The Unite Glenview Party, winner in last spring’s local election, filed the required campaign finance disclosure with the state Board of Elections last week showing it had raised nearly $70,000 in support of Larry Carlson, Mary Beth Denefe, Mike Guinane and Jeff Lerner.

Much of the money came in the form of "non-itemized" contributions – donations of $149 or less. By state law, an individual could give that amount, as could his wife, relatives and employees, and their names would not be disclosed. Unite Glenview collected more than $23,000 in contributions of this kind.

The party also had some large donations that were itemized. Cummins-American Corporation, for example, gave $149 in February and $6,000 at the end of June, after the election. Cummins is the owner of Glenview State Bank. Its CEO, John E. Jones, is president of Glenview State Bank, the firm that employs Unite Glenview party chairman Mary Novotny.

More mysterious is a donation of $5,000 by a Cary, Illinois company called Kenzie Financial Management. There is no such firm registered with the Illinois Secretary of State, although a company known as Kenzie, Inc. is listed at the same Cary address. Kenzie is manager of the Three Oaks Fund, a $17.3 million enterprise recently cited by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC faulted Kenzie for failing to register Three Oaks before soliciting public investments. The Glenview connection is not apparent, but one political observer told the Watch, "They unquestionably expect some benefit from this contribution."

Other large contributors were:

$2,500 - Glenview resident Bryan Thalin who works for Just Manufacturing

$2,000 - Jennings Chevrolet Inc.

$1,250 - Glenview resident Steve Bucklin, president of Glenbrook Security Services

$1,550 - Candidate Mary Beth Denefe and her husband’s law firm

$1,500 - Candidate Jeff Lerner, his wife and law firm

$1,000 - Carlson Heat Cooling & Electric

$1,000 - Candidate Michael Guinane

$1,000 - Erland’s Electrical Contractors Inc.

$1,000 - Glenview resident James Kenny, president of Kenny Construction

$1,000 - Zoning Board Chairman Ty Laurie

$1,000 - William Zanoni, president of Glenview Insurance Agency

Other noteworthy contributions include $400 from Groot Recycling and Waste Services, a major village contractor, $500 from the wife of campaign chairman Tim Doron, $500 from the wife of former trustee Bob McLennan and $225 from the wife of Plan Commissioner Jack Bevington.

The Glenview Booster’s Association, a group that has supported old guard candidates such as Jim Smirles and Nancy Firfer in past elections, gave $3,000 to UG, and Citizens for the Election of Michael J. Guinane donated $688.

Substantial loans given by Zoning Board Chairman Laurie ($3,000), candidate Carlson ($2,000), former Plan Commission Chair Doron ($2,000) and former party chairman Jim Smirles ($2,000) have already been repaid.

Several out-of-town contributors are listed. They include Extended Home Living Services of Wheeling ($250), Kropp Financial Services of Morton Grove ($200), Med Enterprises of Des Plaines ($250), and Susan Lockett, a Morton Grove housewife who gave $1,000.

We phoned Mrs. Lockett on Saturday to ask about her interest in Glenview affairs. She seemed confused and suggested we might have the wrong number. When we verified her address, she asked husband Mike to get on the phone. We asked about his interest in Glenview, and after a short silence Lockett said, "We do some business in Glenview." Asked if he had a company or office here, Lockett said he did, but when we asked for the company’s name, Susan said, "A friend of ours owns a business."

Pressed to explain their involvement with village politics, Mike Lockett said they were asked by a friend to make a contribution, and they did. "We met the candidate, and we were very impressed with him," he said. When the Watch asked which candidate, Mr. Lockett was silent.

Finally, Susan Lockett said, "We don’t know who you are. You could be Joe Shmoe, so we really don’t want to talk to you."

Editor’s note: State law prohibits making campaign contributions on behalf of someone else in your own name so contributors can be accurately identified.

