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The
Glenview Watch July 8, 2001 |
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This year's Fourth of July parade featured the usual mix of community groups, from scout troops, churches and librarians to a replica of Wrigley Field, complete with the voice of Harry Caray. That float, dubbed Henley Field, was created by residents of a neighborhood that may feel neglected by village efforts at The Glen. It featured a mysterious scoreboard giving Henley 25, Glen 0. It turns out the neighborhood is celebrating its 25th birthday this year.
A downtown dog grooming business, Groomingayle's, charmed the crowd with its parade of pooches wearing red, white and blue top hats, and The Jesse White Tumblers wowed `em, as always, but perhaps the most creative and colorful float belonged to COWS – the Citizens Organized for Wagner's.
Members dressed as cows and farmers or wore special faux cowhide caps and tee-shirts with a photo of Brownie the cow. They sat atop bales of hay on a flatbed pulled by an antique tractor that belonged to Pete Wagner. The entry sparked smiles, applause and "moos"along the parade route, but at the reviewing stand, a panel of judges snubbed the entry – awarding the top prize to the giant Jewel shopping cart that appears in several community parades each year, and six other prizes to Cub Scout Pack 10, the Glenbrook South Marching Band, Good Times Day Camp, Twelve Good Friends Playing Euchre, Immanuel Lutheran Church and the Henley Street Neighborhood Association.
Glenview Watch was unable to reach any of the judges for comment. All four were employees of Glenview State Bank or their relatives. Asked why they were given the honor of judging, Independence Day Commission Chairman Dennis Hebson said the bank had contributed $5,000 for the festivities, and "that's a lot of money!"
The judges sat on the reviewing stand with long-time members of Glenview's political establishment – former Village President Nancy Firfer and Former Police Chief Dave Kelly, who were grand marshals of the parade, former Trustee Bob McLennan, whose wife Becky was on the Independence Day Commission and other members of that Park District panel: Former Village President Jim Smirles, Former Trustee Emil Ulstrup, Connie Conway, Cook County Commissioner Gregg Goslin, former Chamber of Commerce Chief Terry Graham, current Chamber of Commerce Chief Cathy Miles, former congressional aide Ginny Hotaling and District 225 President Carol Rogal.
Seated atop the C.O.W.S float, political independents such as Norma Morrison, Richard Feit, Biff Thiele and Mike Luxem who have challenged the political elite over issues like Wagner Farm, teardowns and prairie preservation. C.O.W.S has appeared in eight consecutive parades without once receiving an award.
Editor's note: In 1999 Jewel, gave $12,000 to Glenview's Centennial celebration, and Glenview State Bank donated $27,500. Centennial Chairman Jim Smirles also sits on the Fourth of July Commission. Smirles and Hebson are long-time supporters of Glenview's dominant political party, now known as Unite Glenview.
We asked Denny Hebson how one gets appointed to the Independence Day Commission. He said he makes the appointments with help from the Park District. In other words, it's who you know and what you spend, and political outsiders need not apply.
The Park District's Director of Recreation Services, Mary Van Arsdale, says the commission's main function is fundraising, but as 3-year terms expire, she hopes it can be opened to others in the community who have diverse talents and interests. To that we say amen. Glenview residents should reclaim control of their community, stop begging corporate contributions and put an end to cronyism. It might cost us $30,000 to fund our own festivities, but the founding fathers would – we're sure – applaud our declaration of independence.
CITIZENS PLAN LIBRARY STUDY
Anticipating a referendum for the new library this fall, members of the League of Women Voters have formed a study group to analyze plans for the library's future. Talking with independent sources, the League hopes to provide additional perspective and perhaps to spark greater public disclosure by the Library Board and village planners.
CONTROVERSY STRIKES NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP
The usually quiet corridors of Northfield Township government are ringing with some pretty hot charges these days, all because Highway Commissioner Peter Amarantos wants to buy the township's garage at 1928 Lehigh Avenue. He thinks the $450,000 investment is a good one and is making plans to build a new salt bin and open a recycling center for oil and paint there.
The township has been paying $42,000 a year to lease the property, and former Highway Commissioner Joe Vokaty thinks that arrangement should continue. The township only maintains 20 miles of road, and as more property is incorporated, shifting the burden to Glenview, Northbrook or Northfield, he says the highway department could be going out of business.
