It was a defining moment for the public forum organized to acquaint voters with candidates for three seats on the Glenview Park District Board. The League of Women Voters’ moderator pulled an index card from the pile submitted by members of the audience and read this question: "What color should we paint the barn at Wagner Farm?"

Panelists and observers chuckled, but the answers that followed began to separate candidates who are running for the board because they love sports from those who have broader interests and expertise that might push Glenview’s parks to new heights.

"Red!" said Ted Przybylo without a moment’s hesitation. Przybylo is an owner/operator and executive chef at White Eagle Banquets and Restaurants.

Bill Casey was next to weigh in. He agreed that red would be fine and complained that the park district had spent about $1,000 to do scientific research on what color the Wagner Farm barn had been. "Personally, I think that’s a little much," said the American Airlines pilot.

"Cows can see color," said an enthusiastic Timothy Moylan. He had been studying that subject and had also learned that "they consume 30 gallons of water a day and 90 pounds of feed." Moylan, who holds a Master’s degree in teaching and is certified in phys ed, health and political science, concluded, "Since the cows can see color, let’s paint the barn red."

Candidate Paul Stevens, head baseball coach at Northwestern University, was not able to be at the forum, but we reached him by phone on Saturday. He, too, favored a red barn like the ones he saw on road trips with his family as a kid. He added that some white trim would add flair to the property.

But Mike Luxem, who once worked for Pete Wagner and was active in efforts to save Wagner Farm, took a different view. "In a public referendum, four or five thousand people told us to preserve the farm," he explained in proposing that a clear varnish be used to protect the wood and maintain the barn’s "beautiful, natural look."

Bill Moore, who spent 15 years as director of finance for the Chicago Transit Authority, also favored protecting the weathered look, as did Randy Pickard, an expert in information technology. "I think it’s important to maintain the heritage of the farm," Pickard said.

Mary Jean Coulson, a sales consultant and the only woman running for park board, said she didn’t have background in interior decorating but was "interested in the advice of historians and what is best to preserve the building."

The next question involved finances. What could the park district do about its limited resources? Casey borrowed an idea from retiring Commissioner Steve Schulte. "Every individual who runs a part of the park district should treat it like a family business," he said, noting that staff could be offered incentives for cost-effective performance.

Moylan thought the best ideas would come from the parks’ employees, but he offered one thought of his own – looking closely at ways to cut back on energy costs at Park Center.

Luxem agreed that incentive pay was a good idea and thought volunteers could be recruited to keep operating costs down.

Stevens proposed hosting weekend sports tournaments, especially over the holidays. He thought entry fees and concession sales from those regional competitions could produce some quick cash for the park district.

Moore noted that golf, once a significant generator of funds for the park district, had produced less revenue of late and that the new National 9's had excess capacity. The obvious answer in his view was more marketing. He said Glenview should be trotting out two-for-one coupons, discount rates and other programs to attract more customers.

Coulson proposed a close review of which programs were generating revenue and which ones might be cut. She also thought consulting the employees was critical.

Pickard proposed using e-mail to target prospective users of park programs. He also suggested special offers on the district’s website, such as reduced rates for enrolling early in park district programs.

Przybylo echoed the ideas of those who had already spoken – running the district as a family business, generating more revenue and relying on staff to propose cost-saving measures.

The next question concerned keeping Glenview green. What could the park district do to improve the quality of air, water and life in the village? The subject appeared to catch Moylan off guard, but he recovered with a suggestion that the park district use less asphalt and enhance open space.

Luxem, a professional groundskeeper and avid gardener, urged the district to use less pesticide, to conserve water on the golf course and to landscape with native plants which require fewer chemicals and less irrigation. He criticized the park district for moving too quickly in laying down an asphalt parking lot next to the Chicago River when some residents argued for an environmentally-friendly approach to paving.

Moore and Przybylo admitted they didn’t know much about ecology but were willing to consider hiring a consultant to guide the park district on environmental matters. Stevens also professed a lack of knowledge but would support more educational programs at The Grove to help children appreciate nature.

Coulson proposed getting rid of standing water to minimize the risk of West Nile virus, while Pickard thought the park district should look at solar energy. With a number of buildings that face south, he thought Glenview might create some projects that could save money while setting an example for other communities and branches of government.