Most of the money raised by Unite Glenview went for glossy mass mailings to village residents. UG paid a Park Ridge firm with extensive experience on Republican campaigns more than $22,000 to design and write those mailings. A Chicago pollster, Target Research, earned more than $7,000 finding out what residents thought so UG candidates would know what to say, and a Glenview company called Morris Marketing and Communications collected $3,650 for serving as "media liasion" [sic].

We also note that the party spent nearly $2,000 on food for a fundraiser at Hackney’s on Lake, a restaurant owned by long-time political insider Denny Hebson.

The party that opposed Unite Glenview turned in a more traditional account of expenses. All itemized contributions came from village residents, and most donations were for small amounts. There was $8,173 in contributions of under $150, $9,764 in itemized donations and in-kind contributions of nearly $4,000 for a total of just under $22,000.

The biggest benefactor was Trustee John Crawford who gave $2,160 in cash and in-kind contributions. Candidate Donna Pappo gave $1,100, and Trustee Rachel Cook donated $1,060. Several of Pappo’s friends were also big contributors. Among them were Mary Sacoff, a Glenview homemaker ($1,115), Biff Thiele who is retired ($1,038), Dr. Guy Edelman ($600) and housewife Katherine Kiefer ($500). Mark Ganchiff, who was active in the campaign, gave $569. John White, a Glenview resident who is vice president of a manufacturing firm in Skokie, donated $500. Candidate Tom Cernek’s wife contributed $515 and candidate Gail Anderson kicked-in $440. Grant Ireland, the fourth member of the ticket, campaigned on a pledge of being careful with tax money and boasted that he was "cheap." Ireland gave $200 to the campaign.

Most of G3's money went for printing, mailing and yard signs.

If you tally expenses of the two parties and money spent by the Glenview Boosters Association even before the race began, the election of a village president and trustees cost nearly $100,000. You have to wonder why people would spend that kind of money, and it certainly begs the question: Are some campaign contributions legal bribes? Many people think so, and they’re promoting campaign reform at the state level.

Kent Redfield, a professor at the University of Illinois in Springfield, explains that at the federal level individuals can give no more than $1,000; corporations can give nothing, and political action committees – sometimes formed by corporations – can contribute a maximum of $5,000. "Illinois is wide open." says Redfield. "There are no limits on who can give, no limits on how much can be given."

He thinks the legislature may get the reform ball rolling with new rules for judicial races – this after one candidate for the Illinois Supreme Court spent $1.5 million.

Editor’s note: Would Glenview care to be the first village on the north shore to initiate campaign reform by restricting who can give and how much?

The Glenview branch of the Superior Bank, shut down by the federal government over the weekend, will be open on Monday at Carillon Square, providing full service to customers. Accounts were insured for up to $100,000 when the FDIC announced it was taking over. The government said Superior engaged in poor lending practices and record keeping and has suffered numerous losses on loans to high risk borrowers.

The failure could cost the feds $500 million – one of the largest losses ever for an American bank. Unfortunately, annuities, money market funds and some other financial instruments may not be covered by the FDIC, so customers at 18 different branches of the bank could lose a total of $43 million. If you have questions about your accounts, you can call the FDIC on Monday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 800-331-6306.

The bank was half-owned by the Pritzger family, which is building Classic Residence by Hyatt at The Glen. That project is financially independent, so Superior’s problems should have no impact on construction.

Glenview’s Comprehensive Plan Commission met last week to discuss a survey that will be done by its Milwaukee-based consultant, PDI. The firm has written a questionnaire that will go out to all village residents in September’s Village Report. PDI will also conduct 30-minute interviews with about 40 "stakeholders," people the commission thought should be consulted about Glenview’s future.

Former trustee Kent Fuller expressed concern that PDI’s plan did not include an evaluation of natural resources in the village, and the commission agreed that Fuller should head a subcommittee to evaluate open space in each part of town. Park Board Commissioner Judy Beck, who is not on the Comprehensive Plan Commission, volunteered to serve on that subcommittee.