Amarantos says the property could always be sold, and with The Glen development nearby, that might produce a good return for the township. Vokaty says the highway commissioner is a "loose cannon on a ludicrous spending spree with taxpayers money."
Township trustees say the commissioner does have authority to purchase the garage, and they're satisfied with the services provided by Amarantos' department. They will, however, move ahead with plans for increased accountability on future spending – a key demand by Democrats who challenged the board and won a single seat in the last election. At their 7 p.m. meeting on July 10 at the Northfield Township building across from Glenbrook South High School, they'll vote on a proposal to make information available to the public before matters are debated. The trustees are also working with the United Way to determine the social service needs of Northfield Township. Each year for the past five years the township has spent $120,000. Democrats had said that amount seemed low and urged a study.
EAST GLENVIEW'S STATE REP AIMS FOR HIGHER OFFICE
Democrat Jeff Schoenberg, who represents a part of Glenview in Springfield, is campaigning for a new job – challenging incumbent State Treasurer Judy Barr Topinka. Schoenberg describes himself as socially liberal but fiscally conservative, noting that he has worked to abolish the Illinois Tollway Authority and to block a special subsidy for Arlington International Racecourse. The 41-year-old Evanston resident pledges stricter accountability in state spending and greater efforts to develop hi-tech and bio-tech companies in Illinois.
CONGRESSMAN PREFERS CRUDE
For those who admired former Congressman John Porter's record on the environment, his successor is proving a bit of a disappointment. While 10th District Representative Mark Kirk opposes drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska, he voted to allow the addition of 40 drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Kirk cited the country's need to reduce dependence on oil from the Middle East.
ENERGY EFFICIENT GLEN HOMES WIN PRAISE FROM WASHINGTON
Not everyone is keen on the architecture of new homes at The Glen, but the design of some is winning high praise from Washington. Cambridge Homes has qualified for Energy Star certification – a seal of approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy. Using high efficiency windows, set-back thermostats that turn down heating and cooling when no one is home, Tyvek home wrap, extra insulation and ducts within the home's insulation barriers, Cambridge has created houses that are 30 percent more energy efficient. Experts say that could save the average homeowner $40 a month. On the other hand, Energy Star construction adds about $1,000 to the cost of a typical home, and that translates into $7 a month on your average mortgage. Cambridge is the Chicago area's largest home builder, and the feds hope their example will inspire others.
PRAIRIE UPDATE
The Glenview Prairie Preservation Project has announced three new initiatives. The group plans to approach local corporations to encourage the use of native plants in their landscapes. Americans spend $27 billion a year to maintain turf grass – a plant that does not grow easily in this climate. Lawns require pesticides, fertilizers, weed killers and water. Experts say prairie plants do not require intensive care, offer valuable habitat for wildlife and provide better flood control by sinking roots deep in the ground.
The group will continue to lobby for prairie protection and to publicize opportunities to visit and help maintain the Air Station Prairie. Work days are set for August 5 and 18 while tours will be given on July 28 and August 11 – times and meeting points to be announced.
This week, there will be a meeting to discuss sludge removal and wetland creation around the prairie on the northeast corner of the former naval air station. It will take place Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. in The Glen project office north of Lake Avenue off Shermer Road. For details, contact Amy Ahner at 998-9500.
GET WELL WISHES
Three members of Glenview's present and past political circle are recovering this week from injuries or surgery. Park Board member Catherine Crowley suffered a broken arm during family festivities on the Fourth. Zoning Board member Mary Novotny had knee surgery, and 66-year-old former Congressman John Porter is home after triple-bypass surgery. Porter had gone to the hospital July 3 for a possible angioplasty but was rushed into the operating room when doctors realized how serious his condition had become. The Watch wishes a speedy recovery to all.
A QUIET WEEK IN GLENVIEW
This was a particularly quiet week for Glenview with no Village Board, Plan Commission or Park District meetings, so we took the opportunity to read the newspapers of neighboring communities. We hope you enjoy our regional roundup.
WHEELING SCRAPS PLANS FOR $1 MILLION FOUNTAIN
Wheeling officials have decided not to accept $150,000 in grant money for what village planners called Millennium Plaza. A fountain, to be located at the corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Dundee Road, has been on the drawing board for three years, costing the community $175,000 in architectural and engineering fees, but the trustees don't like any of the plans they've seen. "I have talked to a lot of constituents, and I have not met one person who likes the idea," said Trustee Dean Argiris. "I say we let dying dogs die and bury it." The project was expected to cost $1 million. Planners hoped it would provide Wheeling with a stronger identity.
