GLENVIEW’S NEW FIRE CHIEF

Glenview has named Dan Bonkowski, a firefighter with 31 years of experience in Northbrook, to head its fire department. Bonkowski has served as district chief and shift commander, winning rave reviews from his current boss, Northbrook Fire Chief Jay Reardon. "He’s been around the block and has always done a stellar job for us," says Reardon. "He’s technically astute, knows contract management, labor relations, has worked on fleet replacement schedules and the purchase of new equipment."

On a related note, Wilmette has decided not to join Glenview’s emergency dispatch service. When former Glenview Fire Chief Joe Robberson took the top job in Wilmette, some thought he might persuade our neighbor to the east to participate. Instead, Wilmette says it will continue to operate its own center. Meanwhile, Lincolnwood is expected to join the Regional Emergency Dispatch or RED Center based in Northbrook.

Glenview’s park board spent more than half an hour trying to figure out whether to install a coffee and snack kiosk in the lobby of Park Center Thursday. It’s been difficult to find a vendor willing to take the job, in part because the district won’t permit sale of soft drinks, chips or other items already available in vending machines, but the company now providing food service at our ice rink and swimming pools has expressed interest.

Parks executive Bob Quill says the vendor wants a 10-year contact because he needs time to pay off $90,000 in equipment he must buy, but the commissioners were reluctant to make that commitment. They worried that coffee might be spilled on carpets and furniture, that cups and napkins might litter the lobby. "I don’t want to see the place trashed," said Commissioner Doug Kaiser.

Parks President Judy Beck was willing to take the chance to increase revenue at Park Center. "Right now we’ve got a building that’s not meeting its budget," she said. "We’ve got space that’s not producing revenue, and we’ve got people who are going to stop at the Corner Bakery on the way home." In addition to about $9,000 a year in rent, Beck thought the park district might see more program revenue because families would stay longer and take advantage of more recreational opportunities if food were available.

Commissioner Tom Pontarelli proposed that any contract with the vendor contain a "kick out" clause, allowing the district to buy out the vendor if they no longer want a kiosk. Kaiser was doubtful. "If the kiosk provides a service to our patrons, and we don’t lose any money, that’s fine, but if it ends up costing us money, I’m not so sure," he said.

The board decided that Quill should talk with a consultant who knows more about leases with food vendors and explore the idea of a "kick-out clause" before a vote is taken next month. Commissioner Pontarelli joked the vendor should also be asked to supply sample lattes at their next meeting.

FUTURE FIREWORKS

Park district staffers say it won’t be possible to move Fourth-of-July fireworks from the golf course to The Glen in 2003 because sports fields and parking lots needed for the crowds still won’t be ready. The commissioners also plan to invite Glenview’s police and fire chiefs to share their views on a possible move before deciding whether the park district favors pyrotechnics at The Glen. Ultimately, they admit the decision will belong to Village Hall since the trustees must grant a permit for any fireworks display.

A calf was born at Wagner Farm on September 11. The park district, mindful of the public relations nightmare caused by Bart the Bull, is calling the new baby "Calf 86," and its mother "Agent 85," hoping the public won’t get too attached to the animals.

Wagner Farm Director Todd Price had already written off this year’s corn crop, noting that drought had prevented a single ear from sprouting, but after heavy rains in early August he was amazed to find tiny ears growing to maturity in just two weeks. Price was especially pleased since the park district had scheduled a Corn Harvest Festival for October 12.

In other news, The Wagner Farm Cook Book has gone to press. That collection of 297 recipes from area residents will sell for $12.50 at local Christmas craft fairs, The Grove, Park Center and the farm. Among other things, the book includes a favorite clam chowder recipe from Donna Richardson, wife of the parks’ executive director, stuffed green peppers with cheese from COWS member Kathleen Thiele and Norma Morrison’s preferred pasta dish from the 40's – Johnny Marzetti along with her mother-in-law’s recipe for butterscotch pie.

– A sound study has begun at The Grove. Monitors will record the din from passing traffic for two weeks. The Grove Heritage Association is paying about $3,000 for the job and hopes the state will pay for a sound barrier along I-294.

– After years of quiet conversation, inaudible to some residents and reporters in the audience, Glenview’s Park Commissioners will soon be heard. They voted Thursday to spend $5,500 for a portable public address system that can be used at Park Center for monthly board meetings or rolled to other locations. "When we get mics, we’re going to have to act like grown-ups," joked Board President Judy Beck.

– The commissioners voted to award a contract worth $1,074,000 to Lenny Hoffman Excavation for work on the new Swenson Park at the site of the old Rugen Center. The Wilmette company is already building the parking lot for Wagner Farm. It should be finished by October 12.

– The board also approved three-foot ramps for a beginners’ skate park at Swenson. Commissioner John Winand thought two-foot ramps would be better, but skate-wise members of the board informed him such structures would be boring. "If you make it too safe, kids don’t want to play on it," said octogenarian Catherine Crowley. Park executive Fred Gullen added that he didn’t think any manufacturer made ramps smaller than three feet. The commissioners agreed to ban bikes from the new park and from West Park’s skate area, which opened this summer.

– The park district is posting signs warning residents about West Nile virus and urging folks to use insect repellant. At the Grove, they’re adding minnows to the ponds – fish that eat mosquito larvae.

Children’s Land Daycare returned to ask the Glenview Village Board for permission to construct a playground required by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) before it can open on Waukegan Road near Chestnut. The trustees had refused a first request, arguing that car exhaust from the Burger King drive through next door and the Glenview Car Wash nearby made the site inappropriate for kids. They also expressed concerns about traffic and safety. An official from the Illinois EPA later said cleaner-burning fuels and improved auto emission systems make it unlikely the air would be any worse on that playground than anywhere else in Glenview.

Daycare proprietor Alla Litovchenko appeared with her lawyer – an environmental attorney who serves on Glenview’s Environmental Review Commission. (The village pays him more than $200 an hour for that work.) Sanford Stein, a partner with the Chicago law firm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon, told the trustees there would be 10 daycare staff members assigned to direct traffic, greet children each morning and walk them into the building. He conceded there is air pollution in the Chicago area but said the problem is regional, not local.

He also addressed Trustee Donna Pappo’s concern about mold growing on rubber tiles covering the playground surface. Stein explained that mold is a living substance that requires food. Since neither rubber nor asphalt provide food, it would be "scientifically impossible" for it to grow on or under the tiles. Pappo thought water might collect below the tiles in the asphalt. "Wouldn’t there be plant matter in the water?" she asked.

Stein didn’t think there would be enough plant matter to sustain mold for long.

Trustee Rachel Cook had called the American Academy of Pediatrics, and someone there told her that ozone pollution increases a child’s risk for asthma. "Are you aware that Northbrook is one of the monitoring stations for the state for ozone and ultra-fine particulate matter?," she asked Stein. "I was given to understand that we do not currently meet the federal standards for ozone or UPF."

"That is correct. We do not," said Stein. "No place in the seven-county Chicago metro area does. Our air today is better than it was 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago. In fact we’ve made enormous progress, but the Chicago metropolitan area does not meet federal ozone standards."

Three residents spoke in support of the day care site. Ann Cole applauded the location of Children’s Land. "This is on a bus route. Many of us forget that there are people who work here who don’t have their own cars. This is a day care center that they could use. That’s a rarity in Glenview."

Paul Detmers said his son attends a private school on a busy street in Palatine. "There are close to 300 kids in the school. There are significant drop off and pick up issues, but it’s all been worked out. The parents are educated on this. The staff are out there directing traffic. As long as day care is permitted in this area, you should let the market decide whether this is a good location."

Marina Teperovsky, a Russian-American who looks forward to enrolling her son at Children’s Land, said she had been waiting for a facility that could provide a multi-cultural experience with teachers who speak both English and Russian.

During the discussion, Pappo repeatedly called attorney Stein "Mr. Sanford," and Trustee Jeff Lerner called him "Mr. Kahn." Eventually, Lerner became agitated. "Mr. President," he said. "Just to clarify the record, Mr. Kahn has been called Mr. Sanford and Mr. Stein. We ought to get his name correct for the record."

"My name is Sanford Stein," said the lawyer.

Earlier, Lerner made a fuss because his site plans did not show where the doors to Children’s Land were. "I"ve got an empty square with no doors on it on my diagram," he said. "What am I supposed to conclude?"

Trustee Mike Guinane, a building contractor by trade, referred Lerner to another page in his information packet – a drawing showing the doors.