Despite the fact that Glenview has declared it an environmentally significant area and the state lists the land on its natural areas inventory, the Air Station prairie was damaged significantly this month in a misguided attempt to erect protective fencing. Working from an old map, developer Catellus put up an 8-foot cyclone fence, going 20-120 feet into the prairie, ripping out rare native plants like pussy toes, prairie dock, nodding wild onion and compass plant. The crew apparently ignored temporary construction fencing that might have alerted them to their error, and no village or state inspectors were on hand to supervise. Catellus has agreed to move the fence out by hand.

Meanwhile, a local butterfly expert reports seeing more than 70 of those eye-catching insects during an hour on the prairie Sunday. Jeff Sanders counted 20 monarchs and was pleased to discover ten other species at the site.

Glenview officials are anxious to build a shopping mall at The Glen, counting on it to provide significant sales tax revenue, but officials should consider Northbrook’s current predicament. Trustees there plan to have a summit meeting in August to figure out how they’ll make deep cuts in village spending. An economic downturn cut revenues from Northbrook Court by 9 percent for the first quarter of their fiscal year (May, June and July), costing the community $185,000. When Autohaus on Edens, a Northbrook auto dealership, leaves for Glencoe early next year, sales taxes are expected to drop again. Over the years our neighbor to the north has come to depend heavily on retail. Last year, $8.3 million in the general fund came from sales tax, while property taxes generated $4.7 million.

Meanwhile, Deerfield is nervously eyeing hotel tax receipts – down nearly $60,000 in the first quarter of the year. If the trend continues, experts say they’ll be off by $100,000 in 2001. They blame a drop in business travel and construction of a new hotel, the Country Inn and Suites, in Riverwoods. In May, occupancy in Deerfield, Lincolnshire, Northbrook and Glenview hotels was at 69.5 percent – down from 75 percent last year at that time. The downturn could delay or eliminate plans for an extended stay hotel at The Glen.

On the heals of news that the nation is in a golf recession, Glenview’s Park District reports another problem taking its toll on revenues. Cliff Bosworth, manager of the main golf course, says the first week of June was a "disaster with wet, cool conditions" that kept people from using golf carts. "We lost 800 plays in the first 10 days of June and even more riding car rental receipts," he says. "The weather is having a major impact. . .creating devastating losses. . .We will need to go deep into November with great weather to have any chance of finishing 2001 near break even."

Plans for the Prairie Glen Medical Center are on the boards, and if the village approves, The Glen’s office park will be home to a new concept in health care. The three-building, single-story medical complex will include offices for doctors in every specialty with no duplication. There will be practices in pediatrics, gastro-enterology, orthopedics, obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, dentistry and so forth. At least two practices will be transplants from other parts of Glenview. Pathways, a group specializing in helping people with cerebral palsy, will leave offices in the West Lake Medical Building, and Glenbrook Pediatrics will abandon its space at Glenbrook Hospital.

The developer said this concept was so popular and demand so strong that he would be back next year, asking to build another medical center. "The size of the building [73,000 square feet] was a total miscalculation on my part," he said. "I could fill seven of them right now with the number of professionals who want to be out here."

The Village Board voted to annex a piece of land at 701 N. Milwaukee where Concord Homes intends to build about 20 single-family houses. To the dismay of some area residents, the trustees agreed with planners who want access to that subdivision off both Pfingsten and Milwaukee, but they agreed not to require a sidewalk right now. Recognizing that the neighbors didn’t want more concrete, Trustee Mike Guinane suggested the developer be required to put money in an escrow account with the village – to be used at some point in the future when residents might request a sidewalk. The board also voted to let District 34 Schools use impact fees from the development for operations rather than buildings. Under local ordinance, the builder’s contribution must go for bricks and mortar, but as part of an annexation agreement those funds can be allocated for salaries, supplies and other operating costs – something the developer had originally suggested.

With limited parking at the Skokie courthouse imposed by on-going construction, neighbors in Glenview continue to find Cook County employees parking on their street – Hunter. A "residents only" parking rule had already been imposed on one block of that street. Now, a second block will have the restriction. When construction ends, in about two years, the limit will be lifted.