WHEELING TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS TAKE PAY CUTS
Most of the newly elected Wheeling Township officials are taking a 10 percent pay cut. Their party made that promise during the last election, even though the Township has plenty of money. Trustees were earning just under $4,000 a year. Assessor Dolores Stephan opted not to cut her pay, noting that 20 years ago, when first elected, she took a 50 percent reduction. Those who are taking a reduced salary will save the township about $8,000 – money to be returned to the general fund.
PENNILESS FOREST PRESERVES CAN'T GROW
Two Cook County Commissioners pleaded poverty at a recent meeting with the Sierra Club's Northwest Cook chapter. Herbert Schumann and Michael Quigley said the county faces an $8 million deficit and cannot acquire any new land. Higher golf and picnic fees could begin to erase the debt, and Schumann said he would not oppose corporate sponsorships for various forest preserves. Meanwhile, Lake County has earmarked $41 million of its $107 million budget for land acquisition – more than four times what it spent two years ago. Lake County now has 23,000 acres of open space for wildlife habitat, hiking and biking trails, wetlands, prairies and forests. The spending spree is funded by a referendum passed in November when 67 percent of voters okayed an $85 million tax hike. Lake County also expects $6.5 million in grants.
LAKE LEVELS BEDEVIL WILMETTE PLANNERS
If you think Glenview's had a hard time coming up with a suitable maximum building size for homes, consider the plight of planners in Wilmette. They're trying to figure out what restrictions to place on lakefront construction, but as the lake rises and falls, the size of lots changes. Some in village government would like to calculate the maximum size for homes based on dimensions that occur when Lake Michigan reaches its base flood elevation – 585 feet above sea level. In a Wilmette Life story, Land Use Committee Chair Dan Carter says that only happens one percent of the time. "Ninety-nine percent of the time, those lots are bigger than that. So 99 percent of the time, they could have had a bigger house." Lakefront residents are split on the issue, and debate in Wilmette continues.
NORTHBROOK'S ROOFTOP NIGHTMARE
Northbrook faces a nightmare at its Village Hall, where an 11-year-old slate roof with a 50-year guarantee is falling apart. The Northbrook Star says the company that installed the roof went bankrupt in 1998, and the village may have to spend $600,000 on a new roof. A consultant has told Northbrook that poor workmanship and materials are partly to blame, but weather was also a factor. A build up of ice last winter caused many of the slate tiles to crack.
NORTHBROOK PLANS PATHWAYS FOR TWO-WHEELERS
Traveling by bike through Northbrook will someday be a breeze if planners have their way. The village's Environmental Quality Commission has set up a subgroup to plan a network of bike paths. Already the community has surveyed 139 families on the subject, and the Northbrook Park District plans a path through the new Anetsberger Park. Group chairman Doug Gerleman admits the community has a serious problem today. He told the Northbrook Star, "I've seen a number of families riding along the side of Dundee Road to the Botanical Gardens. How anybody could do that, I don't know."
SALVI'S ON WAUKEGAN AWAITS ITS FUTURE
Owners of the now shuttered Northbrook restaurant called Salvi's Caravelle Inn are frustrated by the collapse of a development deal. They had hoped to sell a portion of their property at 2370 Waukegan Road to Sunrise Assisted Living for an 85-unit building, but Sunrise has now decided not to proceed. Salvi's had hoped to open a new family-style eatery to replace the one that closed in 1999.
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS MOVES TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS
Village trustees in Arlington Heights have vowed to make the health of small businesses a priority. They're shifting their focus from construction projects to commercial success – setting money aside for a marketing consultant to help improve the community's retail climate. Officials see two big problems already: store hours are not uniform and downtown parking is inadequate.
SKOKIE RESIDENTS OPPOSE NEW MUSEUM
Folks who live near the proposed site for a new holocaust museum continue to oppose the development, saying the area around Laramie and Howard streets is too congested already. The museum's foundation says it will work with village traffic experts to prevent problems and will not win approval from Skokie if they can't achieve that goal.
PACE PRAISES SMART BUS SYSTEM
A global positioning system that relies on satellites to locate and track vehicles should make mass transit more efficient for suburban riders. That word from the local transportation authority, Pace. Planners hope the new system will mean better communication with drivers, reduced waiting time for riders and greater ridership. The system will be phased in over two years with eventual installation of information kiosks that will tell consumers where the bus is, and how much longer they can expect to wait.
