The Glenview Village Board cancelled this week’s meeting. Too few trustees were around to legally do business, so the panel agreed to meet on the last Tuesday in July instead. The Watch is also contemplating a short break in coverage. Barring big news, our next edition will appear on July 14. In the mean time, Glenview’s annual Fourth of July parade steps off from the OLPH parking lot at 11 a.m. Thursday, and fireworks will explode at dusk over the Glenview Golf Course, 800 Shermer Road, with music provided from 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.  See you there!

Glenview’s library and village boards have settled on two possible locations for a new building – both within an area bounded by Chestnut Street on the north, Central Avenue on the south, Waukegan to the east and Shermer to the west. A consultant submitted five possibilities. The library board then narrowed the field but is still trying to reach consensus on which location would be best. Both sites remain a secret "to keep the cost of acquisition as low as possible," said a statement released Tuesday.

Among sites that had been considered is a five-acre parcel near Dominick’s at The Glen, the Olympia Shopping Center across from the current library, land now occupied by Colonial Courts and the Patio Shops just west of the river on Glenview Road and the downtown Waukegan Road Dominick’s site.

A poll of area residents conducted in 2000 found a majority – more than 60 percent – preferred a downtown location. The board needs at least four acres to build a 110,000-square-foot building and 250 parking spaces. It has ruled out its current site and is trying to determine how much of the revenue from the sale of that property it would get. While the library board may hold the deed, Glenview’s library operates under village authority, so Manager Paul McCarthy contends the village will have full control over the proceeds of any sale.

Library Board President Gail Anderson said she hoped to have an announcement on the site for a new library by summer’s end, making it unlikely the board could get a referendum on the November ballot to pay for the new library. Former Executive Librarian John Blegen says the filing deadline for referenda is August 19.

In making the announcement, Anderson noted that the library cannot act independently – that it must secure permission from the village board for most steps in the process. 

Tentative plans for the new facility include a 200-seat auditorium, several conference rooms, computer labs for adults and children and a much larger Youth Services department. There would also be increased space for educational programs and for collections of tapes, CD’s, computer programs and other electronic media. The board said it would prefer a two-story building with a footprint of 50,000 square feet, but the actual design will depend on the site chosen.

There’s no word, yet, on how much of a tax increase the library board would request. That figure is contingent on the cost of land and construction.

Glenview will soon have a new library director. Vickie Novak arrives in mid-August from Calumet City, bringing with her substantial experience helping communities to build new facilities. She oversaw construction of a new library for south suburban Oak Forest, Crestwood, Midlothian and Tinley Park in 1979 before moving to Calumet City in 1986. That community had just completed a 30,000-square-foot library "that didn’t work. The heating, the air conditioning, the plumbing, you name it!" Novak recalls. She spent her first year with architects and contractors getting rid of the bugs.

In addition to her construction expertise, library board members liked Novak’s creativity in attracting dollars to her districts. In Calumet City she won a $100,000 grant from Springfield to build a technology training center.

Novak looks forward to Glenview’s long-anticipated building program and does not think a 110,000-square foot library will be too big. "In a community the size of Glenview, a very upscale, progressive community, they’ll probably need every square foot," she says.

Naturally, the 50-year-old librarian loves to read – especially mysteries she can "devour in a couple of evenings," but books are not her only passion. She’s an accomplished equestrian who competes nationally at dressage – guiding a horse through complex maneuvers with slight movements of the rider’s hands, legs and weight.

Novak plans to move to the area this summer and will begin work on August 12. In the mean time, she’ll be doing lots of reading – not of mysteries but of library board minutes and consultant reports.

Novak succeeds John Blegen who retired to spend more time with his kids and his clarinet. Glenview’s former executive librarian will spend much of the summer playing with the Cubs’ band at Wrigley Field, appearing Thursday nights at the Landmark Inn in Northbrook and Sunday nights at Seul’s in Northfield.

No sooner had the International House of Pancakes announced plans to locate at the Target and Kohl’s shopping center on Willow Road when another icon of suburban sprawl, Steak and Shake, asked permission to build there.

Founded in 1934 in Normal, Illinois, the chain features white tile buildings with black and white striped awnings. There are 397 Steak and Shakes in 19 states, offering breakfast, burgers, salads, chili and hand-dipped milkshakes. "It is served on real china by waitresses," said a spokesman for the restaurant. "It is open 24-hours, and we do have a drive-through service."

Commissioner Joseph DiMattina said the shopping center was originally supposed to be upscale, and he didn’t like the prospect of a fast food outlet there.

A corporate spokesman said the chain was not "fast food," but "casual dining."

"The fact that it has waitresses doesn’t make it anything other than a Steak and Shake," said DiMattina, who went on to lambaste the architecture. "To make it real simple, lose the white!" he said, predicting that such a building "would stick out like a sore thumb."

Others on the commission agreed. and some also disliked the black and white awnings. "I’m really offended by circus stripes," said Commissioner Gary Wendt.

"I personally would love to see Steak and Shake there," said Commissioner Steve Bucklin before urging the developer to create a building that would fit in with others at the site.

"We’re a national chain in business for 78 years. Our chairman has been here over 17 years. He has a lot of pride and wants to have it his way," said the Steak spokesman.

"You’re a 78-year-old corporation. We’re a 102-year-old village, so we beat you on that." said DiMattina. "You’ve got a cantankerous chairman. We’ve got a cantankerous president. We’ve heard this before," he said, recalling arguments from Jewel, Target, IHOP and Shell regarding the importance of their corporate image. In the end, DiMattina said, Jewel, Target and IHOP had changed their look to suit village regulators.

Steak and Shake asked to come back on July 23 with a new look for the restaurant.

Editor’s note: While we admire DiMattina’s bluster, it tickles us to think anyone would describe Larry Carlson as cantankerous. As for the architecture of Steak ‘N Shake, the chain is being asked to comply with an annexation agreement that called for prairie-style architecture. Target and Kohl’s modified their buildings to meet that requirement. So did other businesses at the shopping center.

The Jennings auto dealership on Waukegan Road just north of Golf wants to replace its Volkswagen building with a two-story structure providing four times as much space for offices, a state-of-the-art waiting area with high-speed Internet lines, more room for maintenance and sales.

In making the request, Jennings reminded the Plan Commission that it could have moved to Morton Grove. "They’ve been asking us to come over. There have been all kinds of incentives," said the dealer’s general manager Jim Walsh. "We wanted to keep the business in town."

Architect Larry Basil described the building as contemporary. Construction materials for the 17,400-square foot facility will include cement plaster and aluminum. Plan commissioners asked about water detention on site – a local requirement designed to minimize flooding in the village.

Basil said Village Hall staff had given Jennings a pass on that since there was no change in the amount of land being paved at the site. "That may be technically true, but it’s troubling," said Commissioner Gary Wendt, adding that the dealership did not comply with another village ordinance requiring one tree be planted for every seven parking spaces in a lot. With many of the cars now being stored in a new lot on Johns Drive, Wendt wondered if Jennings could create more green space at the dealership.

Commissioner Peter Brinckerhoff agreed with fellow architect Wendt – that more landscaping was needed at the site, but the dealership balked at the idea of planting trees that might attract birds and bird droppings. "Trees are death for the car parking areas!" said Walsh. "That would kill us. We don’t have the luxury of putting islands on the property. "I can’t put into words how badly it would hurt."

DiMattina recalled a similar debate when Bredemann Lexus asked to expand but pointed out that the dealer had been required to put more trees along its perimeter.

Jennings objected to that idea, pointing out that "our wares are on display outside. It hamstrings the enterprise to say we want you to cover up your display with trees, because the people will not see the vehicles we’re trying to sell," said Basil. "This is not a parking lot. It’s a vehicle display area."

"There is not an island or a tree in the sea of asphalt here," said Wendt.

"The amount of landscaping that you have around the new building is very, very minimal at this stage," said DiMattina. "It needs to be pumped up."

"So if you were to summarize the concerns of this commission, would it be landscaping – and landscaping?" asked Basil.

"And then there’s also landscaping," said DiMattina.

Brinckerhoff said he was also worried about stormwater control on the site.

The dealer agreed to review its plans and to return for more discussion on July 9.

Editor’s note: This case will be a real test of whether Glenview government is for sale. Similar building materials have, in the past, upset the plan commission and prompted a demand for brick. Given local ordinances governing detention and paved parking lots, Jennings should probably be planting trees somewhere and doing more to reduce stormwater runoff from its site, but Jim Jennings was a major contributor to the campaign of Village President Larry Carlson and his allies on the village board. Jennings joined Paul Jones of the Glenview State Bank, construction magnate James Kenny and Glenview Insurance chief Bill Zanoni in signing a letter urging members of the OLPH parish to support Carlson and company at the polls. "Unite Glenview must win all four seats to have a majority on the Village Board," they wrote.

James Kenny, by the way, was recently considered to head the Republican party in Illinois after Lee Daniels resigned under a cloud – accused of using state workers to campaign for him on government time. Kenny told the Chicago Sun-Times that he had not spoken with anyone about the job but would not accept it. He voiced support for former Governor Jim Edgar who is considered a front-runner for the position.

The Skokie lawyer who lost his primary race for the newly-drawn 17^th Illinois House district by 116 votes has finally conceded the race to Wilmette attorney and village board member Pat Hughes. Hughes, a Democrat, will face Republican incumbent Beth Coulson in the fall.

Coulson has been campaigning hard – ringing doorbells even during the primary there was no Republican contest. Democrats are predominant in the new district which cast 59% of its votes for Al Gore in the last presidential election.

While Coulson is seen as liberal on some issues and has a strong track record on the environment, she is new to many voters – residents of Skokie, Morton Grove, Wilmette, Glencoe and Evanston.

A dress code that would require tummies be covered and underwear concealed proved too hot for most members of High School District 225 last week. Elias Matsakis, Donna Torf and Tom Shaer supported stricter guidelines, but Carol Rogal, Karen Long, Sarah Beyne and Andy Olson voted to leave the language governing dress more vague, requiring only that students "provide reasonable coverage," striking a balance between social responsibility and self-expression.

Opponents of the tougher restrictions, drafted by a committee of parents, teachers and administrators, thought it would be hard for the faculty to enforce, especially in light of changing fashions, but Superintendent Dave Hales said teachers had asked for more specific guidelines.

By a unanimous vote, the School District 34 board chose lawyer Scott Britton to replace Anastasia Usher, who resigned for personal reasons. Britton has several personal ties to public schools. His father was a superintendent, his mother a school district secretary. His wife teaches special education in Skokie and his 5-year-old daughter is enrolled in the Westbrook/Glen Grove cluster of District 34.

Six people had applied for the job including some who had served in the past. They were encouraged to consider running for four seats open in the April election.

The board also added three new people to the payroll. Philip Collins, a principal in Arlington Heights who had worked for Glenview Superintendent Dot Weber in that community, has been hired as assistant superintendent here. Collins, who began work Monday, will earn $103,000 a year.

Assistant principal posts at Springman Middle School will be filled by Patricia Manion Reynolds, now an assistant principal in Gurnee, and Mary Keenley, principal of St. Mary of the Angels school in Chicago. Weber’s administrative assistant, Gay Meier, will retire in December. She’ll be replaced by Mary O’Keefe-Tietz.

The first week of filming on Uncle Nino, a family movie being shot at The Glen, went smoothly according to area residents who watched as Joe Mantegna and Ann Archer shot scenes in front of two James Company houses on Bennington Court.

The story revolves around feuding neighbors, and on Thursday the producers planned to string toilet paper through the trees in front of one home. The crew was having trouble getting paper onto one large tree when local resident Anne Cole passed by on a walk with her dog. Cole, a graduate of Glenbrook South High School, admits she’s tossed some rolls of toilet paper in her time and was able to instruct the filmmakers on proper technique.

Mantegna says he’s enjoying the location so far since it’s giving him a chance to spend time with relatives. The California actor has family in Northbrook, Wilmette and Chicago. He expressed surprise at how quickly a residential area had replaced a military base here, praised the James Company for saving some mature trees on the old Navy golf course and said the entire area would look especially good in 10-15 years.

So far, residents of Bennington Court seem to be enjoying the Hollywood experience, although neighbors may feel otherwise. More than a dozen production trucks and trailers have been parking on nearby streets, causing traffic congestion. The producers had initially said they would try to park in Dominick’s lot.

Filming will continue for several more weeks, and the public is welcome to observe the process. The location can be reached by taking Lake Avenue to Patriot Boulevard, going north to Independence, then west to Bennington Court.

Glenview’s annual street sale featured surveys at two booths. Scenic Glenview, a group dedicated to protecting and enhancing the character and architectural appearance of Glenview, asked residents a series of questions about how downtown and Waukegan Road could be beautified: Should we locate a landscaped library plaza in a prominent downtown location? Should we make greater use of the river as a place for public enjoyment? Should we make parts of Waukegan Road, where it intersects with Glenview Road, friendlier to pedestrians? Should we add landscaped medians to Waukegan Road, use the village-owned corner of Lake and Waukegan for a prominent public building or plaza, and does it make sense for Glenview to have building guidelines that might upgrade the appearance of our main north/south thoroughfare?

Meanwhile, Village President Larry Carlson, former president Nancy Firfer, Plan Commissioner Jim Patterson, Trustees Jeff Lerner and Mary Beth Denefe were holding down the small tent rented by their political party – Unite Glenview – and were gathering petition signatures asking Deerfield Bakery to open here. UG also asked visitors to list the top five issues facing Glenview today, wondered whether they’d like to serve on a local board or commission and inquired about their interest in working for the party.

Carlson has repeatedly said Deerfield Bakery will not come to Glenview because parking downtown is inadequate. Saturday’s survey could pave the way for demolition of downtown buildings to make way for parking.

Editor’s note: Unite Glenview is apparently gearing up to capture all seven seats on the village board this spring. While the political opposition – Rachel Cook, John Crawford and Donna Pappo – has been largely ineffective in stopping the good old boys of Glenview, UG wants no dissent at Village Hall. During the last campaign, UG argued that a win by allies of Cook, Crawford and Pappo would create a board controlled by a single party – a bad thing for the village. Now, it appears they are singing a different tune, advocating a return to single-party government.

The Chicago Tribune reported last week that Kraft Foods is in the market for a site near its Northfield headquarters and would probably be building at The Glen. The Trib says this deal would be similar to one involving Anixter – a Skokie firm which agreed to put its headquarters at the Prairie Glen Corporate Campus after Glenview provided a $2 million subsidy. There is no word from Village Hall on how much, if anything, the community would pay for another Kraft facility in our midst.

HD has been driving Patriot Boulevard and making mental notes about the landscape: "The flowers on the boulevard are beautiful, and many are native. Problem is I already see a few non-natives present in the mix, and these will take over the medians eventually. Do we know the plan for maintenance of these plantings?"

The Watch replies: Wolf Clements, Glenview’s landscape consultant at The Glen, says the meadow mix seeds purchased from Lafayette Home Nursery contained mostly native plants: butterfly weed, coreopsis, wild geranium, prairie clover, June grass, black-eyed Susan, goldenrod, asters, and the showy blooms we now see – red coneflowers and non-native poppies that will recede in favor of the native plants. Of course some invasive seeds may have blown in. The medians will be maintained initially by mowing and eventually with controlled burns. For more information, you can call the nursery at 309-995-3311.

PP writes: "I had an appointment at the Westlake Professional Building last week and saw a Carlson Heating Truck parked in the fire lane. I also observed three separate no parking/fire lane signs and a curb painted yellow to indicate a no parking zone. I must have missed the sign which indicated no parking for everyone but the village president’s company vehicles. When I came out of the building at 4:50, the truck was still there. Perhaps Mr. Carlson could set aside some time from his busy schedule and instruct his employees that village ordinances apply to everyone."

SS wonders "Why does the Village of Glenview have to hire consultants to advise on how to attract business downtown. Anyone who watches planning, zoning, appearance and board meetings knows the solution. Through their words, votes and actions, these public officials are unfriendly toward existing businesses wishing to remodel or expand. It is rare for Glenview officials to accept the designs of experienced architects, engineers and other specialists. If long-term Glenview businesses that pay sizable taxes and are generous contributors to many local charities are subjected to such micromanagement, what can a new business expect?

While large corporations get tax incentives and subsidies, current businesses get a hassle. How many more businesses will Glenview lose to communities who wish to work with their business plans, not against them? Frank Lloyd Wright would have difficulty getting a building permit in Glenview!

NN says, "It’s a wonder businesses have any interest at all in trying to locate in Glenview. IHOP’s signature is their blue roof, and now there’s a hassle for Steak ‘n Shake over its nationally-known look – white and checkerboard. These and many other companies have built their businesses based on a building that sparks customer recognition. They should take their tax dollars and go where they will be appreciated.

"Also, why is the plan commission giving Jennings Chevrolet a hard time? Not only are car dealers the biggest contributors of sales tax, but Jennings has always been right up there in the forefront of community-mindedness – one of the biggest supporters of Glenview-boosting activities. Shame on the plan commission for always having to throw their weight around and engage in these power plays. When they do that, they diminish the few things they do right."

The Watch replies: Are you saying businesses that pony up sales tax dollars and money for public events should be allowed to pave over the village, skip the green stuff and make our streets look like every other suburb in the nation? If that’s the case, why bother with a plan commission at all?

The truth is that major corporations do bend to the wishes of communities. In Ann Arbor, Michigan you can buy a Big Mac from something that looks like a church complete with stained glass – which makes sense when you think about it. Big corporations worship money. That’s the bottom line. If they want a crack at this rich consumer market, they ought to do something for us. Improved architecture and landscaping is a small price to pay in the long run. As for Mr. Jennings, we appreciate his generosity in giving to the local charities and events of his choice, but that should not exempt him from local rules designed to maintain our quality of life in Glenview.

BP says country should come before commercialism: "It is very important to preserve the integrity of a building like Hangar One. If Borders thinks it is better to cover up this part of Glenview and U.S. history, then I will no longer shop at Borders. Any Borders. I stopped shopping at Walgreens when they started building those awful stores with the big empty lit up space above the entrance. I want no part of supporting what is not good for my environment.

"Regarding the Greek Church and the park district decision against a permeable lot, it is unacceptable to have rushed this through. We have put up with Wagner Road being a difficult drive each time there is a function at the church, especially the big food fair they have yearly. They have owned the land that the parking lot has been on for years and have apparently chosen to not solve their own parking problems. What is a couple more months, and a fall install to save some bucks, especially when it doesn't seem that the church is paying for the parking solution. The taxpayers are."

