Glenview’s park administrators admit money is tight. They must take in $400,000 to pay the interest on bonds sold to build Park Center – a debt they will have through 2014. That’s why the Park Board has consistently refused to provide a discount on memberships for senior citizens and why a rate hike is planned for the fitness center in January 2002.

Given those financial pressures, it may come as some surprise that the district is giving away more than $130,000 in free services each year to full-time employees, commissioners and their immediate family members living at home. Retired park board members and a designated family member are also able to use all park facilities at no charge if they continue to provide some service to the district.

Executive Director Tom Richardson said this benefit helps to attract qualified staffers to Glenview at a time when it’s difficult to fill jobs in public recreation. Commissioners get the freebie, according to official board policy, because they "spend a great deal of personal time, energy and even money related to their service conducting park board business," and "they can more effectively experience and evaluate programs and facilities first hand."

"The experience of retired commissioners can be very valuable to staff and current commissioners," according to the rule book. "Therefore, if retired commissioners choose to offer their services to the district, it is fitting that recognition be offered them for this additional time, work and service to the community."

Richardson defends the policy, saying, "No members of the public are displaced from programs or services as a result of offering these benefits to employees, dependents and commissioners." With all of the activity in Glenview lately – the building of Park Center, planning for a new park at Rugen Center and the new West Park on Milwaukee, acquiring the Wagner Farm and new lands at The Grove, help from past commissioners is important, he added.

Former commissioners who receive benefits include: Bob Barber, John Bernauer, Tom Brett, Ray Carlson (Village President Larry Carlson’s Dad), Mike Downing, Michael Gauer, Gil Haggart, Dick Kolb, Brad Stetson, Dean Whitfield and Bill Zanoni. They are entitled to benefits based on their time on the park board, ranging from two to 21 years. Many fulfill their service requirement by working with the Park Foundation – a group that raises funds for the parks.

Some feel the policy is fair and fitting. They note that park board members are forbidden by law to receive monetary compensation, and that free memberships are given by neighboring communities to employees, park board members and family members living at home. (The Watch surveyed park districts in Wilmette, Northbrook, Skokie and Morton Grove. None offers benefits to former park board commissioners.)

Critics of the policy say citizens who have worked tirelessly to secure, protect and develop the Grove and Wagner Farm for a decade or more receive nothing for their efforts. They note that former park board members are men, while many of the Grove and Wagner volunteers are women who don’t belong to the "good old boys’ network."

They also question the need to reward people for civic work. While Village Board members get about $1,000 a year, and Library Board members don’t have to pay for videos or overdue books, members of the Plan Commission, Glen Redevelopment Commission, Zoning Board and Appearance Commission get no special benefits.

Some also feel police officers, firemen and other employees of the village and its schools should get a discount from the park district. Right now, village employees who live outside of Glenview do get a resident rate. Richardson explains that, "the park district benefits from engineering and building plan reviews for parks and facilities, police patrolling the parks, discounted gasoline purchases from the village for park district vehicles, safety training, special patrolling and assistance from the police and fire departments at large events, etc."

Finally, some critics would like to provide free benefits to more needy families. Right now, the district offers $30,000 worth of services to poor children but makes no allowance for low-income adults.

WHO GETS WHAT

Most of the cost – more than $114,000 per year – is tied to employees. That figure represents less than 2 percent of total payroll. The value of complimentary classes and services for commissioners is $10,180 per year while past commissioners would spend $5,648 to play golf or tennis, take lessons, use the fitness center, skating rink and swimming pools.

The following individuals and their families got the greatest golfing benefits in 2000: Commissioner Tom Pontarelli ($1,539), past Commissioner Ray Carlson ($945), past Commissioner Gil Haggart ($918), past Commissioner Tom Brett ($702) and Commissioner John Winand ($648). While these totals are based on the price charged per round, frequent golfers could actually have paid only $875 for a season pass if they did not receive free services.

