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
Dan Gilbert - Candidate for Mokena Village Trustee
Dan Gilbert teaches in Mokena 159 schools and is a Mokena Park District Commissioner. He is running with the Friends of Mokena slate, who's website is www.friendsofmokena.com
Get to know Dan Gilbert and be sure to vote BY April 1st! Early voting starts March 17th!
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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
Dan, thank you very much for sitting down and talking with me. You're running for Village Trustee this election, so we wanted to get to know you and give you an opportunity to have people get to know you a little better. So you want to just start by telling us about yourself and your family. Where'd you grow up?
Speaker 2:Well, first I want to say thank you. This is an amazing thing that you're doing and I think it's really needed. So thank you for doing such an amazing thing for this town and this community. I have been a Mokina resident pretty much my whole life been a Mokina resident pretty much my whole life. I grew up in Arbury Hills across the street over there by Fleckenstein's or by Hecht Park. My mom is actually still friends with Barb Hecht. Wow really. I remember going when Darwin wasn't there. There was that farmhouse. We would play at that farmhouse and Barb owned that house and that farmhouse. And, uh, barb owned that house and that property and the whole family owned that.
Speaker 1:So um, do you know anything about? I mean, is that directly who it's named after? Is that her family, or like parents or no? Yeah, her her family.
Speaker 2:I think it's named after her farm was there. Yeah, yeah, so pretty cool yeah yeah, um, and then I think they have a, or they had a house where that I forget the name of the car dealership is, but there's a car dealership on 191st on the north side, or this yeah, there's two now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, uh I don't remember either offhand, but I think their, their house, was there, so it was just kind of. You know, it's funny seeing all the changes or seeing the growth in the community. But yes, getting back to the point that I've been a lifelong resident of Mokina and couldn't see myself living anywhere else, Any memories of growing up, like what do you think of Mokina, of your childhood years um?
Speaker 2:well, honestly like so the whole uh, what is it now? Tara hills and in arbury, that was nothing. That's where I learned how to drive when there was nothing there. I think I was like 12 years old. My, my dad and my grandma would take me back there in like a 1991 Ford F-150.
Speaker 1:And there was nothing, just fields. There was just fields.
Speaker 2:So seeing that get built up was sad, but also it was fun to watch. You know, it was fun to see like, oh, they're building another block, they're building another block. Also riding my bike up to Bozo's Hot Dogs I don't know if you remember when that was on Route 30. Going through the Forest Preserve, getting a hot dog and riding back home was like you were something special because you had the freedom to ride your bike.
Speaker 1:So you always hear people. Well, maybe not always, but there's kind of the idea of the Arbery Hills and it's a different school district. You're on the other side of LaGrange. How was it then? Did you feel connected to the community? I did. Did it feel different.
Speaker 2:I've been fascinated with the downtown area. I thought it was again like riding my bike over that way and just thinking that the downtown area was so cool and old-timey. So yeah, there were a lot of times we just kind of hung around by the train tracks or hung around in the downtown area. But yes, crossing LaGrange wasn't always something that my mom was pleased with. So a lot of the adventures and whatnot did happen in Arbery.
Speaker 1:What schools did you go to over there and then high school?
Speaker 2:I went to Arbery Hills for grade school, then Hill to Walker and Summit Hill and then Lincoln Way East.
Speaker 1:Okay so, yeah, and tell us about your family, oh yes, of course, I've got a beautiful wife, Sherry.
Speaker 2:We've been so, we've been married, for this year will be 14 years. We were just we were just having this conversation the other day. Next year we will be together 20 years, you know, like dating and all that. So 20 years, and then we have two children, Grayson and Brayden, 12 and 10. Basically they're what keeps us pretty busy in the baseball world, but also they're kind of branching out into other sports as well. So you see us at a lot of baseball fields, but I think you might see us on, you know, on volleyball courts and basketball games and things like that. It's fun to have our kids involved in sports.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what does that change? Even just becoming a parent in town? How does that change, maybe, who your circles are or who you meet?
