GONE FISHING

For the past two years, Glenview Watch has published weekly with special editions covering breaking news. We have enjoyed this work and are gratified by your continued support. We are, however, volunteers and have at last decided to give ourselves a week off. The Glenview Village Board does not meet this week, and we will be back with our next edition covering the first meeting next month. Until then, we thank you for your understanding and look forward to your letters as we prepare for our February 10 edition.

One week after Village President Larry Carlson and his political allies gutted Glenview’s ethics ordinance, one possible reason for its rapid and drastic revision has come to light. The old law required village trustees or commissioners to resign from local government if their firms were to represent a client before the Glenview Village Board, Plan Commission, Zoning Board or some other official panel.

On Tuesday, an attorney from the law firm Schiff Hardin & Waite appeared before the Plan Commission on behalf of a developer hoping to build 19 town homes here. The head of Glenview’s Zoning Board of Appeals, Ty Laurie, is a partner in that firm and co-chair of its construction group.

Laurie was secretary of the Unite Glenview party which nominated Carlson, Trustees Jeffrey Lerner, Mary Beth Denefe and Mike Guinane. Laurie gave the party $1,000 and lent $3,000 to the election effort. Schiff Hardin & Waite kicked another $500 into Unite Glenview’s campaign coffers.

According to its website, www.schiffhardin.com, the law firm also represents the Society of the Divine Word which owns a substantial property under development in Northbrook.

Yet another client is Kemper National Insurance Companies. According to the website, Schiff Hardin & Waite reviews and analyzes Kemper’s real estate portfolio, which "consists of office buildings, regional shopping centers, large residential housing developments and golf courses." We phoned Schiff Hardin & Waite to see if any of its attorneys represented Kemper in negotiations involving land purchase and construction of The Glen Club – a pricey new golf course owned by Kemper. No one from the firm returned our call.

One other note from the Internet: Schiff Hardin’s website describes Ty Laurie’s clients as "commercial owners, developers and specialty contractors with respect to construction projects both public and private," and notes that Laurie is chair of the Zoning Board of Appeals in the Village of Glenview.

Glenview’s fire chief could be the frontrunner to replace Wilmette Fire Chief Steve Dumovich, who resigned effective January 1. Four candidates are said to be under consideration, including three from Wilmette. If he’s selected, Joe Robberson could retire from his position here with a pension providing about 65 percent of his current salary even while collecting a full salary from Wilmette.

Observers say this could be a good time for Robberson to leave. While a judge found his deputy, Michael Sawicki, not guilty of assault against a fellow fireman, the charge was an embarrassment to the village, and talk of unionizing among firemen is an on-going concern. Village management may also be upset by claims that the new fire and emergency dispatch center is not working as well as planners had hoped.

FBI agents visited Cook County officials last week to talk about possible ghost payrolling in the office of Commissioner Cal Sutker and the son of a top aide, Michael Pannozo. The Chicago Tribune reports Pannozo’s work for the county and the North Shore Mosquito Abatement Board were the subject of a probe two years ago. Panozzo has no professional credentials relating to mosquitos, but he was appointed to the job of chief inspector of mosquito and larvae sites – a post that pays $40,000 a year.

Commissioner Sutker controls appointments at the agency and has been criticized for promoting a $25,000 no-bid contract for his daughter and son-in-law to produce a newsletter. Sutker is running for re-election to the Cook County Board against Larry Suffredin, a Chicago lawyer and lobbyist.

Meanwhile, this year’s budget for the Mosquito Abatement District includes an additional $5,000 for equipment, another $5,000 for building maintenance, $3,000 more for utilities, $5,000 more for legal fees and audits, an additional $20,000 for salaries and wages, $5,000 more for Social Security, and an extra $5,000 for insurance. Spending for training and human resources is down nearly $21,000, a change that surely helped the bottom line. Last year’s budget was $902,060. This year mosquito abatement will cost $27,000 more.

Charges of graft and mismanagement by Glenview resident Mike Luxem may have prompted the investigation. Luxem has been attending NSMAD meetings with a video camera for years, recording how little board members actually do and has followed district vehicles, tracking the amount of time they sit in restaurant parking lots and other places where mosquito control does not appear to be necessary.

One week after a village-wide survey showed half of Glenview residents want no more multi-family housing, two developers appeared before the Plan Commission to propose town home and apartment complexes.