Ten past and present board members and their families have free fitness center memberships: Commissioner Tom Pontarelli ($1047), Commissioner John Winand ($965), Commissioner Steve Schulte ($965), Commissioner Chris Warren ($950), Past Commissioner Tom Brett ($875), Past Commissioner Bill Zanoni ($875), Board President Doug Kaiser ($750), Former Commissioner Mike Downing ($625), Board attorney Sam Witwer ($625) and Commissioner Catherine Crowley ($400). Many say they rarely use the facilities.

In addition, President Kaiser, past Commissioner Haggart and attorney Witwer have tennis club memberships valued at $195. They do pay for court time.

The Watch wondered if same sex partners could qualify for the free park district benefits. Richardson said we were the first ever to ask, and under the rules "we do not include same sex partnerships or a live-in member of the opposite sex to fulfill the position of spouse."

The Park District had traditionally offered free season passes to clergymen who liked to play 18 holes between sermons. In 1999, however, the board decided not to extend the offer. Men of the cloth who had passes at the time could continue to enjoy their privilege until they moved or retired, but new ministers, rabbis or priests would have to pay if they wanted to play. Last year, only nine clergymen were blessed with free golfing privileges.

Park Board President Doug Kaiser says the commissioners review many different policies from time to time, and this one is no exception. At its next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug.16 in Park Center, Kaiser says the board will discuss the provision of free memberships to employees, commissioners, past commissioners and family members. Comments from district residents will be welcome, and those who can’t attend or dislike public speaking can send written remarks to Tom Richardson at park district headquarters – 1930 Prairie Ave., Glenview, IL 60025. You can also e-mail gvpd4fun@aol.com or send comments to us – glenviewwatch@aol.com. We’ll be happy to share your views with the commissioners.

The Park District has raised $53,350 through the sale of engraved bricks at Park Center, but you can still purchase a piece of the pavement for $75. The New Year’s Eve ball, organized by the Park Foundation, brought in $12,000, and that group will host its annual golf benefit – the Firecracker Classic – at The Glen Club on August 21.

The Watch has learned more about the mysterious Susan Lockett, a Morton Grove housewife who gave $1,000 to the Unite Glenview party in our last local election. When we called Mrs. Lockett to ask about her interest in village politics, she summoned her husband Mike. The two said they did business in Glenview and had a friend who had asked them to donate. They declined to provide details.

This week, a reader phoned to say Mike Lockett is an executive with Guarantee Trust – an insurance company located next to The Grove on Milwaukee Avenue. Last year, Guarantee won special permission from the Village Board to expand its parking lot. The firm also appeared before the trustees to endorse Abt’s request for permission to build on Milwaukee Avenue. At that time, Guarantee proposed that the village build a special road to improve the flow of traffic on Milwaukee and make it easier for employees to access its building.

We have also confirmed that long-time politico Jim Smirles played an active role in the campaign. Party Chairman Mary Novotny told the Pioneer Press that Smirles and many other members of the old guard were in Florida, but Smirles was the one who made arrangements to rent office space for Unite Glenview. He presided over a Booster’s Club meeting at which Larry Carlson announced his candidacy. Smirles was also on hand during the final days of the race, planting dozens of UG signs around his Glen Oak Shopping Center and was at the victory party on election night.

And where is Smirles now? He was last seen conducting tours at the upscale Glen Club owned and operated by Kemper Sports Management. Smirles once worked for Kemper Insurance.

Glenview’s trustees will vote Tuesday night on an amended contract for the sale of 41 acres north of Willow Road at The Glen. Home Depot had originally offered $9.75 million for the land, but its plans for development have changed. If the deal goes through, a Design Expo Center will be built, but Home Depot will not put up one of its super hardware stores. Instead, the warehouse giant Costco is expected to locate at the site. Village officials are excited about the change, noting Costco could generate an extra $600,000 per year in sales tax revenue. Hoping to speed the project, which was supposed to break ground in May, 2000, the village is offering to knock $150,000 off the purchase price for land if Home Depot starts building within 30 days of the closing set for Dec. 31, 2001.