Casey proposed selling trees to members of the public who could plant them on park lands in memory of loved ones. He confessed to ignorance on environmental matters and said he would take his cues from Park Board President Judy Beck, who works for the Environmental Protection Agency.

Editor’s note: God help us! People who work for the EPA are not experts on all aspects of the environment and may not be the most aggressive people when it comes to environmental protection. Indeed, some leaders of the environmental movement view some EPA staffers as short-sighted bureaucrats who do more harm than good. Beck was mute through discussions of permeable parking at Wagner Farm and has done little to mold a park board that is progressive on the environment. Like too many Glenview politicians, she likes being in with the in crowd and is reluctant to rock the boat.

As the questions continued, each candidate distinguished him or herself in one way or another. Moylan proposed building a low cost fitness center at Flick Park so residents who found Park Center too expensive could still stay in shape.

Luxem said the district must be innovative in its program offerings, serving people who don’t want traditional sports. He cited Wagner Farm’s Young Farmers Program in which children help with chores. "Cleaning out the barn! Now there’s a good afternoon," Luxem said.

Przybylo and Stevens said they would oppose replacing Flick pool with a regional water park, and no one seemed anxious to build a pool on Glenview’s east side. Luxem observed that the only available location was Wagner Farm, and while "the cows would have a great time, it would be hard to keep the pool clean."

The candidates agreed that both Flick and Roosevelt pools should be rebuilt at their present locations, but few volunteered to discuss the subject of where fireworks should be located on the Fourth of July. Pickard said they should probably be at The Glen, but he preferred the golf course for sentimental reasons. Luxem also wanted to keep the pyrotechnics in their traditional location, but Stevens said he would have to hear from Glenview’s fire chief and would decide the matter based on safety considerations.

Pickard raised another sensitive subject – prickly relations between the village of Glenview and its park district. "It’s getting better, and I would work to improve it further," he said. Stevens agreed, saying Glenview would have to work as a team in order to maintain high property values and quality services. Pickard also said the district should offer more programs for teens – a population he thinks is under served.

Przybylo said he wanted more programs at Wagner Farm, a stand that might prove controversial with the support group called C.O.W.S Some of its members want to limit public activity at Wagner – to retain the easy pace of a true working farm. Coulson seemed to grasp that point when she said the farm should not be "commercialized."

Moylan thought the park district should do more to capitalize on the cows – urging Glenview to name them. "Daisy, Bee, Bonnie! We should adopt them – make them part of the community. You go over there and look into their eyes. They make you want to cry. They’re beautiful," he said. Luxem went even further in saying cows should not be sent to slaughter once they stop giving milk.

Moore said he would push for better financial operations at the district with three and five-year capital plans, increased marketing efforts, systematic tracking of demand for programs, increased food concessions to generate new revenue and better communications with the public. He and Casey agreed surveys of residents could be an effective tool in shaping future park district operations, while Luxem proposed putting park board meetings on Glenview TV.

Candidate Steve Bucklin missed the league forum and was not available by phone afterward, but a statement he provided to the park district offer some basis for evaluation. Bucklin owns a security firm in Glenview and says he would review and recommend procedures to assure the safety of the park district and its users. He believes that the park district should be run like a business, and board members should "put the right people in place to manage the staff and programs." He touts experience on Glenview’s plan commission and appearance board but stays clear of any controversy. "Issues such as our community pools, the Independence Day fireworks show, national historic landmarks and museums must be handled carefully to preserve the important traditions of our community," he writes.

Most of these candidates have performed public service in the past. Bucklin has been on the appearance commission and now sits on the plan commission. He hasn’t said whether he’ll resign that seat if elected to the park board, but friends say he will. Casey is on the Independence Day Celebration Committee. Coulson served on the board of Glenview Youth Soccer and spent 15 months on the board of School District 34. She was on the Farm and Fields steering committee, is a member of the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Women’s Club Guild and the League of Women Voters. Luxem is a founder and board member of C.O.W.S and was active in the Farm and Fields campaign. He served on the Glenview Naval Air Station Advisory Board, worked to preserve the Air Station Prairie, is on the board of Hangar One and has served as a watchdog for the North Shore Mosquito Abatement District, working to control wasteful spending. He is also on Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin’s Health Care Task Force. Moore is past president of the Glenview Men’s Golf Club, and Pickard served on the steering committee of Farm and Fields and has spent ten years on the Glenview AYSO Board.

All kinds of credentials should be considered by voters when deciding which candidates will get their votes, but some oft-cited qualifications really don’t count for much when it comes to doing the job. No place is this more apparent than in our park district where for years athletic ability and interest has been accepted as a good reason to elect someone. In fact, we might lay many of our district’s problems at the feet of the well-meaning, hard-working jocks who now sit on the board. They were confident in themselves – convinced they could build and operate a fitness center which now struggles to compete with neighboring facilities run by professionals. The athletic side of the operation is just fine. At Park Center, the swimming pools which are often closed do sparkle, machines work well, there’s an impressive collection of hand weights and devices to assure a great work-out, but the board is having trouble paying the bills.

So we should elect people with business background, right? Wrong again. Bucklin, Coulson, Moore and Pickard all mention business experience, but only Moore has background in the right kind of business. The CTA, like the Glenview Park District, is a public agency charged with serving the needs of a community using tax dollars. This is a fundamentally different mission from that of a family business or a giant corporation committed to making a profit. Pickard’s background could also be useful and relevant. Most homes in Glenview have computers, and the web can be a powerful tool for marketing park services while making it easier to learn about and sign up for park programs.

Past public service could be an important reason to favor one candidate over another, but it should be noted that some people have more time for public service than others and sitting on a board doesn’t prove a person is competent or creative.

We are also leery of candidates who claim their kids as a credential. Park districts are obliged to serve people of all ages, and it could be argued that parents are predisposed to favor programs for children when the population of Glenview may require more services for adults.

Finally, we confess our own bias – a hope that Glenview’s park board can provide leadership on issues related to the environment. We believe The Grove and Wagner Farm are the district’s greatest assets – areas that set us apart from other suburbs. We also believe the park district will someday have responsibility for the Air Station Prairie and Gallery Park. These natural areas must be managed by a board with some understanding of ecology. That’s one more reason why men and women who have a long and intimate relationship with blacktop and organized sports should not be favored over those with a commitment to passive recreation, bike paths, pottery or ballet.

The public is invited to a reception on Thursday, March 20 at 6 p.m. in the Lakeview Room at Park Center in honor of the three retiring commissioners. Catherine Crowley served thirty years on the board, Tom Pontarelli has given 19 years of service and Steve Schulte leaves after 14 years on the board.

A fire was reported early Thursday morning at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. It destroyed several pews and left smoke stains on the ceiling, but no one was injured, and church officials were hopeful that insurance would pay for repairs. Mass was held as usual on Sunday with Father Flavin giving thanks to Sister Paulanne who discovered the blaze at around 5 a.m. and to firemen who responded from all three Glenview stations. There is no word yet on what might have caused the fire.

When Glenview’s Environmental Review Commission extended only limited protection to an area rich in wildlife and scenic beauty, a group of citizens was not satisfied, and last week they took their case to the plan commission which will, in turn, make recommendations to the village board.

The residents argued that the Chicago River, the Techny detention basin and West Fork Preserve (a 10-acre lot adjacent to that property near Willow and Waukegan Roads) should all be declared "environmentally significant areas," protected from development and from the damage that could be done by construction on properties nearby.

The commission consists of Charles Payne, a wildlife biologist; Chuck Stewart, a tree expert on the village payroll; Michael Hughes, a civil engineer; Diane Korling, a plant expert, and Sandy Stein, a pro-development lawyer from the Chicago firm Gardner, Carton and Douglas.

Citing his own credentials as an environmentalist, former Trustee Kent Fuller said the ERC had done well in protecting existing areas, like The Grove and the Air Station Prairie – offering advice to developers in the vicinity – but had limited experience in deciding what should actually be protected in the first place. "They got themselves thoroughly tangled on a whole lot of issues," he said, "and I would submit that what they forwarded to you was an engineering-based recommendation when in fact it should be an ecological and biological recommendation." He urged the plan commission to review the opinions of Commissioner Payne, "a conservation biologist who, I think, understands plant and animal populations. He dismissed statements by some ERC members who thought a former agricultural field like the West Fork Preserve should not be included in an environmentally sensitive area. "To put it kindly," said Fuller, "they were way beyond their expertise. Areas of recovering farm land can be very useful for wildlife."