Active Living of Illinois outlined details for Haverford, a residential development at the former home of the Missionary Sisters at the corner of Willow and Waukegan roads. The Sisters offered their land with one condition – that the developer not tear down the old convent or chapel. Initially, Active Living had proposed creating 344 units, including a substantial number of affordable apartments for senior citizens. The neighbors complained about density, and the Plan Commission barely considered the project.

Now the developer is back with a plan that omits senior housing but includes 274 lofts, luxury condos, town houses and coach homes selling for up to $494,000. Active Living’s Ken Barnes claimed the plan was driven by a belief that the existing buildings, which he described as "fabulous," should be saved. "Sadly, we live in a disposable, throw-away society where the pervasive thought is, ‘if it’s new, it must be better.’ That is not always the case," he said.

Admitting the buildings look somewhat "institutional," Barnes said the structures were sound and could be transformed "through the creative use of color, modification of windows, adding balconies, patios and terraces and extensive landscaping." The end result, he said, would be "elegant and classic, more traditional than trendy, and unlike anything else in a suburban setting." Barnes also spoke of preserving the historic fabric of the community, noting that the main building opened in 1911.

In addition to the rehabbed buildings, Active Living plans new buildings with underground parking – a costly component that would eliminate unsightly lots.

As Barnes spoke about the old church buildings, he was startled by a strange sound. He couldn’t see the lightning storm outside, but in the middle of January Barnes heard thunder. "I hope that’s not a sign," he said sounding genuinely nervous. "Should I sit down?" The audience erupted in laughter.

A traffic consultant said the Illinois Department of Transportation proposes major improvements to the intersection of Willow and Waukegan, adding left and right turn lanes. He admitted that no dates for the work have been set, but planning is underway. Based on Haverford’s 232 residential units, the traffic expert said there would be 90-100 cars leaving or entering the property during a single hour of the morning rush and 110-120 trips during the peak hour of the afternoon rush.

Primary access would come from Waukegan and Willow Roads, but some people would be using Aberdeen and Summit roads in Heatherfield. The consultant noted that the planners of Heatherfield had anticipated development of the sisters’ site and built roads that could accommodate the extra traffic safely and efficiently.

Finally, he claimed all intersections in the area would provide an acceptable level of service with the additional traffic amounting to just 1 percent of the cars and trucks already passing through the intersection of Willow and Waukegan.

Active Living’s Plan may not have angered the gods or worried the traffic planners, but the neighbors from Heatherfield were outraged. Bob McKenna, president of the Heatherfield homeowners’ association, thought 232 units was far too dense. With a substantial village-owned park to its west, Heatherfield has about 300 units on about 90 acres and figures its density at under four units per acre, while the Haverford site would have more than 12 units per acre.

In a survey of nearly 200 residents, the association found unanimous opposition to Active Living’s plan, and 225 households signed a petition calling for zoning to allow no more than four units per acre. Describing Heatherfield as "the gem of Glenview," McKenna said he hoped the Plan Commission would not tarnish his neighborhood by approving an extremely dense development next door.

He dismissed the developer’s plea for historic preservation and said, "I don’t think we can wrap the mantle of Christianity about those buildings because there’s nothing sacred about them. . .The owner has said they must stay, so now we all have to bow to that. That doesn’t seem to be right."

Neighbor James Kubik noted the consultant’s silence on how much traffic would increase within Heatherfield. He guessed there would be a 1,000 percent increase on Aberdeen Drive alone.

A new subdivision is being built across the street, and Kubik mentioned that the developer of Fox Meadow is creating a small park there. "Where’s the park this developer is giving to put their 232 units in?" he demanded. Expressing fear that the new neighbors would invade Heatherfield’s parks he added, "How many dogs are going to be at Haverford?"

The public hearing will continue on February 12 when the Plan Commission meets at Village Hall. As usual, the meeting will be cablecast on channel 17, and tapes should be available through GVTV and Glenview’s public library.

A Skokie developer who had proposed 21 town homes on Monroe Street, west and north of Waukegan and Chestnut roads, respectively, in a quiet neighborhood of new town houses, small homes and large trees, returned to Glenview’s Plan Commission last week with a new offer – to build just 19 town homes. Construction would take place on three blocks separated by Jefferson and Rogers streets. The developer wanted zoning based on the total acreage, but the commission was inclined to allow only what could be built if each lot were developed separately – 14 units.