GLENVIEW WOMAN APPLAUDS RETURN OF EVANSTON LANDMARK
For decades, Main Street News – at the corner of Chicago Avenue and Main -- was a fixture in Evanston, a place where you could find magazines and newspapers not available anywhere else on the North Shore. That place was opened in the mid 30's by Victor Pinto. His daughter, Glenview resident Therese Rubey, still remembers the excitement of working there. Chicago papers had five different editions each day, and Main Street was the first business in this area to offer the Sunday New York Times. The stand would sell 2,500 copies, picking them up at O'Hare each Sunday morning and rushing them to Evanston so customers could read all the news that was fit to print. It was an age that pre-dated CNN, a time when newspapers were our main source for news. "Now, everything is so instant," says Rubey.
The stand meant employment for her whole family, an uncle and some cousins. "It was a kind of fortress in the community, a safe place where people could go. There was a lot of camaraderie," Rubey recalls.
Main Street News was sold to another family in the early 70's and closed in the mid 80's, but this summer it reopened with a $250,000 cash infusion from a new owner. In the first four days of business, more than 1,000 people passed through the shop to peruse some of the 5,000 different publications, including the largest selection of out-of-town papers in the area.
Therese Rubey wishes Main Street News well and frets about the future of downtown Glenview, but she says a business of that kind could not succeed here. Our community is too small to generate the consumer traffic needed. Evanston is twice as big with a major university and two train lines connecting it to Chicago.
ELVIS HAS LEFT THE NORTH SHORE
Maybe it's a sign of the times. Wilmette sponsored an Elvis impersonator contest as part of its annual Fourth of July celebration at Gilson Park. Expecting a crowd to compete for $800 in prize money, Performing Arts Supervisor Bob Bierie advertised the event and promoted it on Elvis-related websites, but the village didn't get a single application to take part. "We didn't get one phone call. Not even a nibble," Bierie told the Wilmette Life.
A CORRECTION
In our last edition, we reported that the new Glen Club charges $30,000 for corporate memberships plus $150 per round. In fact, the $150 riding rate applies to non-members, and Glenview residents get a price break, paying $97.50 to ride and play on weekdays and $116.25 on weekends. Corporate members pay no greens fees, although they may incur extra charges for caddies, golf carts and guests. For details on rates and memberships, call 724-7272.
READERS WRITE:
Trustee Rachel Cook says her absence from an exclusive, taxpayer-funded party for former Village President Nancy Firfer and former Trustees Kent Fuller, John Patton Jr. and Joyce Schmidt was related to a scheduling problem and not to politics: "Sometimes reality is just plain boring," she wrote. "I didn't attend the former trustee/president tribute to make a political statement, but rather because I was out of town. Had I been available, I would have attended to show respect for these individuals' service to the village. As I stated in my remarks at the March 20 Village Board meeting, you don't have to agree with someone's politics to appreciate the time each has devoted to the village."
The Watch replies: Scientists have identified a mental condition called Stockholm Syndrome in which hostages begin to identify with their captors. We hope Cook and her political allies Crawford and Pappo have not fallen victim to this same disorder. Why else would they want to attend a party for the people they were elected to stop? We hope they haven't forgotten how Firfer, Fuller, Patton and Schmidt ran the village like a private company, treating dissenters like public enemies and gambling with the future of our schools.
EB was alarmed to read about Howard Silver's close call: "I couldn't believe that Village Board members really considered action against Mr. Silver. Glenview should not be like a corporation where the board of directors is a rubber stamp for management. If I don't like the management actions in a corporation, I can sell my stock. That's not the case in a village. We live here, and we have to pay taxes whether we like decisions or not. Thank goodness for someone like Mr. Silver who even dares to question. I realize that many decisions were made by previous boards, however, it's time those decision makers and staff realize that not all shareholders are thrilled."
A seven-year resident of Glenview writes: "Did you see that this year the Glenview Announcements did NOT given prominent coverage to the Fourth of July parade, fireworks and other activities. We moved across town to The Glen, and most of our neighbors – new Glenview residents – were not even aware that we had a parade, let alone where and when it was. They scoured the paper looking for it. Who would think it would be buried under Park District news? Even though the Park District sponsors it, I feel that the newspaper should have a civic obligation to cover the parades and other events in a more supportive manner. I wonder how Pioneer Press's community coverage stacks up against other Chicago area neighborhood papers."
