Review’s scrutiny unfair to Gillian
This is in response to your editorial “Cozy, isn’t it?”
I am seriously tired of your paper trashing Forest Park and its leaders. Just because your offices are stuck on Oak Park Avenue paying 50 cents per hour for parking, racking up parking tickets, is no reason to take it out on our town. Forest Park is a great town to live and work. Sorry we aren’t like Oak Park – thank God. We don’t even have enough residents here to be on the committees necessary to make a single decision in Oak Park.
What is wrong with someone coming up for a position that knows the mayor? Being a small town, it seems like everyone knows everyone here for the most part. I have been a store owner in Forest Park beginning in 1977 – followed then by a not-so-smart expansion to Oak Park for a dismal 10 years and now thankfully back to Forest Park.
I have to say I was surprised to read your article regarding Tim Gillian’s candidacy for the village administrator position. Tim Gillian is well qualified for the position of administrator. I would consider it an honor to have him on my staff. He has years of experience running a large asphalt company, and many more years of experience running on the village council dealing with residents and council members alike. Many in town are aware of Tim’s many years of service to the village and its residents. I have dealt with Tim on a multitude of issues over the years and always found him to be a fair and reasonable individual. I have never known Tim to act in a way which was not in the best interest of the village and its residents. He has served the village faithfully as a commissioner.
The residents of the town must believe he is worthy of a trusted position within the village as he has never lost an election. I find it particularly troubling that you seek to rule out Tim simply because he is and has associated with other elected officials, including Mayor Calderone. I also have to wonder why Tim Gillian is the only candidate for this position which your paper has singled out for this type of scrutiny. By your own words there are eight candidates. What about the rest of them? One has to wonder why the focus upon Gillian?
If Tim Gillian is selected for the position it should be because of his qualifications alone, and if he is not selected it should be for the same reason. To refuse to hire an otherwise qualified individual simply because of who they know is worse than hiring an unqualified individual simply because of who they know.
Dan Hurt
Consolidated Auto Service Center Inc.
Forest Park