Recalling lawyer Stein’s objection to declaring the West Fork Preserve significant because the land had once been graded, environmentalist Rob Blomquist said, "grassland birds do not discriminate. Meadowlarks have been seen nesting on the West Fork Preserve. They are not a very common bird around here. In fact, statewide they are declining. Here we have habitat being used by grassland birds and an opportunity to protect that from development." Blomquist reminded the plan commission that Payne, the only biologist on the environmental review commission, had supported protection for the entire area. He also suggested that Peninsula Park, a small wooded area owned by the park district, be included in the ESA.

Resident Dick Feit said he too was disappointed by the ERC’s decision. "Most unsettling at the December discussion was a rather cavalier remark made by one ERC member [Stein] who opined that any piece of undeveloped land we let grass grow on will have some value to wildlife. That same member also admitted his approach to this issue is much more development oriented than preservation oriented, which begs the question among a lot of residents and taxpayers: What is someone with this kind of anti-preservation attitude doing on the Environmental Review Commission?"

Feit said he had walked the area and thought it had considerable scenic value that should be preserved – another goal of the Environmentally Significant Areas ordinance.

Karen Glennmeier, a PhD biologist who works with the national Audubon Society, also recommended ESA designation for the entire area for the benefit of grassland birds. She said local environmentalists consider preservation of habitat for these creatures to be a top priority. "Grassland birds are declining precipitously throughout the Midwest," she explained. "Some of these species are even globally threatened." Glennmeier added that grassland birds require large, open spaces, making the addition of the 10-acre West Fork Preserve an important step in preserving habitat. "The more area we can get into this ESA, the more grassland birds will use it," she concluded.

Batting clean-up, resident Sharon Riley said she was dismayed, disappointed and sad when the ERC failed to designate the area. "I’ve read the ordinance. I’ve helped clean up the river with my family. We’ve enjoyed walking and watching birds in the area. We’ve seen the great blue herons, the egrets. We’ve never seen those two birds anywhere else in Glenview. The ordinance provides for protection of a particular habitat, and I believe this area is unique in our community!"

Looking at the big picture, Fuller explained that the Techny Basin was an important part of the regional network known as Chicago Wilderness – a chain of natural islands in a sea of urban land. To protect and restore wildlife populations, he said prairies, woodlands and wetlands in Northern Illinois, Indiana and Michigan must be preserved, managed, enlarged and connected.

Despite powerful words from these experts and residents, several members of the plan commission remained confused and disturbed by the fact that the Environmental Review Commission had not recommended protection for the entire area. Commissioner Jim Patterson wondered how Fuller and the others could call one part of the area environmentally significant while another was not. Why not include the nearby Valley Lo golf course for example? Fuller explained that by watching birds you could see that mowed lawns and asphalt paths adjacent to Techny were not significant. Grassland birds would never nest there. On the other hand, they seemed to like the detention basin and the West Fork Preserve.

But the detention basin floods, said Commissioner Joseph DiMattina. How could it be good bird habitat? Glennmeier said many grassland birds prefer wet prairie, and if flooding of the area was frequent and extensive, the basin would simply attract different species. Fuller added that nesting grassland birds might lose eggs in the event the detention pond were flooded, but "they will re-nest." He said small mammals, mice and prairie voles also like this habitat and would simply scurry away in the event of a flood, returning as the water receded. These animals are a critical food source for hawks and owls.

Peter Brinckerhoff worried that ESA designation would make it difficult to build a parking lot adjacent to this natural area – apparently unaware that people could easily walk to it after leaving cars in the massive sea of asphalt in front of Kohl’s or along the streets of Heatherfield. He also thought it might be unnecessary to designate the land for protection since it belongs to the village. "I’m not convinced that the village would build a high rise there or something else extreme," he said.

In the end, Chairman Howard Silver and Commissioner Joe DiMattina seemed to understand what had been said and were ready to support calling the entire Techny Basin and West Fork preserve significant, but after Patterson and Brinckerhoff expressed doubts, the panel agreed to continue their discussion on April 8. (The March 25 meeting has been cancelled.)

We note with amusement that Village President Larry Carlson is back in this month’s Village Report with what he calls "Urban Legends, Part II." Carlson again repeats his claim that Glenview has secured $67 million in community-wide improvements from The Glen at no cost to residents. "Most people were pretty happy [with that news]," Carlson writes.

Given the large amount of tax revenue diverted for The Glen and the extensive investment of public dollars we think Larry’s "no cost" assertion deceives the public. Indeed, the real urban legend in Glenview is that the Village Report – paid for with your tax dollars – is not a political publication. How much did we pay marketing consultant Mesirow-Stein for this piece of propaganda?

Appearing before the trustees this month, the new extended stay hotel called Staybridge Suites asked for permission to announce its grand opening with a banner that could be seen by drivers passing on Willow Road. The chain asked to display that sign for 30 days, but village ordinance limits banners to 10 days, and not a single member of the board was willing to bend that rule for a business on the heavily-commercialized strip – a business that will bring substantial tax revenues to the village if it’s successful.

Then came another routine request for a liquor license to allow serving of beer and wine to hotel guests. Staybridge offers complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drinks three days a week from 5:30-7:30 p.m. A spokesman for the chain said it is a very normal activity for these types of properties, but Trustee Lerner was alarmed. "You used a term that does not sit well with me, and that’s happy hour," he said. "There are several states which have outlawed happy hour."

"It has not been an issue at any of our 50 operating properties," said the spokesman. "It’s a marketing tool to get to know the guests better."

Trustee Cook confirmed that only guests of the hotel were invited to these shindigs, then pointed out that Glenview’s Chamber of Commerce holds a monthly cocktail party. "Yes, it’s called ‘Business After Hours," said Village Attorney Jeff Randall. "And how is that regulated?" Cook asked. "I don’t know," said Randall.

"Receptions happen," said Cook. "We assume that people will drink responsibly."

"Maybe happy hour is the wrong term," said Lerner.

"It’s actually termed a General Manager’s Hospitality Reception," said the hotel representative, adding that most guests only stay for an hour.

Trustee Pappo worried about the fact that Staybridge sells beer and wine 24 hours a day from a convenience store on the premises, but Trustee Denefe compared that service to an in-room mini-bar which "to me is not offensive. I think it’s fine."

After a few minutes of additional discussion the trustees voted to give Staybridge a liquor license.

Editor’s note: It’s unfortunate that our board is so provincial as to debate at length matters of little consequence to the community while ignoring critical issues, like commission reform and $100,000 gifts at The Glen.

Glenview’s village board meetings are often lacking in humor, but trustee Mike Guinane got a laugh recently when the board’s secretary called the roll. She had already heard Trustee Denefe’s vote and meant to call on "Guinane," but she inadvertently said, "Trustee Denefe." Guinane voted anyway, recognizing that it was his turn. "I’m sorry," said the secretary. "That’s okay," said Guinane in a voice a few octaves higher than usual.

RS was appalled by the trustees’ $100,000 gift to Hangar One: "I don't know if it is as bad as it sounds, but the village board seems to have lost all sense of the meaning of a dollar -- especially if it isn’t out of their pockets. We need a village government which cares about the citizens and not just what sounds like fun at the moment."

A local expert on municipal finance also raised a red flag, warning that dollars spent from the TIF fund hurt Glenview public schools most. "Assuming the $100,000 check is the last TIF check written, it would cost District 34 $36,777, High School District 225 $24,397, Cook County $12,086, the village of Glenview $7,641, the Glenview Park District $7,164, the Glenview Library Fund $3,196 and Oakton Community College $2,607.

PM read our coverage of the latest village board meeting and remarked: "BS Detector? Was your stupidity detector disabled? I bet you turn it off when you go to village board meetings because the constant beeping would disturb the proceedings. ‘Disingenius?’ Twice? And does the village manager get his knickers in a knot very often when a trustee asks a question he can't answer? To think our money is being managed by these people is discouraging."

PI offered this response to our story about the struggle for a stop sign on Dewes: "I find the village board's discussion and inaction on the residents’ request for a stop sign curious to say the least. Many stop signs exist throughout Glenview that do not qualify, but this is really over the top. In the last year or so, two stop signs were added to Coronet Road – one at Coronet and Polo and another at Central three blocks away. A group of local residents got together, lobbied the village and wham, the signs went up. I support the signs as they help slow down the members of the Glenview Golf Club on their way to the links, but what caused such quick action by the village and with no traffic study that I know of?

"Perhaps the situation is different. After all, Dewes serves as an alternate route through downtown Glenview -- a means for savvy commuters to avoid traffic on Glenview Road. Traffic is getting so bad, and there’s more to come as development continues at The Glen. Perhaps alternative routes through Glenview is what the village wants. A few residents on Dewes complain. It’s no big deal and certainly better than hundreds complaining that it takes too long to traverse downtown! My advice to Dewes residents: Maybe some manmade pot holes would work."

DCB was also interested in Dewes Street’s traffic troubles: "I was pleased to see that some Glenview residents are trying to do something about the traffic problems on Dewes. Perhaps speed bumps are a solution. It would force people to slow down. There is no guarantee that installing a four-way stop is going to make people suddenly start driving responsibly. I know from personal experience that drivers don’t always stop. Speed bumps would at least force drivers to slow down. I hope they do not give up on this project, as Dewes is becoming a dangerous street."

AI can understand the frustration felt by those who live on Dewes Street: "You want to talk about cut through traffic? Then park your butt on Monroe Street any time after 3:30 p.m. and count the cars that cut through from Waukegan. They turn right off Waukegan on to Jefferson, then head down to Monroe Street, turn left, then on down to Chestnut where they turn right to Lehigh or Patriot. There is no stop sign for traffic going west on Jefferson, but there are yield signs for the north/south traffic on Monroe. Consequently, the Jefferson traffic comes hauling around the corner down Monroe at breakneck speeds. The mechanics from Bredemann Ford/Lexus use the same route to test drive their cars all day long! One summer afternoon I counted 45 cars from 3:45 to 4:15!

JO doubts our claim that public dollars were invested at The Glen: "I'm wondering how you can support your claim of the village taxpayers paying $70 million dollars of infrastructure at the Glen. Village taxes on my property tax bill have not gone up. What facts can you use to support your claim? You seem to be a lot of talk but no actual data."

The Watch replies: Construction of the main roads, sewers, street lights, parks, parking lots and other public areas at The Glen are being paid for through something called Tax Increment Financing. Under this system, tax dollars that would have flowed from residents and business at The Glen to the schools, parks and library go, instead, to the village to pay for construction and interest on bonds sold to do the building. Because this scheme would have bankrupt our schools, parks and library, village management proposed and the trustees agreed to make special payments to them, but in the case of the schools those TIF payments are not as large as what the districts would have received if The Glen had developed as a private sector property. So The Glen is a joint effort between developers and the taxpayers of Glenview. The developers seem to be doing well. Whether Glenview’s getting a good deal remains to be seen. The $70 million we referenced applies only to TIF dollars being spent at The Glen Town Center – a shopping center and town homes on Patriot Boulevard. The village has actually invested a great deal more in land sale revenues and TIF dollars.

BR takes exception to our remarks about the real costs of GNAS redevelopment: "I could not help but respond to your very negative portrayal of The Glen. First, it overlooked the fact that people moving to The Glen will make Glenview a better place. The Glen is a great, family-oriented community. Folks chose to live here because they like the way it was designed, so when they hear a wholesale condemnation of The Glen from a few critics, they will respond the way anyone does when something that they have an emotional investment in is attacked.

"Your comment that ‘some residents of the relatively low-density James Company development at The Glen have taken to calling the Concord Section of the community ‘the ghetto’ seemed a particularly low blow. Was it a thinly-veiled attempt to create bad feelings between neighbors? I doubt anyone in the James section has any strong feelings about a neighborhood that is a mile away, and if they did make such a comment it was probably said as a joke rather than the criticism you imply.

"Regarding economics, this much cannot be denied: beyond the TIF period this community will benefit in huge way from the tax dollars that will be added from The Glen. Yes, in the short run the economic benefits for the greater community are less than some had hoped, but after those 12 years of tight budgets that will affect all of us, there is no doubt about the greater prosperity that will follow for the whole community for many decades to come.

"As for the issue of density, the whole village participated in setting the plan for The Glen! If residents don't like it now, they should kick themselves for not getting more involved at the time. Secondly, The Glen should not be compared to other parts of the village. People here are willing to sacrifice private space around their home for the ease of access to public green space, walkable neighborhood amenities and public transportation. It’s why you find so many former Chicago residents living in The Glen. The density is much less compared to urban living and yet some of the benefits of urban living are found here. If that tradeoff does not appeal to someone, they don’t have to buy at The Glen."

The Watch replies: We agree with your assertion that someday The Glen will contribute tax money to the community, but after 12 years every single child who is now in School District 34 or School District 225 will have graduated. We conclude that a massive residential and commercial development which should have been privately financed by developers is, instead, being funded by Glenview public schools. Parents of children in those schools have every right to complain. This is nothing personal, BR – just a financial reality. No one should hold it against Glen residents, but everyone should hold it against Village Manager Paul McCarthy, trustees elected in 1995 and 1997 when Glenview had just one political party and school board members who bought into McCarthy’s ill-conceived scheme.

JD offers thoughts on Larry Carlson’s claim that The Glen has generated tremendous benefits for all of Glenview: "After reading the Watch's rundown of expenses at The Glen – $70 million at The Glen Town Center alone – basic arithmetic suggests we’re losing money. (Carlson claimed $67 million in benefits.) An earlier letter to the Watch also cited a deteriorating quality of life in Glenview – a claim rejected by MC. To him or her I would point out that important matters like the regulation of teardowns have been neglected while Glenview is focused on The Glen. If the house next door to you were torn down and replaced by a house more than double the size of your house, your property taxes went up and the value of your house went down, would you consider that a deteriorating quality of life? I think so. And to those all over Glenview where this is happening, it is not only a deteriorating quality of life but a financial burden. I know. I'm one of them."

JY wants action in his neighborhood: "I believe that the village of Glenview is spending more taxpayer funds to construct The Glen than they are in maintaining the infrastructure in the rest of the village. During the last four years I have asked the village to install curbs and sidewalks on numerous occasions. Robincrest Lane has seen a tremendous increase of families with young children. Not only has the street deteriorated, but with the constant truck, bus and auto traffic my neighbors front lawns look as if they have been through a war."

RD responds to Mr. Dose’s call for regulation of neon signs in Glenview: "Poor W. S. Dose. He may be suffering from "G.I." disease -- Glenview Insularitis. After 46 years in Glenview, he should really get out and see more of the world. He could begin his odyssey by driving east on Wilmette Avenue and turning north onto Green Bay Road where his journey to North Shore neon awareness can begin. Eyes left, he can admire a full window display of bright neon outlines of dogs, cats, fish and colorful parrots at the Wilmette Pet Shop, then proceed north into Kenilworth, recognizing RRB Bicycles by their neon. On to Winnetka where he can't miss a full picture window neon portrayal of a lobster at Johnsen Sea Food and then neon at Hlavacek Florists is bound to catch his eye. Closer to home, Dose will find tasteful neon at The Glen. There’s even a sign at our public library urging patrons to Read! No need now to see the neon of Paris, Mr. Dose, but it is still highly recommended for our Scenic Illinois provincials."

BB writes about COWS and Wagner Farm: "C.O.W.S, the citizens organization dedicated to upholding voters desire to preserve historic Wagner Farm, seems to have slept through the rooster's crowing. Right under their preservation noses Glenview Park District has already installed several ugly structures more suitable to Chicago's old Maxwell Street market, including a garish red trailer (couldn't it at least have been an earth tone color?) followed by an outhouse style hen house and most recently a barrio type lean-to attached to the garish red trailer. And new fences that look like a re-creation of Dachau or Auschwitz. Of course the park district’s new hand-picked Historic Building and Grounds Committee experts will bless these anti-preservation moves, with more to come for sure, so that old, rustic and historic Wagner Farm will not be preserved but made over to the park district's liking. C.O.W.S used to stand for ‘Citizens Organized for WagnerS.’ Today, with its leadership failing to provide a critical watchdog function, the group should be called Committee Of WimpS."

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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