The Glenview Village Board also approved a parking ban on Lotus Lane near the intersection of Greenwood and Central. An apartment building on that corner provides inadequate parking for its residents, prompting some of them to park on Lotus. The problem came to village attention through an e-mail sent to the trustees after their electronic addresses were published, prompting a word of thanks from Mike Guinane and the observation that "it’s actually working."

People who sit on the sidelines or march in Glenview’s annual Fourth of July parade can’t watch themselves on the cable. Fortunately, GVTV tapes and airs the event a few weeks later. This year – and every year – former Village President Tom Smith and his wife Samantha provide commentary. She started the tradition back in 1984 as a cable volunteer.

"It’s just something that she’s taken upon herself to always do," says GVTV Manager Julie Soto. "It’s a tradition."

Samantha says she spends 10-12 hours preparing for the event each year, gathering information about participants, but mostly Smith says she "wings it," and whether you like the show or not, Tom and Sam offer a unique blend of color and commentary:

Sam: These bicycles are fabulous going by. They’re so cute with all the decorations.

Tom: They call it a bicycle parade, but actually there are a lot of tricycles in this parade.

Sam: That’s true.

Tom: We have flags decorating them. Of course everything is red, white and blue today to celebrate our Independence Day – the 225^th anniversary.

Sam: Look at the little dog down here. Isn’t that cute. Awww. It’s adorable. They sure have a lot of people in the parade this year.

Tom: That’s right. And here we have a wagon! That’s a four-wheeler, so we’ve got a two- wheeler, a three-wheeler and a four-wheeler. . .They have balloons on the bikes and red, white and blue all over the place. It’s great to have the kids participate in this. We need a great deal more emphasis on patriotism in this country I believe, and we get it here in Glenview in this parade.

We also get a hefty boost for local business. Glenview TV doesn’t run ads, but Tom and Sam make sure their friends and parade sponsors get a plug. As Denny Hebson’s pipe band marched past, for example, Sam remarked on Hebson’s business: Hackneys restaurants here in Glenview, you can’t beat `em. One on Lake Street, one on Harms. Best place in the world to have your hamburger and your onions.

Tom: Oh, we love those fried onions, yes.

Sam: It’s really great.

Tom: And Hackney’s does so much for this community. They’ve really contributed a tremendous amount to make this the community that it is.

Despite detailed notes produced by Sam, Glenview’s dynamic cable duo sometimes seems uncertain. They have mistaken one group for another or been unable to identify groups at all. This year, the arrival of Kathy Parker left them momentarily confused.

Tom: State Senator Kathy Parker.

Sam: There’s some interesting things about Kathy. I just talked to the gal at her office, and of course she’s our State Representative. Oh, let’s see, we’re going the wrong way here.

Tom: She’s the 57^th, no – her seventh year representing Glenview in the Illinois Senate.

In fairness, parade coverage is not an easy business. Floats and groups may not appear in the order expected, and surprising things can happen. Two years ago, paramedics were summoned twice to treat folks who had fainted in the heat along the parade route. As a result, commentators may be forced to talk for extended periods of time, and even the most seasoned professionals can end up sounding inane. Still, some GVTV insiders would like to try something new – allowing volunteers to audition for the role of parade commentators or inviting some professional broadcasters who live in Glenview to do the honors, but GVTV Director Julie Soto doesn’t foresee a change. " They’re not doing a bad job, and I haven’t had any offers from anyone else," she says.

We don’t know if Glenview’s Village Manager reads the Announcements on line (www.pioneerlocal.com), but if he does, then Thursday’s edition may have come as a rude shock. The first news headline read, "Village Manager Replaced by Assistant."

The story itself was garbled, having no relation to the village manager’s office, and a check of other Pioneer Press papers showed the headline actually came from the Wilmette Life.

Like to pull weeds? There are lots of them at the Air Station prairie, and the group in charge of maintenance is asking for your help. On Saturday, August 4 from 9 a.m. until noon they’re inviting the public to lend a hand. To reach the prairie, take Chestnut Road to Lehigh and go north, or take Willow West to Lehigh, turn right and follow as it curves back under Willow and goes south. Then watch for signs to the prairie. For details, call Rob at 729-3487.

