|
|
The
Glenview Watch |
|
The Good Glenview Government party or G3 will run Donna Pappo for Village Board President. Pappo has served two years on the Village Board and was key to an increase in impact fees paid by developers to benefit schools. Until Pappo called for a change, Glenview calculated the "builder's contribution" based on a rate of $40,000 per acre. Northbrook has, for many years, valued its land at $500,000 per acre, producing generous impact fees for its schools. Before joining the board, Pappo was president of the Lyons/Pleasant Ridge PTA and of the Circles Homeowners' Association. She holds a degree in law and is the mother of four.
Joining Pappo on the ticket are three long-time Glenview residents. Gail Anderson lives in Glen Oak Acres with her husband George Kendrick. She has served on Glenview's Library Board since 1995. Among other things, Anderson persuaded the board to lower the library's tax levy after the last bonds were repaid. She also proposed and won approval to move the public comment period to the beginning of board meetings so residents would not have to sit through hours of library business before having their say.
Anderson is Director of Finance for Bell, Boyd and Lloyd, a Chicago law firm of more than 200 attorneys. In that capacity, she is responsible for the company's annual budget, accounting, banking, insurance, retirement plans and benefits. Anderson selected the firm's computer system and trained the staff to use it. She is a member of Glenview's Rotary Club, Sunrise chapter, and has served on the board of Literacy Chicago, a group committed to teaching adults how to read and write.
Tom Cernek has lived in Glenview for 35 years. He and his wife Anna May are residents of the Tall Trees neighborhood. Cernek is the father of three grown sons and a U.S. Navy veteran. By trade, he's a lawyer, a member of the Chicago Bar Association, the Illinois Bar Association and the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association. Last year, Cernek won the William J. White Award of Excellence from the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee. In years past, he served as president of his homeowners' association and was a little league coach.
Grant Ireland is a management consultant who specializes in turn-around companies. He has helped clients to improve productivity while cutting costs and advises them on customer service and effective management. Before launching his own firm, Ireland was Senior Vice President for Allied Digital Technologies, supervising 300 employees with $40 million in sales. Ireland lives in the historic Solar Park neighborhood of Glenview. He worked with the village board and the plan commission to protect the charm and character of existing neighborhoods by better regulating developers who tear down small homes and replace them with massive new houses. Ireland was also a strong advocate for protection of Glenview's landmark trees. He is married, has two grown children and a third in school at Glenbrook
UG ANNOUNCES CANDIDATES FOR TRUSTEE
The Unite Glenview Party has chosen Jeff Lerner, Mary Beth Denefe and Mike Guinane to run for Village Board on a ticket headed by Trustee Larry Carlson, who hopes to be president.
Lerner has been a member of the District 225 School Board for nearly four years. He is a trial lawyer and principal partner in the law firm of Kolpak and Lerner. A former colleague on the school board says he is an independent thinker who asks tough questions about finance. Lerner is the father of two, a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and sits on the advisory board of the National Viet Nam Veterans Art Museum.
Denefe is also an attorney who's retired from practice. She has been active in District 31 schools where she has twin sons in the 5th grade and is a member of the OLPH congregation. Sources say she was supportive but not active in campaigns to build a new school or to expand Winkelman Elementary. Denefe says her main concerns are "traffic and the library problem." She is married to Mark Anderson and lives in Indian Ridge.
Guinane was active in the campaign to build a new school at The Glen and to raise taxes for operations. He was also involved in the Farm and Fields referendum. The father of three children and a member of the OLPH congregation, Guinane works as a home improvement contractor. He ran unsuccessfully for Village Board two years ago with help from friends in Chicago. Before moving to Glenview, he was active in the city's ward politics. A resident of Glen Oak Acres, he had expressed interest in running with the new G3 party but was not slated.
In making the announcement, UG also unveiled a plan for the new library and a revitalized downtown. The news caught the executive librarian of Glenview by surprise. John Blegen knew nothing about it and said the library board has yet to vote on how much to spend or how large a facility is needed.
