.
Speaker 2:I mean, if you don't, if you don't dream, you're not alive, true?
Speaker 1:yeah, what do you think?
Speaker 2:uh, over the next five to ten years are the things that are going to be the biggest challenges for our village I think our biggest challenges are going to be maintaining our businesses here, because right now, with everything online and you can order everything online and bring it to your house you know you're not going to see strip malls going in anymore. You know even businesses because they the. You know it's so easy, it's so much easier, and I'm sure you've done and I've done it too. You know well you want something. You go to your easier and I'm sure you've done and I've done it too.
Speaker 2:You know well you want something you go it's at your front door and I think that's going to be a challenge in the future to make to keep, you know, businesses open in Mokina, not just in Mokina but anywhere. But I'm concerned about Mokina with all that going on, and it's going to get easier and easier to order things online than it is to go somewhere and shop and they say, well, you've got to wear something. You know they order two or three things and they send the rest back. So that's going to be a challenge to maintain our business, because without our businesses, I mean what happens to us Tax, sales tax and stuff goes down, you know hustle and heart on front, there has been a good.
Speaker 1:You know I've heard a lot of people say the same thing. It's really hard to bring like a retailer or somebody. That's a very kind of niche thing. But man, the groups of young girls you see coming out getting custom hats made or football moms.
Speaker 2:Imagine if you had more restaurants.
Speaker 1:Oh, sure they could walk down somewhere and have a drink afterwards, and that's the key for small business to succeed.
Speaker 2:You need to have that. You need to have that base. Yeah, and that's what I'm going to concentrate on.
Speaker 1:So what does your wife think of all this?
Speaker 2:My wife is not a political person. Okay, she doesn't get involved of all this. My wife is not a political person, she doesn't get involved in all this stuff. And she said this is what you want to do, I'll support you, but that's your thing and I respect that. I wouldn't want her to be involved in everything that I do politically, because she's not that. She supports me 100%, but she's not somebody that likes that title of first lady, let's say, or to be out in public with you, know everybody, she's not that type of person, which, which is fine. I respect that for her. She you tell us about hers.
Speaker 2:Right now we have my daughter and my two grandkids living with us. We've had them for a while, so it's kind of taken up a lot of time. Sure, it really has. You know, make sure they get on the bus on time, get off the bus on time. My daughter's working. We have to be there for them all the time and you know, know, it's tough. Uh, my wife went through some, uh, health issues in the past, you know, and, uh, she made it out okay and uh, so far. So it's been a, it's been a trying time, uh, you know, um, yeah, I get a little emotional when I talk about it sure, sure, I didn't want to lose her, you know I mean it was tough.
Speaker 2:It was tough.
Speaker 1:And you talk a lot about your grandkids and you said you just had a birthday celebrated for one of them.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Logan Okay, and Brandon next month, and we got to meet them.
Speaker 1:I think they were on my video of the police station. We walked through too right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the characters. Logan is just turned 13. That kid's growing like a weed. I mean all of a sudden, I mean the last six months. He's like, not that I'm not tall, but he's only 12, just turned 13, as tall as me. But and they're great kids. They're very smart. They both get straight A's in school. Very proud of them. They play football. Where do? They play football. They play for the Junior Knights, oh, okay.
Speaker 1:No influencer to get them over to the boroughs.
Speaker 2:Well, unfortunately they're not boroughs anymore.
Speaker 1:Right, they're Junior Celtics.
Speaker 2:And they travel all over the place. With my daughter being a single mom and with us it's easier to put them all over the place. With my daughter being a single mom and with us it's easier to put them with the junior night, because they don't travel as far and do all these things, because it's going to be very hard for her or for us to do that. And plus, they're going to go to Central. So all those kids they're playing with, they're all going to play and, believe it or not, there's a lot of Mokina kids that play there.
Speaker 1:So kids that are playing with? They're all going to play and there's a lot, believe it or not, there's a lot of Mokina kids that play there. So what do you bring? Are you on the sidelines yelling at the?
Speaker 2:helping out those coaches. They've been trying to get me to coach again and I told them I did that for 20 years. I said I just enjoy sitting there coaching. But you know, coach, ex-coach I'd say why the heck would they call that play, you know? But then again, I'm sure people said that about me, you know, when I was coaching. But no, it's fun. It's fun to sit there and watch them play and not have to, because when I was coaching I would start in March, you know, getting my playbook, getting my camp schedule, getting my practice schedule. Because I used to hold my own camp, maintainers Football Camp, and I wouldn't charge the kids anything. It was free to them and not only charge, but I would buy them T-shirts to give them for free. Where would you do that? Grimeros Park.
Speaker 1:Okay, how many kids would you get coming up to that?
Speaker 2:Anywhere from 40 to 60 kids. Geez, wow, that's pretty cool. So you know I would work with them and, you know, get them ready to, and then the Burroughs would have their football camp right after when I had it, you know. So they got, you know, more experience and then when we came together, we, you know a lot of them knew a lot of things that they would have to learn, you know. So you know.
Speaker 1:So how'd you guys do? How was?
Speaker 2:your teams. We won a lot of championships, nice Undefeated seasons, actually. In 2005, we won the championship undefeated, linkway won their championship undefeated Wow and the so socks won their championship. It's a good year for everybody. That's when I got elected on the board, oh wow okay, so it was a great year all the way around it was just unbelievable.
Speaker 1:It was awesome yeah well, anything else you want to share? Uh, maybe tell voters you know why, why you're the right choice.
Speaker 2:Well, I think I kind of brought that up. I think if you want to change, vote for me. If you want the same, stay where you're at. But I think that I can bring business-type leadership into this village, that we can get things done and move things forward. I will not push things aside, I will not say let's think about it, let's talk about it, put this here, put this there. I will move this village forward and bring it up to date, especially with our electronics and everything with our website and even our cameras that we on Channel 6, they're all outdated. When you watch it it looks like a haze.
Speaker 1:It looks like the 1990s, exactly.
Speaker 2:Because nothing has changed, nothing has moved forward, and I want to be the person that does that and I will do it. I guarantee you From day one, I will start, I'm not going to wait.
Speaker 1:Well, trust me, mattanious, I really appreciate you sitting down with me. You know, as you know, our podcast is we've been doing this for two years and to have you know a sitting trustee and mayor or candidate sit down, I appreciate that and I want to extend the thank you as well for doing that. You can check out all of our candidate interviews with the rest of the Friends of Mokina slate Friends of Mokina don't forget that name.
Speaker 2:Everybody on that slate will move this village forward, and we are going to have a working board up there. Please come out and vote and come to our meet and greets.
Speaker 1:This is how you're going to meet everybody.
Speaker 2:Unfortunately, you're the only venue that we have in meet everybody. You know, unfortunately we don't. You're the only venue that we have in Waukena that can get out. You know we don't have a newspaper anymore. We don't have any of that. So please come out and meet our candidates every one of us and ask questions, listen to what we got to say and hopefully you'll like it and you'll vote for us, so early voting starts March 17th.
Speaker 2:We'll have all these out by then, so please share. And again, trustee Metaneus, thank you for meeting us. Thanks, israel, great job, thank you.
