Illinois EPA orders Triton to clean-up mess

Riverside/Brookfield Landmark (Bill Dwyer):

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) has ordered Triton College to removed numerous large piles of asphalt and other assorted waste materials that may include sewage sludge from Cook County Forest Preserve land adjacent to the college.

Last week the IEPA paid a visit to the campus to survey the dump site after receiving an anonymous phone complaint. Those officials subsequently ordered Triton Operations Director John Lambrecht to clean up the mess.

Proviso East was improperly dumping--mostly yard waste--in the forest preserve. After I complained the mess was cleaned-up.

A07, Triton and Proviso mailings [D209, D504]

Friday I received a mailing from Proviso Township High Schools. Saturday I received one from Triton College.

The Triton mailing had pictures of two Triton trustees. By coincidence they are the two trustees up for election and supported by board president Mark Stephens.

A07, Sen. Don Harmon's picks for Triton [D504]

Sen. Don Harmon wrote in the Wednesday Journal:

Oak Park and River Forest voters also have an opportunity to open a new era at Triton College. Oak Park resident Thomas Gary is poised to be the first African-American trustee in the college's history, and the first Oak Parker in recent memory to serve on the board. Thomas brings an impressive record to the table. He served two terms on the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners, served on my legislative staff and the staff of Cong. Jesse Jackson Jr., worked on the Service Academy Nominating Committee of Senator Barack Obama, and currently works at the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity bringing economic development and job training programs to communities in our metropolitan region. He also recently returned from a tour of duty with the Naval Reserve in Iraq.

Thomas has chosen to coordinate his campaign with the campaigns of incumbent trustees Diane Viverito of Elmwood Park and Steve Kubiczky of Riverside. I applaud his efforts to build a district-wide coalition that will help not only his election efforts but also his ability to work with his future colleagues on the Triton Board. I know Diane Viverito through her work with Cook County Commissioner Peter Silvestri, and she is a thoughtful and hard-working public servant. Mr. Kubiczky is a dedicated and detail-oriented trustee. I expect these three candidates will work as well at the board table as they do on the campaign trail.

Thomas Gary was motivated to run for the Triton Board, in part, by the series of articles in Wednesday Journal detailing the board's operation. He has long been a proponent of open and transparent government, dating back to his service on the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners. I have encouraged Thomas to make compliance with the Open Meetings Act a top priority for his service on the Triton Board, should he be elected. I trust he will do his best, and I know that Oak Park and River Forest will be better served by having him at the board table.

No matter how you vote, I strongly encourage you to cast a ballot in our local elections. I hope you will join me in voting "yes" to abolish the Cicero Township Trustee of Schools, and to elect trustee candidates Maureen Sherwood and Louis Angeloni. I also hope you'll join with me in supporting a balanced coalition of leadership for Triton College by supporting Oak Parker Thomas Gary and his coalition partners Diane Viverito and Steven Kubiczky.

This was at least partially in response to the Wednesday Journal endorsing Irene Moskal Del Giudice, Alfonza "Al" McKinnor and Thomas Gary.

Harmon is a master deal maker. I think it's reasonable to speculate Harmon got the Stephens political machine to support Gary so he's supporting the Stephens candidates in Oak Park.

Harmon is Oak Park Township's Democratic Committeeman and his senate district includes Melrose Park and Stone Park.

A07, Tapia-Reyes quits race for Triton board [D504]

Dolores Tapia-Reyes has withdrawn her candidacy for the Triton College board of trustees.See Wednesday Journal (Bill Dwyer).

Tapia-Reyes wouldn't confirm other's contentions that she was pressured into withdrawing, or any motives for someone doing so. However she said that she felt her effort lacked adequate support, and realized she wasn't adequately prepared personally and politically for the undertaking.

One observer of the Triton scene, who asked to remain anonymous, insisted that Tapia-Reyes was pressured to back off her candidacy by people concerned that her presence on the ballot would hurt Oak Parker Thomas Gary's chances for election. State Senator and Oak Park Township Democratic Committeeman Don Harmon, the source added, wanted her off the ballot.

Harmon denied pressuring Tapia-Reyes off the ballot.


Harmon's district covers a large section of Leyden Township where Don Stephens is the Republican Committeeman. Stephens' committee raised over $250,000 in the second half of 2006 and gave most of it to things he didn't need to fund. One of the causes Stephens didn't fund was Harmon's Republican challenger, Jim Rowe.

Stephens' son, Mark, is the president of the Triton board.

Did Harmon and Stephens clan make a deal or come to some sort of understanding?

Mark Stephens did withdraw his support of current trustee Irene Moskal Del Giudice of Schiller Park.