Crossman named to open seat on Lyons Township board

By Steve Metsch

It turns out that Gary Crossman likes to stay busy.

About a year after he retired from the public works department in Bridgeview – with traveling on his agenda – Crossman has agreed to become a trustee for the Township of Lyons.

Crossman, 62, fills the vacancy created when former township trustee Mike Porfirio was elected to the Illinois Senate in November, replacing former senator and current Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek in Springfield.

Crossman was sworn in during the township’s board meeting of March 14.

“It gives me great pleasure to appoint Mr. Crossman to the position of trustee,” Township Supervisor Christopher Getty said.

“Gary is a public servant with vast experience of serving on boards in the township. He’s been involved in local government for many years,” Getty said.

Crossman, a Bridgeview resident, said he stepped down from the Indian Springs School District 109 board to serve on the township board.

“I think it’s an honor working amongst all these great people and working for the township,” he said after the meeting.

When Getty asked him to serve, he agreed.

Asked what he can do to help the township improve, Crossman said, “That’s a tough question.”

“Where can I put my experience to help the township? I have to feel that out. I felt my way through the (district) 109 board, using my experience, and I’m going to do the same with the township,” Crossman said.

After the meeting, Getty called Crossman “a dedicated public servant.”

“He’s proven that through his involvement in his community and we’d like to expand on that,” Getty said. “He’s certainly knowledgeable.”

Crossman was sworn in by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Nick Kantas.

Louis Gale, a trustee on the La Grange Village Board, and Elyse Hoffenberg, Lyons Township clerk, were sworn in by Kantas to the township’s mental health commission.

Gale and Hoffenberg both reside in La Grange. Gale replaces Kantas on the mental health commission.

In other business, the board approved six donations to area organizations:

• $200 to the La Grange Kiwanis Club’s pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 30 at the Robert E. Coulter, Jr., American Legion Post 1941, 900 S. La Grange Road, La Grange.
• $250 to Indian Springs School District 109 for its third annual back to school bash on Aug. 5 at Wilkins Field in Justice.
• $300 to the VFW Post 10778 of Western Springs for its Memorial Day Parade on May 29.
• $500 to the CommUNITY Diversity Group in La Grange for a mosaic art project.
• $3,000 to the River Runs Through It Rendezvous’ school day on Sept 8.
• And $10,000 grant to the Greater Chicago Food Depository in support of the 12 monthly mobile food pantries held throughout the township this year.

The board awarded a $40,918 contract to KLF Enterprises Inc., for demolition of a house at 6211 Linden Lane to make room for a retention pond to ease flooding woes in the La Grange Highlands.

The board’s next meeting will be the annual town meeting planned for April 11 at the township headquarters.

“I hope you’ll all return. It’s a great way for all of us to come together,” township Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg told the large crowd that gathered for Crossman’s swearing in.