Biff Thiele remarks on a news report that the Unite Glenview Party spent about $70,000 on the latest local election – more than three times what the folks at Glenview Good Government spent: "The truth finally comes out. We got the best representation that money can buy. I’m not a bit surprised at the numbers quoted in the Glenview Announcements, but I was surprised by campaign manager Tim Doron’s claim that there was no negativity on Unite Glenview’s part, and party chairman Mary Novotny’s notion that Jim Smirles and other members of the old guard were not involved in the campaign because they were in Florida. That’s more BS than Bart the Bull produces in a year.

"The new board is doing a better job. Now that John Patton has taken a hike, things are much more open and hospitable. I suspect, however, that some movers and shakers behind the scenes in the UG party are not happy with just how independent the new board is. Several months ago I called the UG party a wolf and Mr. Carlson the sheep’s clothing. The tactics used by UG supporters in this past election and the fact that prior to the election Larry Carlson claimed to not be aware of some of those tactics, only reinforces my opinion."

And JM thinks it’s time to set reasonable limits on campaign spending: "I am outraged at the amount of money spent in the recent election. That kind of politicking has no place in Glenview, unless we aspire to become another Rosemont. What do those multi_thousand donors expect for their money? A firm handclasp and an invitation to the next village sponsored party at the North Shore Country Club? Sure.

"I suggest that at the next election both parties agree to put a reasonable cap on expenditures, preferably under $5,000. If one party refuses, the other party has a potent campaign issue. This town ain't ready for big money politics, like, we don't want nobody nobody sent."

Janet Schroeder corrects our spelling from the story about Glen redevelopment and the MURC: "If my memory serves, you were mistaken in writing, ‘the dye was cast.’ You should have written ‘the die was cast,’ die being the singular of dice."

The Watch replies: Spell check has its limits. Thanks for an interesting note.

MK complains about all the attention going to The Glen: "I find it very disheartening that Glenview is putting so much attention into the appearance of The Glen and disregarding the other neighborhoods. Last summer we had a dead tree on our parkway removed by the village. I was told another tree would be planted in the fall. A year has passed, and I have no tree. I’ve called the village many times about this matter, and about 50 percent of the time my calls were returned. I was told that they were waiting until the other tree on the parkway died. Then they’ll put in one replacement tree. Why only one? They claim there’s only room for one – that they have to plant trees 10 feet from driveways and 30-35 feet apart.

"At The Glen, hundreds of trees are being planted, so I took a tape measurer and checked at least 50 trees. Most were 6-9 feet from driveways and 17-24 feet apart. Meanwhile, I see many parkways around town where trees have been removed but not replaced. In one small neighborhood, I counted 23 areas that were bare, so while trees are being planted in abundance at The Glen, other neighborhood parkways are being ignored. Also, why is The Glen getting street lights while the rest of Glenview is dark?"

The Watch replies: Rather than guess, we’ll refer you to the expert. In his campaign materials, Village President Larry Carlson said Unite Glenview "represents all of Glenview. . .Unite Glenview’s only special interest is you, the taxpayer." So Larry’s your man. Call him at 832-0051 or drop him an e-line: LarryVillage@aol.com.

F. Pinsler is still waiting for illegal barbed wire to be removed from land along Lehigh: "Just a note to let you know that the barbed wire from Chestnut south along Lehigh that Joe Wade told me a month ago would be taken down hasn't."

The Watch replies: The village has a contract with National Rent a Fence to remove the barbed wire on August 3. Thanks for your persistence.

SA asks help in enforcing Glenview’s tree ordinance at the new Glen Willow subdivision: "Glenview builder Bernie Schmidt, who specializes in replacing small homes with big ones, is scheduled to develop the old Barry property at 611 Hunter Road with three houses to be sold for more than $1 million apiece. Last week they started doing some preliminary clearing of the property, cutting down some small trees and shrubs. According to the village, they did not have a permit to do that, so if you suspect clearing activity on that property, call the police."

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