Mike Klemke thinks Glenview officials had no business becoming developers at The Glen: "What started out as a noble effort by the Glenview board has turned into a fiasco. The thought of elected volunteers trying to develop a prime piece of real estate is laughable. Lawyers and developers have hoodwinked village board members into thinking they are benefiting the community. From the approval of Dominick’s in a residential area to the bastardization of Hangar One, let all village governments take heed. There has been too little attention paid to the financial needs of Glenview Public Schools. Planning for downtown has been neglected. There has been no foresight regarding traffic in our village. In my opinion, the Glenview boards have sold out the long-standing residents for quick personal gain and recognition. If greed and personal advancement are the norm for the future, God save our ‘Hug the Bear’ roots."

Just Curious writes: "Any update on the furry invaders at the Glen Dominick's store in April? Also, have you heard the rumors of builders being sued by new residents complaining of infestations in their walls?"

The Watch replies: We have not heard of any lawsuits but invite letters from anyone having rodent problems in their walls. As for Dominick’s, the health department did an inspection on June 13 and found no problems.

MJ asks "Why, oh why isn't the public allowed to know what is going to built on the old Nicor site. If no one knows, who paid to put the chain link fence around the property."

The Watch replies: Village Hall says no one has yet asked to build anything at that location. The owner of the land was required to put a fence around it before tearing the Nicor building down. A reliable source tells us the land is being eyed by a Muslim congregation with long-term plans to build a mosque, but we have been unable to confirm that claim.

RW read about our evening riding along with one of Glenview’s finest and was surprised to hear that an officer can stop someone on private property and ask to see their license: "Isn’t that act a clear violation of our rights? The man was on private property, not doing anything illegal. Shades of the Gestapo!"

The Watch replies: According to Commander Scott Stewart, car burglars sometimes sit behind a certain motel on Milwaukee Avenue waiting for guests to leave their vehicles – then break-in and remove valuables. Since the man we described was behind the motel, sitting by himself, an officer could argue that he had cause to approach and question the guy. A court might disagree, but the startled tourist from Ohio did not seem ready to file a lawsuit over having to show his license to a Glenview cop.

IJ asks about Gallery Park at The Glen: "Please explain to me why the newly built washrooms and water fountain on the north side of the park are not open. Also, the Canadian goose excrement is all over the bicycle and walking paths, very inconvenient and not a pretty sight."

The Watch replies: ComEd has yet to supply the north side of the park with power. Once that’s done, the public facilities will open. As for the geese, they are a problem. Dozens seem to have taken up residence, and each produces about a pound of poop a day.

GG writes about the new fire station, the old Dragon Inn and plans to widen Lake Avenue: "Any idea when the fire station building will begin on Lake Avenue? I live in this area and am just curious as to when to expect traffic back-ups. Any word on when the Dragon Inn will be finished? We are so ready to go back and have some more of Jeanette's wonderful food! Finally, I am all for widening Lake. I sat for about ten minutes this morning at 11:35 just trying to turn north onto Wagner and eventually had to turn on the yellow/red light which I don't like to do. I worry about some bozo running the red light. Anyway, any word on when that might get started? I may put a sign on that corner: ‘Widen Lake.’ That'd be great!"

The Watch replies: Some work on Lake Avenue could start in October, and ground could also be broken for the new fire station this fall, but major road closures are not expected until spring 2003. The Dragon Inn is expected to reopen sometime next month.

CB thinks Milwaukee Avenue needs some TLC: "I have been waiting for years for the Milwaukee Avenue bridge to be improved. Last year they did concrete repairs. With the new park opening soon, I thought for sure that the weeds in the median strip would be replace with flowers or shrubs. Downtown Glenview has flowers in the median on Glenview Road. More cars per day pass through Glenview via Milwaukee Avenue. This eyesore is giving people a bad impression of Glenview. Please do some landscape improvements or at least put in some brick pavers to replace the weeds. I know it is a state road, but it is in Glenview."

The Watch replies:  This sounds like a job for the Comprehensive Planning Commission.  We'll let you know when the group is set to consider the Milwaukee Avenue corridor.

YOUR TURN: Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 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. Dean Schott and Sandy Hausman, Co-Editors.

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