Speaker 2:Your circles change. I feel like we're always having, um, like you have, like this season we're really close with this family, and the next season you're close with another family, and um, I remember, and then and then you kind of all circle back and and become friends all again like, oh yeah, I remember when our kids were four and they played soccer together and things like that. The sports help with getting that community feel and having common ground.
Speaker 2:Because I'm not going to be out there running around on the soccer field anytime soon, but it's nice to be able to watch the kids grow up and do it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, what do you do for fun up?
Speaker 2:and do it. Yeah, Uh, what do you do for fun? Um, I feel like there's a lot of I read. I read a lot just to kind of, um, ease, you know, take the stress of the day off. I like, what do you read? I everything. Um, what's his name? Ryan holiday. I, Ryan holiday. He's a. He's a stoic. I try to read everything on stoicism and and and things of. Then I did. I was one of the like. I forget how many million people bought that inner excellence because of the what was it say? It's not Saquon Barkley, was it? It was the other guy who was.
Speaker 1:I don't know it. No, the, the eagles guy.
Speaker 2:I forget what his name was. It wasn't saquon barkley, it was one of the other guys, um, but they had this book oh, this season, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:And I was like, so I was like well, I'm gonna get that so I got that.
Speaker 2:That thing was a quick read. That was pretty cool, um, but when the weather's nice, I enjoy fishing. I'm at Lake Tampere, just off of Wolf Road. That's where I like to spend my summers it's a great place to kayak.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. I love it out there, great, yeah, so you're on the Park District, yes, so I want to talk a little bit about that. Tell me about what do you like about it and what have you learned and how you've made a difference there.
Speaker 2:I love it.
Speaker 2:I love it is not what I thought it was going to be.
Speaker 2:I thought, you know, when it was first pitched to me I thought we were going to be just building parks everywhere, and that is not what it is.
Speaker 2:There's so much more to it and there's like intricate little details, like you know, helping the staff pick an insurance plan that's going to benefit everyone and kind of taking into account, you know, who has families, who's single, who's but doesn't have kids, and what's like the best insurance plan to offer, um, the the staff members updating payment plans, like we we were um and phone systems, like there's things that like I never thought that this was going to be part of the part of the job title but, um, it's beneficial, but it's beneficial and it's part of the plan.
Speaker 2:But then there's fun things like helping decide what goes on at Halloween Hollow or helping decide which bands are going to be at the band shell, and the redesign of the barn or the inside of the barn, and I don't know if you've been seeing the updates with that, but the barn is going to look really nice when it's finally completed. Learning so much and making connections with very resourceful people there are so many great people that work there that you can just kind of sit down like this, ask and have a conversation and say you know, how does this work, how does that work, how has that worked in the past, and just really build those relationships with the people.
Speaker 1:Have you had to have any interaction intergovernmentally with, maybe the village or other taxing bodies that you've worked with or cooperated with?
Speaker 2:So not me personally Our board, so the director, greg, and usually the president, have more direct relationship with the village and then that information is kind of brought back to us as a board. So I have never been the president of the park board. If I ever were to become, then I would have more interminglings between the village and the direct relationships with the village. But currently, as it sits, I'm kind of I'm receiving the information secondhand and then we mull over what information we're given and then and then kind of make decisions as a as a board.
Speaker 1:So talk about that process. What? What happens when something's presented to you, or an idea or the agenda? You know something's presented to you, or an idea or the agenda. How do you?
Speaker 2:if you have questions or you're unsure, what are you doing to go about and, you know, get those questions answered. Yeah, we have a very understanding board right now there's. We've all become very comfortable and close in terms of working together and friendships. So, simply asking and saying you know whether it's in the meeting itself or there's a couple guys on there Well, jeff Apel lives, you know, a block away from me. I can you know mosey over and talk to him. Or Mike Gandy, on there is one of the greatest guys and I can you know ask him anything and we have. We can call each other and say you know we talked about this and I still don't understand that.
Speaker 1:So, or there's more I want to talk about that being in conversation in the meeting itself is very comfortable, but then also having the ability to call somebody up and say, hey, let's talk more about X, y, z. So maybe talk about how you've been able to individually make a difference, whether it be with an individual issue or maybe something you brought, or anything like that, where you may be taking a leadership position.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so individually, I have, you know, we're never a split vote, we always seem to agree on things.
Speaker 2:But I have ties to MBSA as well, the Mokina Baseball Softball Association, and I'm kind of the liaison there between the two boards and there's things that I, you know, anytime you have two entities discussing and there's financials between the two, someone's always feeling like they an opportunity to kind of explain where money is being spent to MBSA and explain things to the park district and say, hey, you know, we're collecting payment, we need to do X Y Z or we need to make sure that we're doing X Y Z for this.
Speaker 2:You know, entity that is essentially a client, um, and then, in terms of like, directly on the park board, I feel like with this barn, the barn renovation has been like the, the focus or the focal point, um, so not necessarily like having it my way, or or, you know, saying like, oh, we need to do this, but also but presenting an idea and saying like, well, what if we did it this way? Or what if? What if there was, what if there was this instead of that? Um, and and bring that up to the board and then have it be discussed. And and I don't necessarily feel like I was responsible for that, but also that we brought it to the table and we talked about it and it got discussed and now we're moving forward in that direction.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so how about? You know, one of the things that has kind of grown and changes as technology becomes easier is, you know, the idea of making meetings more accessible. And the school district went through this kind of during covid, by force, if nothing else, but uh, and you know, found a way. How do you feel about? Do you think those meetings should be more public? Do you think there's a way the park district could um draw more community involvement or anything? Any suggestions or thoughts you might have?
Speaker 2:So one that I haven't presented to the board but have had thoughts about. Is I really like what Dr Olanitis does every Friday? He presents like a weekly whatever. It is YouTube video and it's in different platforms. You can read it and you can see the YouTube video. I always watch the YouTube video every Friday. I look forward to it.
Speaker 2:I don't think that that would be a terrible idea for every Friday or every Monday or however, whatever the timeframe would be just to make a 60-second video that could be put up on the Facebook page or put up on the website and say this is what we've done this week. You know, have a great week, or this is what we've done. This is what has been discussed. You know our meeting is the fourth Tuesday of every month. Come on out.
Speaker 2:I think that would be a decent idea. Or just to kind of mimic what the school system does, where they text you as something's happening or as something's going on. That would be something I would have to learn about, but I don't think that that's a terrible idea where the park district could send out a text message and and update people. That was actually something I was going to present to George too. I haven't talked to him about it, but I don't think that's a terrible idea for whoever becomes the mayor to to throw out the same thing, same thing that Dr Rollinitis does, where the you know a two or three minute video just updating the, the public, the public do.
Speaker 1:What do you think about? What are your thoughts on the idea of record it, having, uh, those meetings recorded? The park district board meetings.
Speaker 2:I don't.
Speaker 1:I personally don't have any problem with it being recorded, I mean, you think it provides a benefit to the community or something they should do? Or do you think it provides a benefit to the community or something they should do, or do you think it causes a hindrance? I mean, I've heard both. I've heard both ways. Even you know, school board says sometimes you put people in front of a camera and they're not going to speak as freely or they might. You know, maybe you get somebody that wants to be more political than another. But you know, it seems the way that a lot of the boards and things are moving nowadays, and so maybe you don't think that way though.
Speaker 2:I personally don't. I think it would be perfectly fine to record. I know, like you're saying, the village does it, the school board does it. I think you should be able to speak freely but also appropriately, and whether there's a camera there or not, I think you should behave the way you're going to behave. But no, personally, I think maybe the reason why, or one of the reasons why it might not be recorded, is we don't we honestly don't get a lot of turnout to to those meetings. But I hear what you're saying too is like people might. People would rather watch it rather than show up to a meeting at six o'clock at night. So I think it's definitely an idea worth exploring and an idea worth presenting to the board and to Greg.
Speaker 1:And you know, it just seems kind of the way taxing bodies I mean you can go on Tinley Park's YouTube page and watch their zoning and planning meetings. I mean it's just, you know, people want, in my opinion, people want more transparency, and across our village I think it just gives people the ease of mind to you know. Okay, well, it looks like they at least know what they're doing or they can peek in when something's of interest.
Speaker 2:But yeah, and to that point I feel like everything explodes around election time. And then you're saying well, we've been doing this, we've been doing this, we've been doing this. And then sometimes people are like well, why haven't you been telling us that or why haven't we been made aware of this prior? And then it almost feels like everything, all the information that's being given is for the election. It's not necessarily an update, it's a political move. So I would agree with you. I agree that it's very. It's something we should look into.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and maybe some of that comes from the lack of a consistent communication. You know if you're consistently hearing from, say, the school board or you know getting an additional communication from the village you know our mailer we get in our water bill, you know. Maybe that's enough enough along with the opportunity you know for that exposure. But I think having those two might be ways to draw people in and get people more involved. You know a number of trustee candidates talked about the lack of people at their meetings and maybe that's not necessary. Maybe you can get information other ways. But it's a good sign of, I think, local engagement and interest and good ways to get people more interested and seeing different ideas. Like you said, a lot of it comes up during the election and it's only presented or talked about at that time. But the idea to keep an ongoing conversation, I think helps in a lot of ways. How?
Speaker 1:do you have. You had talk about any experiences. You've had a village board meeting.
Speaker 2:I have gone in for meetings with Brent and Christoph. When I was, I had community dealings with them and they were fantastic to work with Great guys trying to help me with a business we were running and built relationships with those two guys and just found them to be incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. They wanted our business to grow and to flourish and to be part of the community and it was a great time working with those two fine gentlemen.
Speaker 1:Talk about your experience and what you believe that would add value to you and how you could be a better trustee.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I believe I'm a people person and I'm an honest person. I'm not going to lie and say that I've watched every village board meeting and just to cover myself and sound more. You know, sound more than I am. I think I'm honest to a fault and I think I enjoy listening to people and I enjoy hearing ideas. I know that I'm I don't necessarily have the right answer, but by talking to the people in the community and talking to find people like yourself, you get these great ideas. And I continually end up in these roles where differences can be made or ideas can be brought up.
Speaker 2:I think I'm a person that isn't it's not going to be my way or the highway, it's not going to be something that know my way or the highway, or, and it's not going to be something that I. I enjoy listening to people, I enjoy talking to people, I enjoy hearing both sides of it. Um, I love debating and and I honestly don't don't care if I win or not, you know it's just fun to um to have conversations that better both sides and I think I'm very comfortable having conversations. I'm comfortable with uncomfortable conversations and hearing things from both sides and kind of taking a minute to mull it over and then come back together and present the best idea or go with the best idea, even if it's not my own.
Speaker 1:So in this election there's a chance that maybe you have a split result. So say, you're in a situation where Mayor Fleischer is reelected and you're elected as a trustee. You're elected as a trustee. How do you go about still being effective and getting things done with somebody that might not agree with you or be on the same page as you?
Speaker 2:Yes, these conversations with my wonderful wife, I like to stay. I feel like I've learned my lesson with elections and saying things in an election time when it didn't necessarily need to be said and then it kind of, you know, harms a relationship down the road. So if, if Frank were to win and I were to win, I, like Jim Schlegel was saying at at our meet and greet, you know there are things that that Frank has done. He did get hospitals built, he did get doctor's office built, he did bring things into this community. So I think I'm not plugging for Frank, but I'm friends with Mokina all the way. But I think I think there's recognition of of both sides. There are things on both sides that that have been done. I think there's, I, I think there's, you know, from from watching the videos that you've posted, there's all of the involved. People want the same thing is what it seems like. All of the people involved.
Speaker 2:What is that? What do you think? What is that Growth? I think everybody seems to be talking about growth for our community a viable downtown area, a walkable downtown area with you know, like I was saying, about the Bozo's hot dogs or Steamboat Steamboat hot dog there we go. About the bozos hot dogs, or steamboat steamboat hot dog there we go, um, something you can go up and enjoy and send the kids to, and um, have that community feel.