The Watch replies: The Pioneer Press publishes many suburban newspapers in the Chicago area with varied approaches to holiday coverage. In the Evanston Review and Wilmette Life, for example, there were separate stories, while the Glenview Announcements and Northbrook Star buried the information. We've been in Glenview for nearly a decade but still can't remember exactly when things start, so a prominent listing of holiday activities would have pleased us too.
AR is concerned about rumors that next year's fireworks will be at The Glen: "Are there plans to relocate the July 4th Fireworks Show to the Glen next year? Rumors and fireworks were flying at the Golf Course on Wednesday. If this is true, whom do we contact to challenge this choice?"
The Watch replies: Fireworks next year may still be at Glenview's golf course since progress on Gallery Park at The Glen is slow, but you can expect a shift in 2003. The park was designed with fire works in mind, and it's unlikely that public protest will change the plan.
AB wants a home where his dogs can roam: "I cannot understand why Glenview voted against a dog park. I am not allowed to let my dog run in many of the parks here, even if no one is around because of unfounded fears that my dog will bite or poop. Has anyone looked at the Glenview parks and seen the human garbage? Where are dog owners supposed to run their dogs? I grew up in Chicago, and it was very dog friendly. I have come to the conclusion that Glenview residents are way too concerned about trivial things, like the extremely few dog owners who allow their dogs to poop without cleaning up rather than more important things like teenagers who drink and/or speed, which is a far more important problem."
The Watch replies: Given the large constituency for dogs in this community, we too are surprised that the park board has yet to find a place where pooches can run. Even congested Evanston has now set aside a section of beach for dog lovers and their best friends. Fortunately, our elected representatives on the Park Board are in the habit of listening to the public on a regular basis, so we suggest you come to a meeting on the third Thursday of any month at 7 p.m. in Park Center to make your case.
KB recently noticed additional roadwork in downtown Glenview: "Hey, what's going on with Glenview Road? There are a bunch of crews out there tearing it up. Are they repaving?"
The Watch replies: According to Public Works Director Bill Porter, what you saw was replacement of "delineators" – reflective pieces in the pavement. That job is now complete, but crews continue their longer-term work on the Glenview Road Bridge which should be fully replaced by mid-November. The north side is almost done, and work should begin on the south side by August.
John and Jennifer Kozicki oppose a new public library at The Glen: "We strongly support keeping the library downtown. The life blood of our town is the downtown area. By moving the library to The Glen, we will divide the community. There is already much negative feeling about The Glen, and moving the library there would only fuel the fire more."
And Terry Wodder, a former Glenview resident with an MBA in accounting & information systems from Northwestern University, continues to question projected space needs: "One of the most popular segments on the NBC Nightly News is called The Fleecing of America. It highlights examples of government waste costing American taxpayers billions of dollars each year. With the recent announcement by the library that an 80,000 square foot building is needed, it would appear that the Library Board and administration are prepared to shear Glenview's taxpayers to the bone.
"The burden which rests on those who favor the Board's current plan is to prove that the present facility needs to be expanded by 220 percent to accommodate a projected population increase of less than 40 percent. That's a mighty tall order. The Library Board should start over; do their homework by performing a careful daily analysis of how the current library is being used, and work with consultants who are truly independent, then present to the public a plan which is reasonable, cost effective and which will allow the library to expand at its present site saving the taxpayers millions of dollars in the process."
JR responds to our news about skunks: "We had one under our yard barn for a week or so, put a radio in the barn and left it on loud around the clock. As far as we know, no more skunk."
JW wonders about the restored chapel at the Glen which was built by German POW's during the Second World War: "Is there a rededication planned? If so, when, and will the former POW's be invited to attend?"
The Watch replies: The rededication will take place at 10 a.m. September 8, and while no P.O.W.'s have been invited, the public is welcome. Also on the guest list, a representative from the family for whom the building is now named. It's officially called the Richard A. Schram Memorial Chapel in honor of a stunt pilot who trained at the base. He was killed during a 1969 air show where he performed as The Flying Professor.
YOUR TURN: Share your views on local issues and news. E-mail to glenviewwatch@aol.com or snail mail to 3537 Maple Leaf Dr., Glenview, IL 60025. We look forward to hearing form you and consider readers' remarks an essential part of our newsletter. Thanks for reading! – Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott