SBC/Ameritech hopes to build a second story on their downtown Glenview building and is asking the village for a green light to proceed with construction. The news comes as a surprise and a disappointment to library board members. They’re in the midst of a space search, and one option was to build atop the phone company’s facility behind them, connecting to the main building with a bridge over the alley. Ameritech had, at one point, said that was a possibility.

The company asked for permission to build up in a letter dated February 2, and the matter appears on the village board’s agenda for Tuesday, March 5, but no one at Village Hall informed the library board or its executive director. "It’s a surprise that the village manager didn’t pick up the phone," said Library Vice President Gail Anderson. "Maybe we wouldn’t feel like we were being left out or boxed in. It’s disappointing that we can’t work together."

A real estate consultant is reviewing the library’s options and is expected to make a report this spring. 

It took nearly eight months of work by dozens of people to draft a plan for the future of Wagner Farm. Glenview’s Park District established the process to ensure community input and accepted the plan when it was complete, but commissioners are now reluctant to say they will follow the master plan in making decisions about the farm.

The president of Citizens Organized for Wagner’s appealed to the park board Thursday. "If we don’t have a common vision, it isn’t going to do the farm any good," said Mark Steger. "Our members need to hear the vision you have."

He listed a series of matters that would require board attention in the months ahead: culling the herd, reaching out to public schools, constructing an underpass or overpass linking the parking lot with the farm, preserving the view from Lake Avenue and restoring the barn, farmhouse and garage.

Board President Doug Kaiser responded warmly. "I look forward to working with you. The passion you have speaks for itself," he told Steger. "Everyone working together – that’s what this is about," but Commissioner John Winand warned that it would take hours of discussion before the board could endorse a comprehensive plan for Wagner Farm. He urged Steger to "temper your enthusiasm."

"I only hope I can stem the public’s enthusiasm," said Steger. "Some of our members don’t even live here. They just hear ‘farm,’ and they want to know when they can come."

The park board and the farm’s support group have been at odds over the master plan and other issues for months. The commissioners insist, for example, that COWS have up to 25 members on its board, charging that the group is not open enough to all members of the community. COWS leaders feel a board of that size would be too large to work effectively.

The park district also wants new by-laws that would redefine the group which has been in existence for more than a decade, and commissioners want COWS to pledge support for all park board decisions involving the farm. The effort to stifle dissent has deeply upset people who fought to protect and preserve the farm. "We’d rather be watch dogs than lap dogs," said one.

--The park district plans a Wagner Farm cookbook featuring old family recipes from the 1920's-1950's. Area residents who’d like to submit old photos and recipes for the publication should call Farm Director Todd Price at 847-998-5490. Coincidentally, the most recent issue of the COWS newsletter contains a cherry pie recipe which the late Rose Wagner shared with COWS’ Vice President Norma Morrison.

-- COWS President Steger says more than 200 people have joined the group including one "Moo" member who contributed $1,000. The group plans to participate in Glenview’s summer street sale, the Fourth of July parade and Grovefest. They may also organize a farm-based celebration called Cowfest.

-- The park district had asked COWS to contribute money for the purchase of a bobcat to move logs and clear land, but the support group balked, suggesting construction equipment be rented as needed. "I don’t want to buy standard maintenance equipment," said Morrison. "I want to buy a drinking fountain, and I want to buy benches – amenities for the farm."

-- Spaces are still available for kids in grades 4, 5 and 6 who want to be part of the Young Farmers program. They’ll learn about the care of livestock by helping with chores after school. During a pilot program with six children, organizers were surprised to learn what they liked best about the experience: "Helping shovel poo," they said. To register, see the park district’s spring brochure or stop by the registration desk at Park Center.

Fire Chief Joe Robberson’s decision to retire from his post in Glenview and assume the top job in Wilmette has prompted hot debate at fire stations in both communities. Some believe the chief is leaving on good terms with village officials, feeling cheerful about the prospect of more than $65,000 per year in pension money from Glenview and an annual salary of $95,000 from Wilmette. Others speculate that Robberson was pushed out after a series of embarrassing developments created unhappiness at Village Hall.

Last year, some members of the rank and file began to demand union representation. Their distrust of management intensified when Robberson’s deputy chief was charged with assault against a lieutenant at Glenview’s central fire station. Discontent may also surround the operation of Glenview’s new emergency dispatch center which continues to experience problems. In mid-January, a Wheeling resident waited at least 25 minutes for an ambulance after the dispatch center got confused and sent paramedics to an address in Glenview.

Meanwhile, firemen speculate about Wilmette’s future. With Chief Robberson at the helm, will our neighbor to the east opt to receive emergency dispatch services from Glenview? That could depend on whether Robberson leaves on good terms with the village.

Glenview’s Plan Commission spent more than two hours trying to decide how more area residents could be made to pay for storm water detention around town.

Right now, people building on lots of a half an acre or more must provide a pond or some other structure to keep water from rushing into sewers, neighbors’ yards or the river during heavy rains. The Plan Commission is poised to recommend a requirement for anyone who applies for a building permit. Exemptions might be given for homeowners putting on a new roof, doing interior work, adding less than 2 percent impervious surface to their property or doing construction that increases the value of a home by less than 25 percent.

Permit applicants could be allowed to pay into a special fund in lieu of creating a detention area on their property, and the commission may propose a tax on all residents to improve flooding problems villagewide. A vote on the recommendations could come as early as March 12 with subsequent debate by the Glenview Village Board.

At 46, Dave Jones has spent half his life teaching. Some of his friends in the business world think it’s odd that a man would devote his life to kids the way he does, but Jones has always felt good about his career choice, and last week he got a giant pat on the back when the Golden Apple Foundation showed up with a tv crew from WTTW and former baseball great Minnie Minoso. Jones was one of 10 people chosen from a field of 342 to receive a Golden Apple Award for teaching excellence.

Jones knew he was a finalist. He had already attended a luncheon with 31 other contenders, been observed in his classroom and heard that parents and students were being interviewed. Still he was surprised when he entered the gym to find a crowd of cheering kids. "You won, you won, you won!" they shouted as Minoso handed the Pleasant Ridge physical education teacher a basket of apples.

Jones was nominated by the American Heart Association’s Linda Esler who organizes a jumpathon each year at 180 schools around Illinois. That gives her a chance to watch lots of gym teachers doing their jobs, and she concluded Dave was one of a kind.

Principal Rosemary Lorenzo agrees. "He brings out the best in kids," she says. "He listens to them. He cares about them. He does so many activities with them that they can’t help but like him. He is an advocate for them, and they know that."

Besides teaching physical education, Jones plays his clarinet for students, organizes the annual talent show and supervises the school’s Japanese garden. (In 1999, the Chicago Botanic Garden named it the best school garden in the area.)

In everything he does, Jones stresses connections. He tells youngsters that if they’re physically fit, they can play their horn better. If they dance well, then they understand rhythm and become better musicians. "I can catch some kids and turn them on to life through phys. ed, but there are other kids who won’t get that in the gym," he explains. "I catch them through music, drama, the garden – whatever it takes to hook a kid and show them that education will be meaningful in their real life."

He concedes one ulterior motive. "Once you get them excited, you don’t have discipline problems. If the kid is interested, they’re not going to fool around."

Jones looks forward to the short break which his Golden Apple award will allow. The foundation arranges six months of free study at Northwestern University for winning teachers, gives them a $2,500 grant and a laptop computer. They’re also asked to work as a group, developing a plan for improving some aspect of public education.

Principal Lorenzo predicts it will be tough finding someone to fill Jones’ gym shoes during that sabbatical. "I don’t know what we’re going to do," she says. "We’ll never really be able to replace him."

Bob Sherman is Glenview’s own stairmaster, having completed the annual climb up Chicago’s Hancock Tower in 30 minutes. The 64-year-old has, in years past, made the upward trek in less time, but this year he had a bad cold. Sherman said the view from the 95^th floor skydeck was spectacular, although the award was somewhat disappointing. "You get a banana and a small roll," he says. "No seconds, and you have to wait in line for the elevator ride down." The local jogger is already looking forward to next year’s event and would be happy to counsel others considering the challenge. You can e-mail him for advice and encouragement at rts4114@aol.com.

When Glenview was hit by a blizzard late last month, employees of the park district did not despair. They organized a snow sculpting competition. One team created a figure showcasing the recreational options at Park Center. She wore flippers, held a jump rope in one hand and a piece of pottery in the other. Another group sculpted a mermaid in the snow while the senior team created a snowman using popsicle sticks. "They said they were too old and it was too cold to go out in the snow," explains park district executive Mary Van Arsdale. The winner, by popular acclaim, was the maintenance crew who used a plow to clear the parking lot and create a giant mound of snow. From it, they sculpted a larger-than-life employee hard at work at his desk. The piece, at least 12 feet high by twelve feet wide, didn’t last long. Vandals attacked the sculptures over night, and warmer weather took its toll the following day.

The Glenview Park Board was confronted last week by a couple planning to move here next year. They’ve got a contract for a house at The Glen and want their 2-year-old child to attend nursery school at Park Center. Alas, they feared all slots would be filled after a lottery of residents was held to decide which children can attend. They asked the commissioners to consider them residents, and after a lengthy discussion the park board agreed. Anyone who can show a contract for purchase or lease of a Glenview home to be completed by the date that a school or camp program begins is now eligible for resident lotteries.

The Glenview Symphony Society will actually hold auditions from 6-10 p.m. Wednesday, March 13 and not on March 23 as previously reported. Rehearsals will be held on subsequent Wednesdays, and the first performance is set for May 4. To try out, call 475-4819.

WG wonders why the public was not told about Plan Commission discussions of storm water management: " I was stunned to hear that the Plan Commission was considering sweeping changes to the current storm water management policy in the village. Since no public notice of this appeared in the Glenview Announcements, I was wondering how many other residents are unaware that the village is contemplating substantial changes, increased fees and amendments to our ordinances and building codes to achieve storm water nirvana at the taxpayers' expense. What about the many residents who are planning additions, replacement homes or even a slightly bigger garage? They may not have known a thing about Tuesday night’s hearing, but they will be financially impacted.

"Two weary homeowners from Glenayre Park sat through a long meeting and spoke about the unfairness of the proposed changes. I can't believe that only two residents out of over 40,000 in Glenview want to be heard on the potentially onerous changes headed our way. When is the village going to share this dirty little secret with its residents? It is ironic to hear the commissioners express such fervent concerns for bringing ‘all homes in Glenview’ into compliance with current standards when they don't comply with their own obligations to give public notice of their deliberations."

LW can’t believe the bucks this village shells out: "$78,000 for dimmer light bulbs? Perhaps the "dim wits" who okayed the original bulbs ought to pay this bill. As to the complainers, anyone who builds or buys a home with glass walls close to the street should not be surprised by any glare, even from motorists speeding by. Trustee Pappo has the right thought: remove or unscrew every other bulb, or, if that doesn't work there is always the Red Rider BB gun(it worked when I was a kid!). I wonder how these home owners handle a ‘bright’ full moon?"

Donald Dann and Jane Balaban offer advice for the up-coming election:. "The Cook County Commissioners, who also serve as Commissioners of the Forest Preserve District, are up for re_election in the primary on March 19. Gregg Goslin is running unopposed in the Republican primary. He represents most of Glenview and has tried to protect the most important natural habitat in our community – 67,000 acres of woodlands. Commissioner Cal Sutker, who represents the southern part of Glenview, has been relatively passive in efforts on behalf of conservation. His opponent in the Democratic primary, Larry Suffredin, has made the Forest Preserves, land management and acquisition a core part of his campaign platform. Suffredin successfully lobbied for increased state funding of Brookfield Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Garden. All in all, he is a far stronger candidate."

Barbara Hines is back with a complaint: "Do we really need a consultant for everything? Each week, one entity or another around town announces that it has hired a consultant to tell them what common sense ought to be able to figure out. Can’t any of our boards and executives think for themselves? Apparently we are just not electing the right caliber of people.

"When The Glen (God, I hate that name) was in the planning stages, it was suggested that the community be asked for suggestions on what to name the streets, park, etc. Instead, the village board hired a consultant, and the first thing he did was to send a survey out to village residents asking for suggestions. Brilliant!

"The most ludicrous of all is District 34. They had two referenda that went down, and they sent a survey to all residents. They have whined non-stop about lack of funds, and now they’re spending $60,000 for a consultant to tell them what the survey and a volunteer professional committee already said."

Richard Feit challenges numbers presented by Glenview’s Executive librarian: "In last week's Glenview Watch, Executive Librarian John Blegen disputed library attendance/patronage numbers that appeared in a Glenview Announcements Guest Essay by John Ranz. Mr. Blegen claimed the differences were due to calendar year versus Jan-July reporting. This time period, of course, represents a six-month variance. Concern by Mr. Blegen over this variance pales in comparison to the magnitude and significance of a downward slide in attendance/patronage from over 555,000 to about 447,000 over the past four years. Such a serious and substantial decline in library patronage should be addressed publicly with taxpayers rather than fretting over calendar versus mid-year reporting variances.

"When will our executive librarian and the library board explain how they can justify building a library more than double the size of the existing one? When will they publicly justify a massive 110,000-square-foot library which their own consultant says will meet community needs almost 20 years from now. Responsible businessmen know that demand and financial forecasts beyond 3-5 years are usually wishful thinking and 20 years out is sheer fantasy.

"The Wall Street Journal recently reported U.S. computer-using households at 54%, a trend that has undoubtedly contributed to less frequenting of libraries. With almost half of all households yet to come online, the case for more than doubling the size of the Glenview library becomes questionable at best."

John Ranz is outraged over plans for a new library: "It is an insult to every taxpayer in town that the library board will choose a location for the new library even before the November 5 advisory referendum. In other words, they will spend up to $180,000 on planning no matter what the public wants. Since 1999, both circulation and visits to the library are down. With increased use of the Internet, it will go down more, and the library that has been proposed is at least 25% larger than is suggested by the experts for a town this size. We can't trust this village and library board any more than we could trust the last ones. They have their hearts and minds made up to add this to the unneeded school and the super deluxe Park Center. The original village board that got us in this mess stated loud and often that Glen development would not cost taxpayers an extra cent. Those now famous words will go down in history next to: ‘I did not have sexual relations with that woman’ and ‘Read my lips: no new taxes.’ The time for massive resistance is now. Go to a board meeting, say your piece, or forever hold it."

And Terry Wodder suggests we pay the post office to move: "The library can't prove they need 110,000 square feet, and the cost to build new based on Orland Park's estimates will be close to $32 million plus site acquisition. If the post office relocated, the library would have room to expand to 80,000 square feet. The taxpayers would save at least $15 million.

"The post office says it can't afford to move. If the taxpayers of Glenview had to pay them to move (the existing property is worth something so give them more than it is worth), we’d all be better off. If necessary kick them out using the right of eminent domain or condemn the property. It is grossly overcrowded and at 50 or 60 years of age, the building probably has a fair number of code violations.

"It doesn't make sense to abandon the current library to build new just a few blocks away. By scaling back on the size and staying in the downtown area, Glenview could save money and make it possible to have a new library, a new post office and plenty of parking for both."

GW writes about traffic woes: "I noticed in a response to a letter in the last issue that you referred to Glenview's Traffic Committee, which is supposed to consider resident complaints and suggestions for making village roads safer. I had no idea that such a committee exists. Does this committee meet publicly? Who comprises it? When and how do they consider traffic and road safety issues?

"I have in the past informed the village that the streetlights at the intersection of Lake and Waukegan roads do not work. They have not worked for over eight months now. It amazes me that this has occurred, given that the intersection is a few hundred feet from Village Hall. Alas, the village seems more concerned that the streetlights are a tad too bright at The Glen than with those that don't work at all. Moreover, the village claims that it's not their jurisdiction, but rather the state and county. So much for safety. Interestingly, when the village was hanging holiday decorations on Waukegan Road streetlights didn't the workers notice then that these lights were out?

"Is this traffic committee going to make suggestions to the county on the rebuilding of Lake Avenue next year? I have proposed left-turn arrows on the traffic signals at Sunset Ridge and Wagner on Lake for eastbound morning rush traffic, and the same for afternoon westbound rush traffic at Harms and Wagner. A signal and special turn lanes would greatly improve traffic flow. Lake Avenue needn't be widened at all to do this. The Watch has indicated that a left-turn lane might be in the offing at Lake & Wagner due to the new firehouse. If it can be worked into the design there, why not at Sunset Ridge and Harms, too?

