PEACE BREAKS OUT AT VILLAGE HALL!

Two  weeks  after  what  some  described  as  a  "shameful"  display  of discord over a replacement for retired Trustee Joyce Schmit,   the remaining members   of   Glenview's  Village  Board   did  business  as  usual  this  week, exploring the issues, debating in reasoned tones,   taking comments from the public  and  voting  –  in  almost  every  case  –  unanimously  on  a  series  of motions. 

The  Trustees  revised  Glenview's  Ethics  Ordinance to prevent people who represent clients before one  Village  Board  or  committee  from  serving  on another.     They  also  agreed  to  allow  Glenview's  employees,   elected  and appointed  officials  to  purchase  single  family homes at  the  Glen.    Village Manager  Paul  McCarthy  noted that anyone buying at the Base would have to make  that  information  public.    For  the  record,   McCarthy  says  HE  isn't moving.

The  Board   took  a  stand   for   Glenview's  trees,   approving  a   6-month moratorium  that will keep builders from chopping down anything with a trunk of 4-inches or more in diameter. 

Trustees  agreed  to continue debate on the subject of impact fees paid  by developers to our schools and parks.  Right  now,   Glenview values its land at $40,000  per  acre  in  calculating   what   should   be  paid  while  neighboring Northbrook values land at $500,000.    To  high  school  District 225  –  which receives money from both communities  –  that  seems  very unfair.    School Board  member  Neal  Schact   testified  that   Glenbrook  South  High  School urgently needs money for building improvements.

Schact  also  asked that properties not already under contract  at  the Base  be subject to whatever new rate is approved.    He  expects up  to  200 new students from the Base  –  a situation which may necessitate costly new construction.  Trustees Kent Fuller and John Patton,  Jr. voiced opposition to that idea, suggesting that developers would pay Glenview less for land if fees go up.

The Village does plan to make payments to any school district receiving students  from  the  Base,   but  a parent  who sits on District 34's  facilities committee said those payments would not cover the costs of constructing  a new school  –  something that will be necessary to accommodate  up  to  800 new  students.   She  stressed  that taxpayers  will be asked to foot that bill.  Board  President  Nancy  Firfer  agreed,     despite   earlier   claims   that redevelopment at the Base will not cost taxpayers anything.

Trustee   Fuller   cheerfully   noted   that   the schools   will   see  large increases  in taxes when the  TIF  is retired in nine or more years.    The  bad news  is  that  most  of  our kids will be long gone from  Glenview  schools  by then, and taxpayers will be asked to pay more in the mean time.

DON OWEN  DROPS THE BOMB

Just before the meeting adjourned at 1 am,    when  reporters  for  the Glenview Announcements  and  Chicago Tribune  had left and few members of the  public  remained,   the director of redevelopment at the Base announced some shocking news.    Village costs for infrastructure, payments to schools and financing costs may exceed expectations by more than $100 million. 

Don Owen cited the need to pipe water from  Northbrook to Glenview so taps will run and toilets will flush in the pricy new homes now being built,   and based  on new assumptions about the size of families moving to  the  Glen  he said "make whole" payments might double.

These stunning numbers prompted speedy approval of another  deal  at the Base.    Citing our apparent financial need,  all five Trustees  okayed  the sale of 41 acres north of Willow Road to  Home Depot.   The company will pay $9.75  million  to build a  new shopping center with more  than  1200  parking spaces.

The  land  in question  provides  habitat  to  rare  birds  and  butterflies which  are  moving toward extinction as their habitat is destroyed. Trustee Rachel Cook expressed  regret  over  the  "necessity"  for  development  and pledged  to  try  and  preserve open space elsewhere in the Village.    Trustee John Crawford  agreed  that  open space  is important to Glenview.    Trustee Kent  Fuller,   who  is  sometimes mistaken for an environmentalist,   said  he thought many people in Glenview would enjoy shopping at the new Home Depot.

SAY IT ISN'T SO!

By this time,  the Board had been meeting for more than five hours and no serious effort  was made to interrogate Owen about his projections.   It's worth  remembering,   however,   that  estimates  of future costs have been wrong  before.    Last  spring,   the  Chicago Tribune reported  that  Glenview expected to spend  $12 million  for building demolition at the  Base  when  the actual cost was $3.6 million.    Likewise, our consultants figured it would cost $24 million to remove runways.  In fact, we paid $4 million.
   
STILL TO COME

Board  President  Nancy  Firfer  says she's still searching for a suitable candidate to fill the post vacated by Joyce Schmit and is taking into  account suggestions from Trustee Donna Pappo.    Firfer stressed that by law the job of  appointment  belongs  to  her  and  she  is  not obliged to consult with the Trustees in advance.    A word to  the  wise  Board  President:   By  law,   the Trustees  are  not  obliged  to  approve  your appointments,   so  it  would  be prudent and a mark of good leadership to talk things  over  with  our  elected officials before trotting-out your next nominee.

THE NAME GAME

Also  on the horizon,   long-awaited names for streets and parks at the Base.    Board  permitting,   the lake will be known as   "Lake  Glenview,"   land around the lake will be called "Gallery Park" after Admiral Gallery.  (Watch for a plaque to tell you about the Admiral.)  The North-South street will be known as "Patriot Boulevard",   and the Children's park will be called "Little Bear."    A poll of the public found 799 people favoring  "prairie flowers"  as a theme for street names while 508 liked   "military history."    The  Evanston  consultant hired  to do this job chose names from both camps,   and  it  appears  he  will heed  the  majority  when  it comes to titles for smaller parks.    The  survey stated  simply that those parks would be named for past  Village  Presidents.  One hundred and fifteen people said that was okay with them,   but 380 were apparently  not  warmed  by  the  prospect  of  places  like  Smirles Park  and Firfer Park.  They spontaneously wrote-in other ideas.

LISTEN AND LEARN

This Friday,  January 21,  the EPA's Jonnie Wilson will speak on "Toxic Wastes in  Your  Neighborhood"    at 1 pm  in   Barrington's  Public  Library,    505  NW Highway.   Then, on February 22 at 9:30 am, noted geologist and plant expert Raymond Wiggins will give a talk titled   "From Glaciers to Wildflowers"  at the Northbrook Hisotrical Society, 1776 Walters.

YOUR TURN

What's on your mind? Drop us a line by e-mail at GlenviewWatch@aol.com or the old-fashioned way. We're at 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025. Thanks for reading. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors of The Watch.

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