Speaker 2:I, I feel like the, I feel like both sides want that. I think the question of getting getting it done is is what's in question and I think, if I'm elected trustee, I think I would continue to push for that because it's been said in multiple interviews and multiple things yes, the downtown area has been what it is for multiple years, so getting it done is what needs to happen and I think that I would be able to have those conversations and, like Melissa said, yes, whoever the mayor is is the one that sets the agenda. So, but as a trustee, we can suggest and push what needs to be on the agenda, based off of community request.
Speaker 1:So if you had a magic wand that you could wave over Front Street and Mokinas downtown in general, what does that look like to you?
Speaker 2:What does that look like to you?
Speaker 2:Well, I never want to say that anything needs to go. There's things that I would definitely. I wish it was a little bit longer of a street, because I'm so excited that Doc's going in my idea of what that building could have been and I'm very happy that it's going in my idea of what that building could have been and I'm very happy that it's going to be a restaurant, very happy and proud. I think a children's museum would be cool. I like what Frankfurt has in a children's museum and I think that would definitely bring people down to our area and it would be a destination. I remember taking my kids to the Frankfurt Children's Museum every Saturday before they're in sports. You just all right, let's go play at the museum.
Speaker 2:I think that would be something amazing to add. I think restaurants would be amazing to add. I think some green space. I like you know somewhere where you can get some ice cream and go sit and enjoy your snack and just kind of take in the train. I know the like the summer is. I live on McGovernie and I get to sit out there and and watch the train go by, but I also get to watch people bring their little kids down and and stare and wave at the train. Um, so if they could, you know, stare and wave at the train and then go get some ice cream and just maybe hit the children's museum on the way out. I think that would be a way to make the downtown area a destination.
Speaker 1:So a big part of downtown is the Yunker Farm and the field there, and there's always been a lot of talk there. How do you think that plays into downtown and what do you think? What would you like to see happen with that?
Speaker 2:I like the idea of moving the train station um and then having the park district and the and the village work together to to split it into thirds where the? Uh, what would that be? The north north third, I think, if I'm getting my, the north north third, I think, if I'm getting my directions right, north third would be more for the village and then the southern. Am I doing my directions?
Speaker 1:right, Mm-hmm yeah.
Speaker 2:Two thirds would be more of green spaces and again keeping it with a destination where they come down and enjoy that park area and then keep moving on to all the wonderful things that we could have in downtown. I think those conversations have been had enough times to where it sounds like things might hopefully be in motion for that. I know that would be a lengthy process, but I think starting the process is the only way we're going to get it done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and you've heard a number of people talk about the idea of connecting trails and you've got a way to connect through, you know, potentially down to the Hickory Creek Preserve with the park district's property. I mean there's a lot of opportunity there and connecting downtown. You think you can get on your bike from the Forest Preserve and get into downtown Frankfurt or downtown New Lenox or the Village Hall. We should have a similar trail of bikes, a bike trail. So I want to talk you mentioned a little bit, but talk about your business and you had, you know that experience and kind of what happened there.
Speaker 2:Yes, so I was a teacher for 12 years. I had you know six years six years of experience in third grade and then just about six years of experience in fourth grade, and my wife and I were were, um, you know, just kind of kicking around ideas of like businesses to start and, um, we, we came across, uh, an idea of watching dogs from our house, similar to Rover. Well, pretty much, pretty much what Rover is, a rovercom. But what's that? Is that I don't know of Rover.
Speaker 1:Sorry.
Speaker 2:Rover is. It's literally there's two things there's there's Rover and there's wag, and it's literally what we, what we did. You could sign up to be a Rover pet sitter, but there's incredible fees and taxes and just it's not so. Branching out and doing it yourself is the way that we thought was the best way to go. So we had built quite the client list. We had when did you start doing the business? To 2022, january, january of 2022. And then we, we went to September of 24.