Two neighbors complained the plan did not fit well with the area – a sentiment echoed by Chairman Howard Silver. He was especially concerned about smaller, single-story houses to the west and single-family houses on Rogers. "It’s like a country road," he told the developer, and "you seem to be taking up every square foot, filling it in with building, with concrete." Silver described the planned town homes as "a row of soldiers along Monroe Street."

The developer replied that building fewer units would not mean more green space. "Your zoning ordinance is clear that we’re permitted a certain amount of floor area and a certain amount or site coverage. We comply with that in all respects with this development." The project would cover nearly 70,000 square feet. Discussion will continue at the next Plan Commission meeting February 12.

Editor’s note: During the public hearing, a neighbor complained that information about the development had not been available beforehand. Development Director Mary Bak assured the man he could stop by Village Hall on the Friday or Monday before commission meetings and examine the packet of information provided to the plan commissioners. "There’s no intent on the part of the village to keep information and material from you," she said. Bak did not mention that Village Hall hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – convenient for developers and a major hassle for most working people.

When the James Company was building homes at Heatherfield and planning to donate adjacent land for a park, the developer thought it best to put up a fence so residents would have some added privacy. Now, however, the decision is proving controversial because the park district says James put the fence on its land – encroaching by as much as 30 feet into West Fork Park. Park commissioners are talking about removing the 200-foot barrier to provide more turf for the public.

A committee of parents, teachers and administrators has agreed on three possible ways to draw boundary lines for attendance at Springman and Attea Middle Schools. All promise to be controversial in some ways as will a recommendation that kids who live on Dearlove Road north of Central be sent to Glen Grove School.

The board will have an extensive discussion of the options Monday evening at District 34 headquarters 1401 Greenwood. The public will not be invited to comment at that time but will have ample opportunity to learn about and comment on various boundaries during three public forums set for from 7-9 p.m. February 4 and 12 at Springman and Saturday, February 23 at a location to be determined.

Among other things, the Facilities Committee hopes to balance the number of low-income students and children who have limited proficiency in English. Once the public hearings are complete, the school board is expected to send this matter back to the committee for a final recommendation in April.

Park District Building Supervisor Danny Travis reports an interesting week with contractors working on the new middle school beside Park Center. "The building contractor hit the main feed to the parking lot lights along with the cable feed," he recalls. "We had an electrician fix the damaged wire that provided light, and AT&T came out to fix their cable. While making that repair and complaining to me about the incompetent contractor cutting their line, the AT& T crew cut our parking light feed again."

Unless they walk or get a ride to school, students at Glenbrook South High School will find it more expensive to attend classes next year. The parking fee will rise to $160 – double what kids paid this year, and a bus pass will cost $40 more. Only Board President Carol Rogal voted against the increase saying it was too steep. The rate hike comes after news that the district needs more money to cover the costs of parking lot maintenance and security.

Meanwhile, students at New Trier High School are organizing to fight village plans for a significant rate hike there. The charge for a parking space is now $370. It’s supposed to hit $420 next semester and would reach $500 in the fall of 2003. Commuters pay far less to park in a municipal lot at Green Bay and Winnetka Avenue ($85 for a 6-month pass), but the village notes some students are paying $100 a month to park their cars in private driveways around the high school.

One of Glenview’s car dealerships could be relocating to a new tax increment financing district in Morton Grove – collecting sales tax rebates from that community. McGrath Acura has outgrown its space, and Village President Larry Carlson told the Glenview Announcements that another location in this community could not be found.

Gary McGrath would build at the site of an Oldsmobile dealership about a mile south of his current location on Waukegan Road and continue to operate his Audi dealership in Glenview.

Meanwhile, Abt Electronics is preparing to move from its Morton Grove location to a new store here this spring. Tax revenues from that operation are expected to exceed what’s being paid by the Acura dealership.

Northbrook has begun an extensive debate on the bulk and scale of new homes that replace teardowns. Already, the Plan Commission there has agreed to one rule that could improve the appearance of massive houses. The board members said all exterior walls should include at least three of six things – windows, shutters, mixed wall materials, awings, fencing and landscaping.

