MR. CARLSON'S DEAL WITH THE DEVIL

Glenview's newest Trustee cast his first vote Tuesday night – a tie-breaker that cost School District 225 about a million bucks.  The question:  Should the Village apply a new formula for calculating impact fees to properties yet to be sold at The Glen?   Opponents Kent Fuller, John Patton Jr., and Nancy Firfer felt it would be wrong to raise the rates since developers who bid on property at the Base assumed they'd be paying under the old formula that valued Glenview land at $40,000 an acre. 

Supporters Donna Pappo, Rachel Cook and John Crawford thought it wrong for the Village to give The Glen's developers a break.  "Justice and equity require that new buyers at the Glen pay the same as others in the Village," Pappo said.  Crawford argued that the Village has been talking about raising impact fees since 1996, and developers should have been aware of that. 

In explaining his decision to vote against an equal application of impact fees, Larry Carlson cited Requests for Proposals – documents sent to developers interested in buying at the Base.  These RFP's made no mention of higher impact fees and seemed to Carlson a binding contract.  "It doesn't matter if you give your word to the devil himself.  You have to live with that," he explained.

Firfer agreed, expressing her concern for the Village's reputation in the development community.  She made no mention of her reputation with the voters.

Parents take note.  Not a soul appeared from Districts 225 or 30 to advocate for our kids on this one.  Anyone running for School Board?

FOOTNOTE: The score on independent thinking displayed by Carlson in his first night on the Board: 0 -1.  Watch for updates on the score.

SMALL VICTORIES COURTESY OF NEW TRUSTEES

The Board did agree to adjust the formula for "make whole" payments – TIF dollars that will compensate the schools for The Glen kids in their classrooms. Give a gold star to former PTA President Pappo for fighting that battle, and credit all three of the Glenview First Trustees for assuring that higher impact fees will at last be paid by developers in other parts of town.  The Board voted to consider the market value of land each year in calculating those payments to parks and schools.

REPRESSION RULES AT VILLAGE HALL

Once again, Glenview police officers were on duty for the Board's meeting, and once again our elected representatives used their power to silence the public.  Former District 225 board member Art Wulf tried to speak on impact fees and was shouted down by President Firfer.  She felt enough had been said on the subject and decreed that no further public input was needed.   Those three Trustees who campaigned on a promise of open government sat quietly through several minutes of verbal jousting.

SAVE THE DATE

Want to know more about plans for the Mixed Use Retail Center around Hangar One at the Base?  Board Members ignored a plea from Hangar One preservationist Liz Dinsmore, voting instead to approve sale of that property to a company that specializes in movie theater construction.  Their plans for a multi-plex, restaurant, book, record and other stores will be outlined for the public at Village Hall from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturday, March 11 and  March 18.   Don't forget to ask what that "civic building" on the map might be.  Is Glenview's Library moving west?       
               
A PRAIRIE UPDATE

Catellus, developer of the Glen's industrial park, outlined its plans for a four-story office building and 480 parking spaces within 1000 feet of Glenview's new prairie.  The developer pledged to bank nine acres of land in the backyard of that building – creating a larger stretch of open space for wildlife.  That's possible in part because Catellus is building within 50 feet of Willow Road.

Sandy Hausman, president of the Glenview Prairie Preservation Project, urged the Board not to make any decisions until the Environmental Review Committee has a chance to say how much of the area should be designated as environmentally significant – eligible for protection from damaging development nearby. 

Trustees Cook and Fuller expressed concern about the proximity to Willow Road, and the matter was tabled to allow further work on designs that might move the building back.

MAKING AMENDS

After bulldozing hundreds of acres that once  provided habitat for rare birds and butterflies at the Base, the Village announced plans to landscape a small park near the new Dominick's store at the Glen.  One hundred and twelve trees will be planted on a 1.3 acre parcel!
               
KING KENT?

Is Kent Fuller building an empire to rival our Park District?  Fuller is the guru behind plans for the elaborate Great Park, prairie preserve and Techny basin to be owned and operated by the Village.  With no background in park management, Fuller and his friends at Village Hall plan to spend a million dollars to maintain the new park in its first year and will  pay $750,000 a year for the next two years – presumably to outside contractors.  

Experts at Glenview's Park District who could be providing valuable advice and resources are getting the cold shoulder from Kent and friends, and the Village has announced plans  to hire a staff naturalist.

Is Fuller (who plans to retire from the EPA this spring) in line for the local job, or will he launch a new consulting business with a contract from Glenview?  Does John Patton, Jr. plan to go along with this scheme in exchange for a promise that Fuller will not run for Village President – a job Patton covets?


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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