Editor's note: We are not surprised that Carlson and his cronies made the announcement that, by rights, should come from the library board. These are, after all, the guys who barely consulted the Park District as they planned Gallery Park and a prairie preserve. We also have to wonder how realistic the new downtown plan can be given that the public has not yet approved tax money for a new library and the Comprehensive Plan Committee, headed by candidate Carlson, is not expected to have a report ready for 18 months or more. Finally, we question the timing of this announcement. Carlson and his campaign manager Tim Doron did little for downtown Glenview during lengthy terms on the Plan Commission. Now, just before an election, they have ideas.
LIBRARY POLL'S COMPLETE. SURVEY SAYS ...
A telephone poll of four hundred Glenview residents shows strong support for keeping the library in its current location. Of the sample, 85% said they had used the library during the last year, and 61% report going there at least once a month.
If the costs are equal, 60% of respondents and 66% of library users say they'd prefer to expand or rebuild the library at its current spot. Even if it's more expensive to stay than to build at The Glen, 44% of library users prefer the downtown location, while 34% would go for The Glen.
Asked if they would support a tax hike to build at The Glen, only 33% said "yes," while 53% would support an increase to expand or rebuild where the library is now. Executive Librarian Blegen says the margin of error on this survey is 4%, so the library board can't assume victory in their ballot bid this spring.
Blegen had yet to tabulate results from 55 people who took part in the poll by internet. Results will be posted on the library's website – www.glenview.lib.il.us -- in mid January.
Following release of the numbers, library board president Richard Clark told the Glenview Announcement that members prefer to keep the library downtown, and Blegen said the group is leaning toward construction of a new building rather than an addition. On January 17, the board is expected to vote on whether to put a referendum on this spring's ballot.
BUSINESS WATCHING
While Glenview was busy wooing new businesses to The Glen, offering tax rebates to Abt and trying to figure out how we might get a GAP downtown, one more small business struggled alone in northwest Glenview. The owners of Kaden's Shoes won't talk about their situation, but neighbors say the shop in the Plaza del Prado was already feeling the pinch from Target and Kohl's down the road and were concerned about plans for a Famous Footwear in that same shopping center.
Then, they got word that their rent was going up. Unwilling to accept the increase, they tried to negotiate with the landlord, but in June, they were given 30 days to pack up and move out. Neighboring businesses said the space would be leased to Subway, a national fast-food chain that wasn't so fussy about the rent.
With 14,000 pairs of shoes in stock, the Kadens hired a lawyer and the landlord, a large out-of-state realty company, agreed to let them stay in another space – the former site of Sue's Hallmark – for six months. That location wasn't ideal. The air conditioning didn't work, and there was no place to store the shoes, but father Ted and son Neil Kaden didn't have much choice. They stacked their boxes along the walls and took care of their customers.
Despite the rumored deal with Subway, a "For Lease" sign was posted in the window of Kaden's old store, and another sign appeared in the Kaden's new window. It read: "Going Out of Business After 46 Years."
Since 1993, the Plaza has lost Max and Benny's – one of the busiest delis on the North Shore – to Northbrook. A Chinese restaurant also disappeared along with a video and music store, a pet shop, a bathroom fixture firm, a beauty shop, and stores selling candy, cosmetics and cards. Several spaces have been vacant for years, forcing residents to find goods and services in other communities.
Editor's note: While there is probably no legal role for the village in this situation, local leaders who are committed to attracting and keeping small business might have stepped in, bringing their clout to bear on the landlord or helping the Kadens to find another location in Glenview. Unfortunately, the resources of the village have been diverted to The Glen, leaving the Kadens and their customers to fend for themselves.
MORE NORTHWEST NEWS
– McDonald's at the Plaza was forced to close last Thursday after a fire broke out in the french fry vat shortly before 4 p.m. Smoke poured into the diningroom forcing patrons and employees to evacuate. The blaze was quickly extinguished by Glenview firefighters and the restaurant re-opened on Friday.
– Sub sandwiches and sushi are on hold at the Plaza as merchants prepare two new restaurant sites. Both were served with "stop work" orders for failing to obtain the proper construction permits.
SWATTING MOSQUITOES
The North Shore Mosquito Abatement Board finally met, as required by law, to discuss its budget for 2001. Superintendent Bill Henry convened the meeting shortly after 9 a.m. on Saturday, December 2, called the roll, then called for adjournment. Only two of the five board members bothered to show up – too few to conduct legal business. They tried again the following Monday when three board members were on hand to approve the 2001 budget and elect officers.