"That’s the back. That’s where the playground is," said Lerner.

"No," said Guinane, patiently directing Lerner to the markings showing doors in front.

Deftly breaking an embarrassed silence, President Larry Carlson asked if the trustees thought it would be safer for children to be dropped off on the side of the building, further from Waukegan Road. They did and said they would make a final decision about the daycare center at their next meeting when Children’s Land must return with a professional traffic study showing the new drop off location.

Developers of a day care center at The Glen were also back for approval. They had followed trustee orders to change the location of their building and parking lot. When Trustee Pappo asked about the surface of Creme de la Creme’s playground, her fellow board members burst out laughing. She was told that wood chips would be used, and while mold can grow on wood chips, Pappo and the others gave this upscale center unanimous approval.

At Tuesday’s village board meeting, Trustee Mike Guinane followed up on a question posed by Trustee Mary Beth Denefe two weeks ago. Guinane had claimed he called other communities and none leveled fines against elected officials for publicly discussing matters explored in executive sessions. Denefe wondered which communities. Guinane said he would get back to her, and this week said he had been in touch with Northbrook, Northfield, Skokie and Wilmette.

"Well, I know I didn’t get a copy of that," said Board President Larry Carlson. "Just to set the record straight, I asked the staff to do some research on that, and checking with 30 communities including Northbrook, nine of those communities do have ordinances with penalties, and some penalties include removal from office."

Editor’s note: We are puzzled by Carlson’s action and disturbed that he wasted the time of an already overworked staff to research this subject. The trustees voted 4-2 not to adopt penalties in Glenview – Guinane casting his vote with Carlson’s political opponents. Was the village president out to embarrass Guinane, or is there information being shared in executive session that really worries Carlson? Is this village in serious financial trouble at The Glen? Has the developer of a shopping center there found it difficult to attract tenants? Will he be back to ask for even more money from the village to assure that the mixed use retail center gets built?

Having thoroughly dissected plans for Children’s Land despite hearings and approval before the plan commission, board President Larry Carlson told fellow trustees and members of the public that a proposed swingset ordinance would not be discussed in detail.

"This whole board has watched the plan commission meetings. We’ve read the minutes. We’ve read the letters that we’ve gotten. We’re pretty well up to speed on this. We are here to approve or disapprove the recommendation of the plan commission. We are not here to start all over again," he said.

On hearing that, most of those who had asked to speak at Tuesday’s meeting chose to remain silent. One, Paul Detlefs, did object to changing the rule on how close a set can be to the side yard boundary, saying the existing 10-foot setback seemed reasonable.

The plan commission had argued that five feet was acceptable – the same limit placed on backyard garages and storage sheds. "There’s a fundamental difference," said Detlefs. "A garage can’t be placed in the center of a rear yard. It has to go in the corner. Playsets, however, can be centered."

If a particular family could not comply, Detlefs said the village had a process in place for appeals. On the other hand, he said there is no appeals process for neighbors who find their view is spoiled by a giant, multi-colored structure in their neighbor’s back yard.

"You’re acting on behalf of all the people of Glenview," he reminded the trustees. "Some who are concerned about this change may be reluctant to speak. They don’t want to be seen as curmudgeons who hate kids. I don’t. I have three children. I have no problem with playsets in appropriate places. It’s an issue of establishing reasonable distances."

Editor’s note: Even if public officials say it’s not necessary, citizens should take every opportunity to make their case. Despite President Carlson’s claim, the trustees do not always watch plan commission meetings, read minutes or retain critical information. In the case of Children’s Land, for example, Trustee Crawford asked what playground tiles were made of after both the plan commission and village board had discussed the rubber tiles at length. Trustee Guinane wondered what the day care was doing to protect its playground from possible incursion by cars. The plan commission had explored that subject in detail and secured a promise that concrete barriers would be erected. With regard to swingsets, at least one of those who testified before the plan commission came from Glen Lake Estates, yet at Tuesday’s meeting Trustee Pappo suggested that this problem was unique to The Glen. Communication is a tricky business, and it may be necessary to repeat information several times before trustees absorb it.

Trustee Jeff Lerner thought the controversy over swingset placement had been precipitated by a few complaints from neighbors and argued it was a mistake to change the rules based on their comments alone. "I would venture to guess we have thousands of swingsets that aren’t in compliance. If we’re going to impose an ordinance, I would really like to know how we’re going to enforce it. If the only people who are going to be penalized are those whose neighbors call, that’s a problem."

Trustee Rachel Cook said many Glenview ordinances are enforced through complaint, a point confirmed by Village Manager Paul McCarthy.

Lerner seemed to think the new ordinance would put more families at risk for problems, but Trustee John Crawford pointed out that the proposal would actually relax restrictions, so fewer people would be out of compliance.

Lerner seemed confused. "How do we know that?" he demanded. "That’s just an assumption."

"There are apparently a few families right now who are closer than 10 feet to the property line," Crawford explained. "Now we’re changing it to five feet, so some people will be back in a state of grace."

Crawford said he had driven through alleys at The Glen, seen the playsets and did not find them offensive. "It looked like the area was being lived in," he concluded.

In the end, even Lerner agreed to revise the swingset limits allowing placement as close as five feet from the rear and side lot lines with heights of up to 12 feet.

As autumn returns to Glenview, things are heating up on Lizette Lane, two blocks north of Glenbrook South High School, where a few students have been leaving their cars. One resident objects and has launched a drive to ban all street parking, but others on Lizette think that’s going too far.

In a letter to the village board, Greg and Jane Furch wrote: "Not all of us think we need a long-term solution to a short-term problem. During renovation of GBS, parking is at a premium, and a few students have been using our street. In the past 10 days the number ranged from 4 - 7 – not exactly unbearable! When construction at GBS is done and the parking lots completed, things will go back to normal. In the mean time, the kids are causing no harm."

The Furches also point out that a ban on parking would impact family, friends and workmen. Jane worries that she could not invite a women’s group from her church to lunch without huge parking headaches. "We live in the suburbs to be able to enjoy unrestricted access to our neighborhood and to get away from ugly restrictive signs posted everywhere," she says.

After looking at what has happened to nearby streets, the couple is frankly concerned. To solve a summer problem with camp counselor parking, the village erected 14 signs on Brett Lane and 29 on Crestwood Drive and Russet Way.

Editor’s note: Three cheers for people with some community spirit and a willingness to share public space. We hope the Furches can turn the exclusive tide which began when residents of Glen Lake Estates and LaFontaine won easy board approval for parking bans in those neighborhoods near GBS. We also wonder if the folks who live on Crestwood, Russet Way and Brett Lane are having second thoughts about the draconian solution imposed by the trustees when they complained about public parking on their streets.

Residents of the 2200-block of Dewes and Henley streets have rallied to oppose possible plans for alley paving, a project that could have cost each of 19 homeowners several thousand dollars. A majority had originally petitioned the village for paving, but some residents said they knew nothing about the plan until they received a public notice dated July 18. It arrived in mailboxes on August 3 and informed them of a public hearing before the village board on August 6. Some neighbors objected, noting that the code requires at least 10 days notice. They went door-to-door explaining the possible cost to every resident, then submitted a petition showing a majority now opposed the alley. Village staffers then went door-to-door informing residents that the hearing had been cancelled, and a spokesman at Village Hall said plans to pave the alley were dead.

About 50 Glenview residents, many of them students at Springman School, took part in an international event Saturday, helping to clean-up a beach and tracking the kinds of litter they found. The idea was to document sources of water pollution according to Alex Posner who, along with wife Judy, led one clean-up crew from the Glenview Community Church. Because Wilmette routinely cleans its beaches, the litter pickings were slim – mostly cigarette butts and small pieces of plastic.

Meanwhile, Glenview’s Techny Basin along the Chicago River continues to suffer from community neglect with an exotic array of litter piling up daily. Plastic bags, cans, bottles, styrofoam cups and food packages are plentiful. If you’d like to take part in a river clean-up effort this fall, call Sandy at 847-291-7434.

Glenview’s newest prairie is in full bloom at The Glen with sunflowers and goldenrod in profusion. The 32-acre site also sports a surprising number of lady’s tress orchids – fragrant white flowers that are extremely rare. While the property remains closed to the general public – another unfortunate case of village neglect – a group of 150 students from Pleasant Ridge School recently wangled a private tour to see where they will be releasing loosestrife beetles this spring. Kids at Pleasant Ridge have been raising those costly bugs since learning that they devour an invasive, non-native plant known as purple loosestrife. Glenview has released tens of thousands of beetles at a cost of $1 apiece to get rid of the weed, but prairie steward Kent Fuller says he’s seen no signs of progress.