The Village Board will also vote on a contract with Amethyst Corp. to enhance Glenview’s website – www.glenviewil.com. For just under $20,000, Amethyst pledges to create an exciting Internet destination with general information, departmental directories, a history of the village, community pages, a link to The Glen’s website and a calendar of events.

Amethyst was not the low bid for this job, but The Watch figured they must have more to offer than the cheapest vendor – a firm willing to do the work for about half the price. We attempted to learn more about Amethyst by visiting its website: www.ameth.com., but each time we entered the address or approached the site via Yahoo, it failed to respond.

Also on this week’s agenda, a vote to spend another $324,000 to build a new fire department communications center to replace the service now provided by a regional group called the RED Center.

As always, the trustees are expected to okay a long list of bills for payment Tuesday. The Watch took a closer look at this week’s collection of invoices and could not help wondering: Whose dog was boarded at Carriage Hill Kennels for $619.50? Why did the landlocked village of Glenview invest $117 in dive fins from the Frogg Pond Dive Shop? And how much freon did the village get from Jennings Chevrolet for $950.99?

Five different agencies work together each year to make sure Cook County residents get their property tax bills. This year, faced with a record number of appeals, one agency – the Board of Review – could not do its part on time. That delay forced other agencies to wait, and they are now behind schedule. As a result, tax bills are expected to reach county residents in early September, about a month late. Once they arrive, recipients will have 30 days to pay.

Glenview’s Library Board surveyed residents and found most would prefer a new library be located downtown. It appeared the public could veto a move to The Glen by refusing to okay a tax hike for the new building, but that is not the case. The Library Board was recently reminded that they don’t have bonding authority, so bonds to finance the new building would be sold by the village, and as a home rule community Glenview is not bound by the state law that forces schools and parks to put significant tax hikes to a vote. While they don’t seem inclined to go that way, Library Board members have discussed the possibility of by-passing a non-binding referendum and going straight to the Village Board.

Meanwhile, Skokie will begin work on its library this month – adding a third floor, revamping the interior and expanding the parking lot around its site on Oakton Street. The cost is $19 million. The library will remain open while work is done, and officials hope to be finished by February, 2003.

Evanston has just made life easier for lawyers, developers and others who need easy access to the city’s 1,200-page code. The official book of rules, regulations and ordinances is now on-line at www.cityofevanston.org – divided into 11 sections for easy study. Until now, it took a trip to city hall, a visit to the main library or a purchase of $185 to peruse the two-volume set.

Three teenagers from Northbrook face serious criminal charges after break-ins at Glenbrook North High School and Wood Oaks Junior High. The kids are accused of stealing school supplies, textbooks, padlocks and a gym uniform. At Wood Oaks, they allegedly spray painted walls and windows – then moved on to decorate parked cars in the neighborhood. They’ll appear in court on August 10.

Wilmette has closed its public swimming pool to get an early start on replacing the 30-year-old facility on Old Glenview Road. The village will spend $10 million to create a new pool complex that should be ready next summer. Here in Glenview, the Park District will soon begin looking at possible replacement of one outdoor pool – either Roosevelt or Flick. Both facilities are more than 40 years old.

A Vernon Hills woman has won the job of her dreams. Isabel Martinez was one of 19 people chosen from about 12,000 applicants to drive the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile that appears at festivals and supermarkets around the nation. Martinez says the job is her ticket to see the country. Her official title: "hotdogger."

FREE HEALTH SERVICES FOR KIDS

The Cook County Department of Public Health will offer free vision and hearing screening for children 3-11 on Tuesday, August 14 and August 21 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Tests take only a few minutes and no appointment is needed. Screenings will be held from 9:30 a.m.-noon and from 1-3 p.m. The Botanic Garden is located at 1000 Lake-Cook Road in Glencoe. For more information call the health department’s headquarters in Oak Park at 708-492_2000.