Glenview citizen Mike Luxem captured the action on tape. He's spent the last year documenting the board's work in an effort to reform or eliminate the District that will spend more than $900,000 this year.
Glenview Watch spoke with Superintendent Henry, who has been with the Mosquito Abatement District for 42 years, to get a better idea of what the organization, established in 1927, does.
GW: How many people are on your staff?
Henry: (Silence, followed by the sound of counting) "Seven, eight, nine – ten!"
GW: And you hire additional people in the summer?
Henry: Yes, between 17-20.
GW: What are your main activities?
Henry: Scouting, larviciding, adulticiding.
GW: So you look for places where mosquitoes breed, spray for mosquitoes and mosquito eggs?
Henry: Right.
GW: I note, in your newsletter, that Glenview had a count of 500 mosquitoes during one week last spring. What does that mean?
Henry: That's pretty low.
GW: Low? Skokie had 41, Winnetka had 34 and Glencoe had 23.
Henry: Well you would need to talk to our lab manager about that.
GW: What does your staff do in the off season?
Henry: We revise our maps and do maintenance.
GW: And what is your role?
Henry: I supervise the operation.
GW: What does that mean?
Henry: Who is this again? I think you'd better talk with someone in our laboratory.
We were then referred to Bill's nephew, Marlon Henry, who supervises field operations and to lab director George Xamples. Henry has a degree in chemistry and several years of experience in pest control. Xamples holds a bachelor's degree in biology and a Master's degree in public health.
Both seemed knowledgeable about the nature of their work and their mission. Marlon Henry explained that with the forest preserves, on-going problems with standing water at Glen Oak Acres and all of the construction in Glenview, last spring's unusually high mosquito count – 500 bugs found in special traps around the area – was no surprise. Construction equipment creates ruts in the landscape which, in turn, hold water that serves as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Ditto for tree holes dug in advance at construction sites.
"In Africa, you have a similar problem," Xamples said. "Elephants or rhinos walk through the jungle and leave footprints where mosquitoes breed."
While Africa still has a serious problem with mosquito borne illness, Chicago's last outbreak came in 1975 when several people were infected with St. Louis encephalitis, a disease that produces flu like symptoms and can be fatal. More pressing, perhaps, are the complaints of people who live in the 79 square mile area covered by the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District (NSMAD).
In its annual report, NSMAD refers to this as minimizing "annoyance by pestiferous mosquitoes." Last year, the agency fielded calls from 61 Glenview residents. Northbrook was next with 46 complaints, followed by Northfield with 30 and Wilmette with 29. In each case, a staffer was dispatched to spray.
Marlon Henry admits that things are pretty quiet at this time of year, although NSMAD must revise a data base of 500 sites that require attention in mosquito season and maintain a fleet of 17 jeeps and trucks. Things should get busier from March through October. Henry says staffers are paid $30,000 - $40,000 a year, with part-timers earning $8-$10 an hour. They work from 7:30 to 3:30 in most cases and must be certified by the state's Department of Agriculture.
Editor's note: The Watch would like to see a public review of NSMAD's operations and finances. We find it unlikely that much work gets done in the winter. We question how much is actually done in the summer. We wonder how much tax money is wasted by this patronage haven and would like to know more about Lake County where mosquito abatement is handled by the private sector. Want to help us start something? Click "reply," write and send.
GLENVIEW LANDMARK SOLD
Renneckar's Pharmacy, which has been at 1834 Glenview Road for 68 years, will close Thursday night, January 11. The property has been eyed for years by developers who covet its prime location near the main train station. Renneckar's was sold to Dominick's, and customers have been referred to the grocery chain's pharmacies on Waukegan Road and Lake Avenue. No word yet on how Dominick's plans to use the property, but the firm may hire Renneckar's pharmacists. About 20 other employees will be forced to find new jobs.
READERS WRITE:
RD questions District 34's math: "The Board voted to build the new school and put the operational funding question on the April ballot. What happens if it doesn't pass again? Are we spending money on a school that sits there and doesn't get used? Are they fully committing without any chance to stop the project, even if they are rejected again in April? If this is the case, how irresponsible is that?"