Speaker 2:So, just about three years, we were Watching, watching people's dogs from our house. It was great. We had some days, you know, some days we'd have four, some days we'd have significantly more than that. We had a client list of 360. I think it was 361 clients, obviously not all at once, but, like through the years, we had, you know, some dogs would come three days a week. Some dogs would stay with us for four a week or more and unknowingly, like I said, because of Rover and Wagon and those websites that promoted this type of business, um, we, we were under the impression that it was um, you know, okay, we're, we were paying our taxes, we were we were doing.
Speaker 2:You know everything that we assumed you were set up as a corporation. Yeah, yeah, we have an llc. We were playing with pups LLC. We, we, um, you know we were registered with the state and um had no idea that this was, um, you know, a zoning issue. So, um, part of the part of the reason why I had a had a great conversation with, uh, brent and Christoph was they let me know that that was not a business that zoning-wise, or because of zoning codes was allowed in the village.
Speaker 2:But they helped me look for property, they helped me navigate codes. They helped me. They were incredibly helpful and it wasn't like they didn't come and like shake their fist and say you have to be done, blah, blah, blah. They actually were. You know they provided a lot of leniency and saying like you need to be done. But we understand, like we can't just you know, cut the cord right now.
Speaker 2:Today, they, they very much worked with me on um options and um so far, we we have not, uh, found an option that is viable yet, uh, but we're still, we're still working and trying to figure out what the next steps are.
Speaker 1:So what was that? I mean, you get this news and this is. You know how do you deal with that? What do you do? That's a big deal.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was actually coaching. I was at a baseball practice. I was coaching a baseball practice at Heck Park, heck 4, and my wife came up with a letter you know, a certified letter saying like, hey, we got to stop the business, you just take it in, you take it in strides. At first I were, you know, it's time to be done and, as disappointing as it is, like I said, I very much enjoy the stoic reading, but I'm very much a person of what's going to happen or what's supposed to happen is going to happen. We saw the brighter side of things. We saw the. We saw like we essentially and I don't mean to you know, we loved our dog clients, but we did slightly create our own prison.
Speaker 2:I couldn't really go, I couldn't leave my house because we had, you know, numerous dogs and we cared about their safety and we didn't want to. We can't leave, we can't tell people, hey, we're going to watch your dog and then and go somewhere. So, like, even on holidays, like that, there were many reasons why, um, like I mentally accepted it. Um, I mean, it was definitely a financial hit, but, um, but mentally I I bounced back rather quickly, um, and it provided me with an opportunity to, to get in the community. I've been, um, like Josh was saying, I've been in the Mokina schools, uh, since October. Um, getting to know the kids, getting to recruit kids to come out and be umpires for uh, mbsa um and and making relationships with with more people that I never, never, would have had the had the business continued.
Speaker 1:What do you think you know that process taught you and how do you think it makes would make you a better trustee? Do you think there's anything you look at and say this was unfair or something should be different?
Speaker 2:No, I think the Well, not no to the unfair. That was human error on my fault. I should have looked into the codes. I should have, you know, I should have done a little digging on my own or made sure I know we were registered with the state. I guess I I just, you know, in a, in a silly lack of thought, uh, didn't, didn't register with the, the village, um, so I think it's just one of those things that that makes me now I know. Now I know, okay, we got to double check with every, everything. So, you know, as it ties to the village, I have that extra caution step. You know, like, if we're going to do this, we got to what, what is the red tape behind it, or what is the, what is the process in involved in doing whatever it is, um, so, and and seeing and seeing the brighter side of things, you know like, not necessarily, I think that always having a positive outlook is gonna be a great way to get things done.
Speaker 1:How do you think Mokina can be more welcoming to businesses?
Speaker 2:I think the process in starting needs to be streamlined and, to be completely honest, this is an area where I can develop a little bit of experience. I'm so glad to have Josh on our team because I think he has great ideas on how to streamline the process, so my resource would be him. I would reach out and kind of talk to Josh and say, hey, what can we do to make businesses not only want to be here but stay here? I don't know if that involves like providing incentives for coming to the community or providing tax breaks for coming and staying, but I think using our Friends of Mokina slate as a resource and kind of tapping into everyone's specialty, it would be a great start.