"Speaking of the new firehouse, why put the firehouse there? It seems awfully dangerous to have fire truck and emergency vehicle egression onto Lake at that busy intersection, doesn't it? ( I was once told that more accidents occur at that intersection than any other in the village.) Why not move it east, down Lake, and on the other side of the street, near that utility building? It is truly sad that the village is going to raze the original Wagner farmstead. It seems history has its price, and for us it's just too high."

The Watch replies: Village Manager Paul McCarthy says the intersection of Lake and Wagner is not particularly dangerous, although a fair number of fender benders occur there. He has assured the trustees that improvements will be made by Cook County to improve the safety of the intersection, and that a trip light will be installed to make access by emergency vehicles easier. As for Sunset Ridge, we understand a number of people who live on that street have opposed the installation of turn lanes, fearing it would increase traffic. You may, however, want to call the Cook County Highway Department to discuss your concerns: 312-443-7700.

The original Wagner Farm house has now been torn down. We’re not sure why the Historic Preservation Committee stayed out of the fray, but member Norma Morrison says the house had been remodeled so many times that it was no longer worth saving. Another complication involved Glenview’s Park District. It had no interest in putting the costly old house at Wagner Farm, begging the question of where it could be located if someone was willing to pay the moving and restoration costs.

The other site you mentioned for a new fire station belongs to the Cook County Forest Preserve which was unwilling to part with it. As for the traffic committee, Assistant Village Manager Joe Wade says it’s a group of village staffers from the police department, engineering and manager’s office with occasional input from the fire and public works departments. The panel reviews citizen inquiries and petitions related to parking, stop signs and speed limits, applies technical knowledge from the U.S. Department of Transportation, then makes recommendations to the village board. The group does not meet in public and does not deal with major construction projects such as the Lake Avenue intersection.

Henry Hill comments on our report that the village might be talking with Wilmette about providing emergency dispatch services to that community in exchange for a reduced rate on water. "The deal sounds interesting -- the combination of fire and water. But will the residents of Glenview see any reduction in their water rates or will this just be another source of revenue to be spent by our trustees?"

The Watch replies: We assumed the deal would mean some rate reduction for residents, but it seems your question may be moot. We described the rumor that came to us from several high-level sources to Assistant Village Manager Joe Wade who said it had no basis in fact. He’s been involved in talks about water purchase and emergency dispatch but says no deal to link the two was ever discussed.

Mindy was surprised by news that Deputy Chief Michael Sawicki will serve as Acting Fire Chief until a replacement for Joe Robberson is chosen: "After the disgrace Sawicki brought to that firehouse, I cannot believe he should be made acting chief. What are they thinking?"

The Watch replies: They’re probably thinking that Michael Sawicki was acquitted on a charge of assault and that he is the number two man in Glenview’s fire department. The real question is whether Sawicki is being considered for the job of chief. We hear the village is launching a national search to fill the position.

And an anonymous reader writes: "I believe there's a line in a song from "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" that goes well with Fire Chief Joe Robberson; "Ohhhh, I love to side step the issues."

CT corrects our claim that all public service vehicles are marked with the village logo: "Someone was asking about village cars having village seals on them, and you stated that the fire department cars did. There are two cars that are taken home and used on a personal basis, that being the chief’s maroon Ford Explorer, and the deputy chief’s white Dodge Caravan. Neither vehicle has exterior warning lights, neither is marked with either fire department or village markings."

Tuddie Selzer responds to comments about squirrel trouble in Glenview. To B.J. Moose she writes: "Loved your message and thanks for the chuckles," and to CM she writes, "You say all these animals are in your homes, actually, you are in their homes. They have all been displaced because of all the construction. We have destroyed their homes. I am afraid that down the road the only animals our children will see will have been visited by a taxidermist."

YOUR TURN: What’s on your mind? Drop us a line by e-mail or snail mail (3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60025). If you haven’t already done so, please consider making a contribution to support The Watch. Non-deductible checks should be payable to Glenview Watch. Thanks for your support and for reading – Sandy Hausman and Dean Schott, Co-Editors of The Watch.

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