The Watch replies: District 34's Superintendent Dot Weber says there will have to be changes if the voters don't approve more operating money. "We will either have larger classes or fewer programs – cutbacks in music, art, physical education and technical support," she warned.
"We could cancel plans to build the new school, but then we would lose a state grant for $6.2 million. That's $6.2 million that local taxpayers don't have to pay, and there's no guarantee that if we gave up the money now and re-applied that we would get another grant."
"Besides," she added, "the cost of building a new school is only going to rise."
Weber stressed that some of the money for teachers and supplies is needed to accommodate kids from other parts of Glenview and that less than 25% of students at the new middle school would come from The Glen.
She also promised a new system-wide cost containment program to assure that the District is more fiscally responsible. "We are going to set some clear parameters for expenditures," she said.
Amy Brossard questions a recent pay raise for Village Manager McCarthy:
"During a time when most organizations and businesses are competing for the prize of being the most customer foccused, with on-line suggestion/comment boxes, and when candidates have listening sessions with their constituencies, we find that our too-long tenured Village Manager McCarthy continues to demonstrate to Glenview residents that he is not interested in their concerns, doesn't have creative ideas and is indeed the ultimate bureaucrat. Our fault is that our leaders have expected so little from him and his fiefdom and that we have allowed him to be retained this long without accountability for his performance."
RB wants the library in its current location: "Let's keep the library downtown. I am a power user and have spent many an hour using the internet, video and book collections. I also walk over to study on the weekends. Putting GPL at The Glen would be a sorry mistake. I would not be able to walk there from my home in Manor Park, and the neighborhood looks pretty unfriendly to pedestrians. I would recommend that we look to improving the existing location. Let's give everyone a reason to use our downtown all year around."
Natasha's annoyed with construction at the County Courthouse in Skokie:
"The parking garage situation is terrible. The noise factor is one thing, but the more disturbing one is the parking itself. Some very smart courthouse employees have found that parking on our street and climbing a little hill is better than taking the shuttle bus to work, so our nice quiet cul de sac is crammed with cars. Getting out of our driveways gets trickier everyday, considering our street is narrow to begin with. Daytime guests can forget about visiting, unless you have a long driveway to accommodate parking for them. During the big snows, the plow had to work around those employees' cars, leaving our street not so quite clean.
"Of course, there is nothing that we can do. One of our neighbor is trying to get our street zoned somehow for residential parking only for certain hours, but I am not sure that it will succeed. My own inquiries to the village proved fruitless.
"The project is set to last for a couple of years, so we are bracing for further inconvenience. It is sad, though, to move into a nice quiet cul de sac where you don't have to worry about too much traffic, especially with small kids and to find yourself with so many cars coming in and out that don't belong there."
The Watch replies: Your neighbor who's pursuing a special permit for your street may be on the right track. If you have questions about this approach, contact the village manager's office at 724-1700, extension 200 or 201. Folks who live near Glenbrook South High School recently won restrictions to keep the kids from parking their cars in Glen Lake Estates.
Kevin's lament: "When I was a kid stuck at home from school during the blizzard of '67, I made $100 (a lot of money in those days...especially for a kid) shoveling (not snow-blowing) most of the walks and driveways on my block and the next block over in my old Chicago neighborhood.
"Now as an ‘old man,' I can't find kids for hire to shovel (or even snow-blow) snow here in Glenview. I guess they're too busy playing video games and/or they don't need the money like I did growing up!"
BD writes about clean sidewalks: Many people do not shovel their walks because of the fact that it makes them more liable for accidents on there property. Pretty sad if you ask me!!
The Watch replies: We didn't have a chance to check this out, although we've heard the rumor. Any lawyers out there care to counsel us on this question?
BR writes about risky conditions on Lake Avenue: "I agree with RJ's comments from the last Glenview Watch. The light at the "S" curve is a disaster waiting to happen. With Shermer extending into The Glen from both the north and south ends, Shermer could have been connected to create a new north-south through street at much less cost than building a whole new road. And lets not forget about the recent cost of replacing the dirt to make Patriot Boulevard. That expense might not have been necessary if Shermer was reconnected."