Speaker 1:The village has purchased some of the vacant lots that come up or like the tariff and kind of right near your house there that they're potentially hopefully developing into a restaurant, and there's a couple more vacant properties sitting on front street. What are your thoughts about the village purchasing some of the vacant properties as they come up? Do you think that's something the village should be involved in or not?
Speaker 2:I would ask, I would want to know the reason behind it, and I think those conversations would come up in meetings. What is the plan? Is the plan to sit on it and resell it for a higher value? Or is the plan to like, like you said, begin to develop it?
Speaker 1:um, so I would, I would want to know the the plan before, before I, you know, decided whether or not that's something the the village should well like the terrapin lot the village bought with the hopes that they could control what was going on there, and so so I think that would be the general idea. You have the lot right next to the old Ozinga building, in between the Hustle and Heart, that whole thing, and then you have the old barbershop lot that's a half acre, sitting there. That's been for sale, and I don't necessarily say encourage one or the other. The village has done it in the past. But I think the idea there is you control maybe who develops it, or you bring in and offer it.
Speaker 2:I would definitely want to learn more about that, but I think you're going to have success. When there's a free market and there's competition, I think it's okay to have competition within. You know, if, if another, if another, um, you know clothing store wanted to come right next door to Hustle and Heart, I think that would be okay. I think there's there's progress in competition. Um, I don't know that a that a village should kind of handcuff property to to pick and choose what goes in there. I think, um, if a business wants to come in and be part of the community and it's something that that is in line with the values of the community, I think that would be beneficial.
Speaker 1:Any areas that you know of or could think of, that you think the village could either cut costs or maybe generate new revenues.
Speaker 2:I think bringing in businesses would take down or at least stop the rise of taxes. I think if businesses like the tax revenue that we get from the Shell station and the BP and even Schilling, the tax revenue that we get from businesses like that keeps our taxes from growing. So bringing in businesses that can help with that I think is a positive. Obviously, I don't think any of those businesses would be good for Front Street. I think that would be a 191st Street conversation. But bringing in businesses would continue to bring down taxes for the people of Mokina.
Speaker 1:One of the things that came up at the meet and greet the other night. Somebody was very passionate and upset about marijuana in town and cannabis but the village, shortly after it was approved statewide, voted to not allow those businesses recreational and Mokina. We had a medical marijuana dispensary that then moved to New Lenox when they offered up. So now we have New Lenox, joliet, orland Hills, mattson, kind of all the surrounding areas embracing it. Do you think it's something that the village should reconsider or take another look at, or do you think it should be left alone?
Speaker 2:Me personally, I would not be in favor of those in Mokena, definitely not as part of the front street businesses.
Speaker 2:I think if that's a business that is being welcomed by other towns, I think all the power to those other towns, but for Mokina I personally would not want those here. What do you believe are the biggest challenges that the village faces over the next five to ten years? I think, living up to what we're all saying, front Street has been what it's been for many, many years. So there's obviously things that need to be done there and I think it's getting fresh eyes, the fresh set of eyes, in there to move things along. It's asking questions about you know why has it taken so long to do you know Z Y Y Y and let's fix it. So it seems stagnant and I think both George and Frank have said day one or day within the first month or whatever it is, I think, holding us all to it, holding all of the people running, holding us accountable for doing what we say we're doing or make sure that we're doing it. So developing Front Street is first and foremost the thing that we all want, but might come with some challenges.
Speaker 1:The next thing after the police station was built is the villages started to talk about the idea of building a new village hall. Yes, so that's obviously a huge expense and not something we'll see, probably next year. But down the road and you start to see the planning progress. Starting with that, what would you like to see, where would you like to see and what do you think the village should plan for with the new village?