Meanwhile, Red Seal Homes has decided not to include 8,000 square feet of retail space in its planned residential development on Shermer Road. The company thought Northbrook wanted those extra stores and restaurants, but when the village board expressed little enthusiasm, the developer decided not to bother.

To the north at the Sky Harbor industrial park, Northbrook is bracing for a fight. Glenview’s Petra Presbyterian Church had bought a warehouse there in the hopes of holding services, but Northbrook does not allow churches in areas zoned for industry. Now, the congregation is planning to ask that the zoning be changed and could file a lawsuit charging violation of religious freedom if it doesn’t get approval.

Deerfield’s bicycle task force has unveiled an ambitious plan for marked routes on new or improved sidewalks. The group spent months planning and creating a map to help those who want to peddle through town en route to extensive scenic paths in Lake County.

The Public Works Department in Wheeling is tired of evacuating residents and pumping out five homes in a flood plain on Wolf Road, so – with $1 million from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources – it hopes to buy the homeowners out. Once their houses are demolished, the land would be kept as open space allowing water to drain naturally.

Folks heading to Carson’s restaurant on Waukegan Road last week were disappointed to discover their favorite eatery had changed. In its place, new owners have opened a Chinese and Japanese restaurant called – of all things – Carson’s.

Asked about the name, a partner in the new enterprise explained that when the owners were trying to get a permit at Village Hall, someone in local government strongly encouraged that the name be kept. The new owners were good natured about the surprising suggestion, noting that it was an unusual name for a Chinese place. The same bureaucrat also proposed that the neon signs around Carson’s be kept, but the owners balked, pointing out that they would not be serving hamburgers.

The new place offers a variety of Chinese standards – some rather heavy on the grease, in keeping with Carson’s culinary tradition. Not so for the sushi or for delightful fruit drinks and bubble tea in exotic flavors like coconut, red bean and mango.

One other note. Smoking in the newly redecorated restaurant is not allowed, leaving one disappointed customer to complain that there are very few places left in Glenview for a cigarette and a cup of coffee.

Northbrook’s Little Louie’s is in line for a makeover. The owners intend to open a sit-down Mexican place next door. They’ll stop making red hots and fries at 4 p.m. and start working their new eatery – the Blue Cactus. Village President Mark Damisch said he looked forward to salsa in Northbrook, but he lectured the two owners who had applied for a liquor license. Noting Northbrook’s Village Square across the street, Damisch said he would suspend the license if patrons are caught drinking booze from the restaurant in the park. Watch for a grand opening this spring.

In Deerfield, Ed Debevik’s and Shaw’s Crab House have closed. The former Lettuce Entertain You properties on Lake-Cook Road will be replaced by a Greek restaurant, Demetri’s, and a breakfast and lunch spot to be called the Eggshell Cafe. Also coming to the corner of Deerfield and Waukegan roads, a Red Star Tavern. That business will replace Sopraffina’s. Red Star is owned by the Restaurant Development Group, which operates Bar Louies in Wheeling and Evanston, Nick and Tony’s and the Blue Point Oyster Bar in Chicago.

JAS writes to cheer Trustee John Crawford and Bart the bull: "Three cheers for Trustee Crawford. It's time someone looked into village cars being used for personal reasons. I have no doubt that other communities provide cars for village staffers, but I bet they don't drive around in Chevy Suburbans with tow packages to pull their boats. One of the top selling cars in the U.S. is the Ford Focus. It comes in several body styles, and the Village of Glenview logo would fit on it nicely. Go Mr Crawford! It is time someone started looking at where our fine village can save money instead of concentrating on where we can spend it.

"What do you tell kids who go to visit Wagner farm? That is where Bart the Bull used to live but he is not here anymore because you had him for dinner last night. I just hate this throw-away world we live in. Save Bart!"

John Kareken agrees: "I am unamused by the condescension of self-proclaimed realists who think people who want Bart to live are city-slickers and loonies. We all know how meat is produced. Not that long ago almost everybody came from a farming area. We want Bart to live because we want him to live, period. If enough people want him to live, that means elected government officials should make it so and put a lid on the whining. Bart was their ally. He helped get the tax increase for a choice land acquisition. Around Chicago, politicians take care of their friends, even when those friends are past their usefulness and require financial support."