Free immunizations and back to school physicals will be offered to low-income kids on Friday, August 10 from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Northfield Township office – 3801 W. Lake Avenue across from Glenbrook South High School. Last year, 312 children took advantage of the program. The Township will also be distributing school supplies to registered children and offers groceries and other basics through its food pantry. For more information, call 847-724_8300.

The Northbrook Civic Foundation raised more than $5,000 Saturday at its annual bachelor’s auction. More than 40 men were on the block, including several strapping interns who work for State Rep. Beth Coulson. To the surprise of some, the younger hunks tended to bring lower bids than more senior bachelors – a reflection, perhaps, of the mostly middle-aged women in the crowd.

The top money maker was 41-year-old tv producer Duke Z-Hillinger. He appeared on stage in a blue blazer – tall and tanned with a distinguished head of grey hair. As the bidding began, he slipped off the jacket, swung it in the air and began to dance like a stripper. Offers quickly escalated to the winning price of $325.

On the other hand, 25-year-old John Fonseca, captain of the U.S. Karate Team, sold for $175, and 27-year-old Dan Lazarus who described himself as a "world traveler and poet who enjoys seduction on the sand under the milky white light of a full moon" brought only $75.

The auction’s biggest draw – 100-year-old Tony Martorana – earned $300 for charity. The diminutive retired tailor carried a silver cane, wore a plaid jacket, red tie, and blue cap given to him by the Park Ridge Fire Department. A native of Italy, Tony said he enjoyed square dancing, eating Italian pastries and walking. Auctioneer Ron Bernardi told the crowd that Tony is a fine cook. "He’s always got a pot of sauce on the stove, and he makes the best pizza."

That news excited 36-year-old Donna Hochberg who offered the winning bid. Admitting that she’s married, the Northbrook attorney said she loves Italian men and did not think her husband would mind if she had just one date with Tony. The happy couple agreed on Saturday night – Tony offering to make meatballs or whatever Donna would like.

A recent issue of the New York Times provides proof that we are not alone in publishing an electronic newsletter with edge. It tells the tale of Mickey Kaus, a former reporter for Newsweek who works from his Santa Monica home attired in a mismatched, rumpled sweat suit. Kausfiles is "a hodgepodge of his political opinions, rants from his readers, media critiques and links to other sites."

Kaus has been posting his work on a website for more than three years and just became profitable in the last six months. After his expenses ($2,346) and considering his income from one advertiser ($1,000) along with donations from readers, he made $318.60. "So call me a mogul," Kaus told the Times.

The newspaper says Kaus "is just one participant in a growing journalism format known as the `me-zine,’ electronic magazines that feature the opinions of one man or one woman, writing alone, often late at night and often wearing pajamas."

"More than ever, writers are choosing the electronic me-zines as their bully pulpit rather than, or in addition to, a column in the local newspaper. . .Two months ago, Slate magazine inaugurated a me-zine site, which links readers to andrewsullivan.com, j-marshall.com/talk, kausfiles.com and vprostrel.com."

Moody's Investors Service has affirmed Glenview's Aaa bond rating, saying – in effect – that our residents and businesses have the ability to repay $104.73 million -- $62.93 million in outstanding debt and $41.8 million in bonds to be sold this summer to finance additional construction at The Glen. The firm cited our "wealth levels and healthy tax base growth, strong and well-managed financial operations, and moderate debt burden" in assigning the highest quality rating.

The analysts add that the bonds being offered are "secured by the village's general obligation and unlimited tax pledge." In other words, because Glenview is a home rule municipality there are no caps restricting increases in taxes.

Moody's noted Glenview's "wealth levels and housing values are well above comparable state and national averages. Per capita income is double the state's average, while median housing values are nearly triple."

