Orland Park Mayor (name not specified) told residents at a State of the Village meeting that “everything in Orland Park is is going well,” and reviewed work on roads, parks, public safety, economic development and the downtown "Triangle" tax-increment financing (TIF) district while answering resident questions about parks, traffic enforcement and local zoning.

The mayor said the village has raised its pavement condition from an index of about 48 in 2018 to the 60s after doubling road spending, completed or renovated dozens of playgrounds and parks since 2020, and recorded six of the lowest six years for index crimes in a 31-year tracking period. He also described a long-running TIF dispute and finances tied to the Triangle downtown redevelopment, audits that were delayed for multiple years, and steps the village board has taken in response.

Why it matters: The address packaged major local priorities — capital projects that residents see (roads, parks, a planned downtown) and underlying finance decisions (TIFs, debt, audit delays) that determine how and when those projects can be paid for. The mayor’s remarks included concrete project timelines and dollar figures that shape upcoming public hearings and board decisions.

The mayor summarized capital progress and plans. He said the village repaired about 32 of 55 playgrounds since 2020 and expects to have renovated 42 of 55 parks by 2027; Shusler Park has had flooding work and two turf fields installed and will receive an all-abilities playground in its second phase. Dugan Park will gain 10 lighted pickleball courts, along with restored baseball fields.

On roads, the mayor reported the pavement condition index improved from roughly 48 in 2018 to the 60s after increased spending; he said the village aims to keep most drivers under 30 mph and runs regular enforcement. On public safety he cited FBI-derived comparisons: for towns over 50,000, Orland Park has had among the lowest violent- and property-crime rates in recent years.

The Triangle/Downtown TIF and redevelopment drew extended discussion. The mayor reviewed the history of the Triangle TIF (land assembled over many years, large public spending on land acquisition and infrastructure) and said independent studies now value the planned downtown redevelopment at approximately $80.5 million in total development cost, with roughly $33 million funded from TIF increment for utility relocation and the construction of a new Heroes Park. The redevelopment concept approved by the board in May 2022 aims for mostly retail, restaurants and civic park space, explicitly excluding new residential units, and the developer plans phased construction and public hearings before work begins. The mayor said the village expects construction to finish in phases by about 2026 if financing and agreements proceed on schedule.

Finance and audits: The mayor addressed a widely raised concern about delayed audits. He said the village’s 2021 audit was not completed until December 2023 after its prior audit firm was acquired and failed to deliver in a timely way; the board fired that audit firm when the delay became apparent and issued an RFP for a new auditor. The mayor said the new firm completed the 2022 audit (a clean opinion) within five months and the village expected a draft of the 2023 audit within weeks. He reported an accumulated Triangle loss of about $47 million after reviewing prior accounting transfers and said the village had been working to “get caught up” on audits and transparency.

The mayor also described protracted talks with local school districts over extending a TIF and negotiating payments or concessions. He said the village earlier offered development-related payments and property transfers to the school districts in exchange for a 12-year TIF extension; those offers were declined, and the village later restructured the plan by shrinking the existing TIF boundaries and creating a new 23-year TIF for other parcels. The mayor characterized the districts’ decision to delay or decline as having reduced the districts’ potential near-term benefit and said the village has paused some offers until after elections.

Annexation and zoning: The mayor described efforts to stop a proposed junkyard or impound-style use at 170 First and Wolf Road (in unincorporated Cook County). He said the village passed a resolution opposing a special-use request and plans to attend the county zoning hearing scheduled for March 5; he urged residents in neighboring subdivisions to appear at the zoning board hearing. He noted the village can force-annex parcels smaller than 60 acres but that the disputed area exceeds that size, limiting immediate options.

Other projects and policy changes: The mayor gave an update on the long-planned 140th Street project (split into three sections; the Southwest Highway to West Avenue portion has $7 million in federal funding and is slated to start soon), described efforts to obtain federal grants for other roadway sections, and recapped why the village raised its home-rule sales tax and removed vehicle sticker fees — choices the mayor said shifted some funding to consumption taxes to preserve property-tax stability and pay down long-standing unfunded capital needs.

Residents pressed for details. Questions at the meeting included whether Shusler Park would be fenced for children with autism (the mayor said there is no fence plan and the village expects guardians to supervise children), whether the village would install speed bumps (the mayor said Orland Park does not use speed bumps because of plows and emergency-response concerns), and whether the village would sell Orland Health & Fitness (the mayor said there are no plans to sell; the village operates it at market rates but has incurred large capital repairs since acquisition).

What’s next: The mayor encouraged public participation in the March zoning hearing about 170 First and Wolf and said the village would continue permitting and public hearings for the Triangle TIF work. He said the board had taken steps on audits, contracted a new audit firm, and planned to present audit results to the board when drafts are available.

The mayor closed by noting the village’s aim to preserve reserves and finish several capital projects already underway and invited residents to upcoming park and downtown events.