Speaker 2:hall. The discussions that I've had are just on the other side of the police station, I think the new police station, putting the village hall behind that, so that we kind of have it all right there. And then I don't necessarily want to speak for my entire slate, but I think the idea of in the village hall possibly having a court system option, like Frankfurt has, where they can handle their traffic citations right there in-house, that I would present to George and our board and say you know, what do we think of the idea of including a court system, and kind of open that conversation.
Speaker 1:Would that be a replacement to like going to Will County Court? Yeah, All right. So I have a couple kind of quick questions a little lighter. We'll ease you out of this a little bit.
Speaker 2:But if you were to talk to a new resident in Mokena, what advice would you give them to help get connected into the community? Well, I would definitely give them a Park District book and invite them to join MBSA and get their kids out there playing baseball and enjoying the many things that the Park District has to offer. Kind of point them in the direction of people that they could talk to about you know the different classes that they have at the Park District and just welcome them with open arms.
Speaker 1:What is your favorite breakfast restaurant?
Speaker 2:Oh, man, etc all day. You know I like them both, but I prefer the one right here by the train tracks. I agree, I agree.
Speaker 1:How about your favorite restaurant? Train tracks?
Speaker 2:I agree, I agree. Uh, what? How about your favorite restaurant? My favorite restaurant? Uh, lately the one we frequent the most has been legends, um, up there on 191st, but uh, but for a long time we were going to Mindy's. Mindy's was was a good one, but um, I want, I want a barbecue. I want, like, a barbecue restaurant. Like what is it called? Hard Eight? There's one down in Texas. It might be everywhere, but I've only been to it in Texas. Hard Eight is a fantastic barbecue restaurant where I want to bring that to Mokina. That would be amazing.
Speaker 1:How about?
Speaker 2:your favorite. What's your go-to fast food restaurant? Pot Belly's. I think we're constantly at Pot Belly's.
Speaker 1:And what's your favorite Mokina community event.
Speaker 2:Our goodness, the 4th of July. You know being right there on McGovernie and waking up early to watch the emergency services shut down the street and line the street with the fencing and then the build that the parade has become, and then the fireworks at night. I mean the 4th of July is just, it's a we I'm sure you guys do too have a 4th of July party and it just like the whole town is taken over by celebration and that is there's so much energy, and then right after the parade it's so wild.
Speaker 1:Just to feel it dispersed throughout town and our streets are lined with cars. Yeah, it's a lot of fun. Do you have a place you set up to watch typically?
Speaker 2:Typically, we are at the cemetery right there, right by the fire station, across from Aurelio's.
Speaker 1:Good spot. A lot of people, a number of people said, with Aurelio's and the VFW on the other side, you have prime food and drink options during the parade. Going on too. Absolutely, now, that's a great event. What's your favorite thing about Mokina?
Speaker 2:a great event. What's your favorite thing about Mokina? It feels like home. My favorite thing about Mokina is you know, you go, you can go anywhere, but this, this is, this is home. This is this has a home feeling. I I could never imagine living anywhere else. Um, it just has a has a feel of home.
Speaker 1:What business, what local business, do you support the most?
Speaker 2:Uh, well, probably, et cetera. Uh, my kids have sleepovers and then their friends are always they. They don't even call it, et cetera. They call it the restaurant. Can we, can we get breakfast from the restaurant? But yeah, I would say Egg Cetera. Is you know if we could invest in Egg Cetera? We would maybe get some of that money back.
Speaker 1:Well, great, I appreciate you sitting down with me. If you understand, you can take a minute and share why people should vote for you, and you want to promote your slate, too, as well?
Speaker 2:Okay, you know I'll keep it short. I, uh, I'm a, I'm a people person. I like, I like having conversations with, with anyone and everyone. I I understand the value of people and I understand, um, that I don't necessarily have all of the answers, but I probably have a contact that does have an answer or know someone that can help me find an answer. So, and I think our slate provides those answers, I think we have some very knowledgeable people on our slate. I think Friends of Mokina has great people. That would be great for Molkina.
Speaker 1:Okay, Dan. Thank you very much. I appreciate you taking some time. Make sure to watch the rest of the candidate interviews and all the election updates on our website. Thank you.