Glenview remains one of about 75 communities in the nation with a Aaa bond rating. Others on the North Shore such as Northbrook and Wilmette do too. Skokie's rating is one notch down at Aa1, reflecting the fact that property values and resident incomes are major factors in deciding how local bonds are rated.

In awarding the Aaa, analysts also mentioned our strong commercial sector, listing Kraft, Signode Corporation and "other nationally known companies" located here. They add that the tax base "has grown to $3.7 billion from $3.1 billion over the last two years."

The report does not assess quality of life issues or examine the health of our schools, but from a financial standpoint Moody's was positive about redevelopment efforts at The Glen. "While the village would otherwise be approaching full-development, the annexation and redevelopment of GNAS. . .is providing significant growth and development opportunities." In addition, Moody's noted new construction at Glenbrook Hospital as one example of growth outside The Glen.

Analysts credited conservative budgeting practices and a satisfactory flow of revenue in the accumulation of "ample fund balances." Moody's said the village keeps enough surplus cash to cover expenses in the event that sales tax revenues (which provided nearly 20% of our operating dollars last year) fall. They noted that Glenview could still impose a local sales tax or real estate transfer tax, "both of which could generate substantial revenues. There is also the strong possibility that the village will implement a new telecommunications tax [on technologies such as faxing and pagers] which will bring in an additional $300,000 per year. As a result, Moody's expects that the village's financial operations will remain strong."

The report called Glenview's debt burden "moderate," adding that in 2002 and 2003, the village may need to sell $10 million more in bonds. It notes the anticipated need for a new village hall and police station.

MR thinks village bonds to be sold this summer could be a good investment. "Do you know how one might buy these bonds, when will they go on sale, length of time to be held and percent of interest earned?"

The Watch replies: Glenview’s bond consultant, Ron Norene, says the bonds will initially be sold to a single buyer through competitive bidding. Already, nine firms have indicated an interest: UBS Paine Webber, Harris Bank, Bank One, ABN Amro – owner of LaSalle Bank, Bank of America Securities, AG Edwards, Dean Witter, RW Baird and State Street Capital Markets. The Village will sell to the firm that expects the lowest profit and has the smallest cost of doing business. Norene predicts we’ll pay less than 4.25 percent on bonds set to mature over time between 2003 and 2012. The buyer will be announced Tuesday, August 7, and you may then be able to buy Glenview bonds from that firm. We’ll let you know who gets the nod.

EB thinks prairie damage might have been prevented: "Is it possible that the damage at the Air Station Prairie could have been less if contract clauses had been followed? I remember that one of the expensive consultants promised to police the prairie fence area two times each day to be sure environment rules were enforced. Does anyone ever check to see that contracts are honestly being followed? I have a feeling that consultants promise anything and than go their merry way and forget what they are being paid to do."

The Watch replies: According to The Glen Redevelopment office, staffers and not consultants are responsible for keeping an eye on construction, and village employees missed the Catellus mistake because a rainstorm kept them inside. When Catellus comes back to move the fence, someone from the village will be there along with a representative from our engineering firm, Harza, and Prairie Steward Kent Fuller or Assistant Steward Rob Blomquist.

An "old proof reader and language major" corrects our correction of spelling: "Re the `die was cast’ controversy, this particular `die’ has nothing to do with die being the singular of dice. In this instance, `die’ refers to a mold, matrix or engraved stamp, usually cast from metal, from which objects are milled, coined or formed. Metaphorically speaking, ‘The die was cast’ means the decision has been made and is irreversible."

KN is concerned about people who ignore parking restrictions: "Can you give me the e_mail address of someone I can write to about non-handicapped cars parking in handicapped spots at the Glenview train station?"

The Watch replies: At this point in time, village officials prefer to do business by phone. You can report this problem to Glenview Police at 729-5000 or to Assistant Village Manager Joe Wade at 724-1700, extension 201.

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 from you and consider readers' remarks an essential part of our newsletter. Thanks for reading!  – Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott

To read past isssues of Glenview Watch, Click Here