Fred Bjorling, a former farm boy, can’t figure out why Glenview’s so concerned about Bart: "Clearly some kind-hearted souls are obsessively anthropomorphizing Bart and the cows. They're bovines, folks, and fairly dull at that. Let's not Disney-ize them. For the cost of sentimental, self-indulgent peace of mind, we can retire those wonderful creatures, but will we then pay for expensive medical procedures to help them live longer? A large number of starving children could be sustained a while longer in some third world country for the price we will pay.

"Actually, I'd bet that when it gets right down to it, none of those mooing about this issue would pay out of their own pockets the amounts necessary to maintain a potential herd of geriatric bulls and cows on a continuing basis. Their sentimental impulses and emotional needs will, in the end, require that others, namely all the taxpayers, foot the bill."

Nancy Chadwick is surprised by the attention and discussion devoted to the controversy surrounding Bart's future: "I haven't heard Farm Director Todd Price defending his decision since he made his first statement about Bart being shown the barn door, but I applaud the fact that he made a decision. We don't have to like or agree with it, but The Great Bart Debate has gone on long enough. Our energies and focus would be better directed toward implementing the master plan for Wagner Farm and letting Todd do his job."

Chadwick is also "glad FP told us about being fed up with drivers not heeding signs and giving pedestrians the necessary attention. I take my life in my hands when I'm jogging along Glenview Road around Harms and Wagner roads or just crossing the street at Waukegan or Harlem and Glenview. More times than not, I have had to stop dead in my tracks to keep from getting run over, only to look up at the front end of a very large SUV.

"I bet it is hard for an SUV driver to see an actual person way down below, practically attached to your bumper, but that’s what happens when a driver stops on the crosswalk while on the phone, looking way off in the distance, intent on their phone conversation and not on what is in front of him or her.

"Drivers are not cautious and do not obey speed limit and stop signs through town. I shudder to think what will happen when (and if) the downtown revitalization gets underway and more people (hopefully) flock to the downtown to shop and cross streets!"

ERL sees red when motorists don’t brake for stop signs: "FP isn’t the only one fed up with drivers who ignore pedestrians. I also get on the 7:19 am train to Chicago and the corner of Lehigh and Prairie is very bad. All the police would need to do is sit there for a couple of mornings and evenings at rush hour. I wrote about this same issue last year to no avail. Maybe we should get a petition signed and present it to our police chief, or better yet take down the stop signs and let the drivers have their own way – barreling down Lehigh like it was the last day on earth. Wake up people! Start out five minutes earlier, and you can avoid a coronary and save a pedestrian from getting hit."

The Watch replies: We happened to drive through The Glen on Tuesday morning shortly after 6 a.m. There wasn’t a pedestrian in sight -- but there were two Glenview police cars staking out speeders. Go figure.

And FP is back with an update: "It's been one week since our last correspondence, and no police have appeared near the train station downtown. I guess they got lost on the way over. When do we citizens get help in the simple task of walking to and from the train? I assume that our safety is the part of the police department’s job, so how can we get them to do that work?"

Susan Hahn asks what can be done about "the noise and pellet pollution originating from the Glenview Golf Club located at the end of Coronet and Woodland Court? On weekend mornings each winter, thousands of Glenview citizens have to endure the hand full of private club members who disturb the quiet with unending assaults of gunfire. A quiet walk in any five mile direction, a brunch with family or any activity is routinely ruined by the tremendous bangs of rifles. It’s our own private Tora Bora. The pellets from each round of shooting shower the forest preserve just east of the gun towers and are washed into the river below. Why are so few people able to ruin the rest and relaxation of so many in our community?"

The Watch replies: Assistant Village Manager Joe Wade believes the club is located in the village of Golf. You may want to call their village hall at 847-998-8852 to see whether they have a noise ordinance. If so, perhaps you can talk with officials in that community about enforcing the law. If not, you might get a posse of neighbors together and petition the club directly to further restrict the hours of shooting and implement noise reduction measures.

YOUR TURN: We await your comments, questions and suggestions. Our e-mail address is glenviewwatch@aol.com and our snail mail is 3537 Maple Leaf Dr. We also welcome small contributions to help with our costs of production. Checks can be made payable to Glenview Watch and are not tax deductible. Thanks for reading. Keep in touch. Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott, Co-Editors of The Watch.

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