K.A.B. worries about our health: "Just how many of your readers and writers have had bypass surgery? You are all a bit type-A don't you think? Relax. I can’t read your publication. It’s too negative, too narcissistic, and quite frankly hostile."

Geoffrey Fenton, who plans to move here soon, thinks we ought to lighten up: "I enjoyed Bill Turgeon's letter about growing up in Glenview in the 60s. My family and I will be moving to Glenview in 2003, and I hope we can recreate some of the positive sentiments he expressed. After reading Glenview Watch for several months now, I have to wonder. The list of citizens' complaints in your pages is stunning -- from parking lot drainage and IHOP's roof, to schools looking too beautiful and, of course, the public and private bickering of local officials. I think the vast majority of Glenview residents are not whining at all. The ones I talk to love Glenview. They love what's happening at The Glen, the young families moving in, the focus on neighborly living, the village's excellent schools, great health care services, low crime rate, and the racial, age and economic diversity one doesn't find elsewhere on the North Shore. Perhaps I don't understand the mission of the Watch, but since it's the most thoughtful and well-reported publication about Glenview I've found, I would like to see its paragraphs also reflect some of the very positive things."

The Watch replies: Yes, in many ways life is good in Glenview. We write about the problems and challenges facing this community because we want to maintain our quality of life here and feel that every village -- even Glenview -- can be better. We also suspect that some people are satisfied with the status quo because they don't know what's happening behind the scenes. By calling issues to their attention, we hope to spark their involvement in local politics and public affairs.

We do try to write about the positives in town. Our last issue featured short items about Glenview Youth Services, the United Way and Character Counts. In the past we have profiled wonderful people in Glenview -- folks who paint, make music, care for trees, plant gardens and love animals. We have also written about new businesses and organizations. We make a practice of covering park district proceedings, and the news there is often good.

In the end, however, we concede that our focus is on areas where we feel reform is needed. We are a watch dog for good government, and we think the arrival of new residents like yourself -- thoughtful, positive people -- is great. Welcome to Glenview. Please register to vote and keep in touch.

JS comments on crows and classrooms: "Yes, many crows have died and crow numbers may be greatly reduced, but crows form large roosts in winter. When these roosts are checked this winter, we will have a more accurate picture of how reduced the population might be. If you want to see large numbers of crows go to the south unit of Illinois Beach State Park in Waukegan. Enter the park at Wadsworth Road and park by the nature center, just southwest of the lodge. Take any of the trails south and the longer your hike the more crows you'll see. Last weekend the blue jays were also doing well, as I saw more than 40. As for recent remarks by the mystery CEO about Glenview’s new Attea Middle School, perhaps he would prefer our children go to a little red school house with two classrooms and an outhouse out back."

And Sandy Van Epps thinks the mystery CEO deserves a dunce cap: "I hope Glenview taxpayers realize the CEO's opinion of the new Attea Middle School was an uniformed opinion based on a quick drive past the building. Yes, it is a beautiful building, but he has no data to back up his concern that it is extravagant. Does he know how much the building is costing the taxpayers and how much money the state is providing? Does he know if it is being built within the budget? If it is on schedule? Did he review the needs of the district and the bids for construction? To live in Glenview and not even know that it is the new middle school demonstrates that he is out of touch. Should beautiful buildings be reserved for corporate CEO's while our children are educated in overcrowded schools and temporary classrooms? This CEO should not be telling the taxpayers what they should or shouldn't support. I hope, for his employees’ sake, he does not run his company using the same reckless decision making process."

CM was disturbed when an Abt spokesman referred to the used appliances it collects from customers as junk: "I purchase appliances from Abt. Their service is tops, and their drivers are friendly. My joy turned to concern when I realized the old units they heartily hauled away might have served others. One was in perfect condition. It just didn't match. Don't call all those old pieces ‘junk.’ Hire one employee to steer them elsewhere."

The Watch replies: Not to worry, CM. One of the store’s owners, Ricky Abt, assures us that the used appliances are purchased by another vendor for resale on the used market or for parts and scrap metal. Abt also said he will consider permeable paving materials when the store expands its parking lot this fall.

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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