Leaders of a citizens’ group organized to save Wagner Farm made a last ditch plea to Glenview’s Park District, urging the commissioners to reverse their vote on painting the barn red. Citizens Organized for Wagners’ (COWS’) President Mark Steger argued that a clear stain would better protect the wood against sun, wind, rain and moisture from inside the barn while preserving the building’s historic look.

The group presented more than 100 pages of documents written by a research chemist at the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory. William Feist provides scientific support for his view that "paint is not a preservative. It will not prevent decay if conditions are favorable for fungal growth." On the other hand, he says stain is ideal for use on weathered wood – penetrating and protecting against the damaging impact of moisture.

Steger also argued that stain is easier to apply, while paint on old wood is likely to peel, chip and crack. "We do not have cost figures on stain," Steger said, "but stain is a lower cost substance than paint."

He repeated COWS’ offer to pay for restoration and on-going maintenance of the barn if a clear stain is used and argued that an historic barn that had never been painted red ought not to be painted now.

The park board had argued that because other barns in this region were red, it was appropriate to paint the Wagner barn, but Steger disagreed. "We don’t want a regional farm. You took the wrong fork – the one that would make our barn look like everyone else’s."

Finally, Steger maintained that the barn’s look was a community issue. He could not say how many Glenview residents preferred a red barn, noting that they had not circulated a petition in support of red paint. On the other hand, Steger said hundreds of taxpayers had signed a document supporting retention of a weathered look.

COWS board member Joe Warga compared the barn to his 102-year-old Aunt Lucy. "There was no way I would have wanted her to have plastic surgery, to dye her hair red and wear make-up. We loved her as she was."

Resident Richard Feit, who is not a member of COWS, took a literal approach, reading from the referendum that provided tax dollars for the purchase of Wagner Farm. It pledged to "preserve" Wagner Farm. Feit then read a dictionary definition of the word "preserve: to maintain, to keep in tact, as is. There’s no question about it. It’s a no-brainer," he concluded. "You have no choice. Stain is the way you preserve weathered wood. Paint would obliterate the wood grain. Stain would allow it to show through, preserving the historic look."

If the board would not reverse its decision to use red paint on the barn, Feit suggested it had an obligation to hold a referendum to see what the voters preferred.

COWS President Steger felt the park board had three choices: vote to stain the barn, give the matter further thought or "tell us to get lost," and paint the barn red. Acting Park Board President John Winand said "painting the barn red is not the same as telling you to get lost. We value your in-put." But when all was said and done, "get lost" was exactly what COWS heard.

Winand said the issue was not as clear-cut as the group contended. He thought stain would have to be applied more often than paint and claimed another group would pay for paint so it would cost the taxpayers nothing.

(We tried to find out who made that offer, but a call to the park district and an e-mail to Winand were not answered. If it is the Glenview Park Foundation, then Winand’s claim that it won’t cost the taxpayers anything is deceptive. Money from the foundation would normally go for other park-related needs, and using it to paint Wagner barn would be robbing Peter to pay Paul.)

Winand dismissed the idea of a referendum, saying, "That’s not what we’re elected to do. You can’t go to the public for every issue." The long-time board member added that he talks to different people than the members of COWS do and has heard different views from the community. "A majority of people I’ve talked to want the barn to look neat and tidy, and that means painting it red," he concluded.

An audience of more than a dozen people laughed aloud at that assertion, but the park board would have the last laugh. Winand explained that in order to reconsider the matter, a commissioner who backed the idea of painting the barn in July would have to move for reconsideration. Three board members who might have made that motion – M.J. Coulson, Bill Casey and Chris Warren – were absent from the August meeting. That left Winand, who had spoken his mind, and Ted Przybylo who had no comment.

Commissioner Judy Beck, who missed the July meeting, said she felt the community was fortunate to have a barn at all considering the rate of farmland destruction in other Chicago suburbs. "Being lucky enough to have original structures to preserve is what we all have to keep in mind," she concluded. An employee of the USEPA, Beck added that she had received e-mails at work from a number of area residents on this subject. She said she would have responded, but government regulations do not permit her to use the office computer for personal business.

Board member Doug Kaiser, also absent from the July meeting, underscored his support for a red barn, then urged COWS to get over it. "Everyone seems to be happy with everything we’ve been doing with the farm," he said. "Let’s move on."

Editor’s note: Remarks from Kaiser and Winand suggest both are out of touch with the community at large. Perhaps they speak to their neighbors and friends, but as public officials they have an obligation to cast a wider net for public input. That said, we’re not sure issues pertaining to preservation of a historic building should be subject to popular opinion. Instead, we believe the history of the place should dictate its future, and given that Glenview’s Wagner barn was never red, we don’t see any justification for painting it that color.

Winand’s claim that a fresh coat of paint is what’s needed to make the farm look tidy is ridiculous. As COWS’ Joe Warga pointed out, you wouldn’t want to slap paint on Lincoln’s historic log house.

Imagine Williamsburg or the great cities of Europe adopting Winand’s aesthetic. The world would be outraged. Historic buildings look old, and it is this very look that most people find charming. If we want a tidy red barn, we’ll just have to visit the Lincoln Park Zoo. If we want historic Glenview, we must be prepared to embrace something that looks its age.

Beck’s performance was equally disappointing. As a public official, she should respond to correspondence from constituents. Surely she could jot down e-mail addresses at her federal desk, then take them home and write back. The truth about Beck is that she never rocks the boat. Like most board members, she wants to fit in – to be one of the boys. As a result, she often caves on issues where she should stand tall. Indeed, the sad thing about this board is that its members rarely disagree about anything – priding themselves on a kind of "group think" that does not serve Glenview well.

Which brings us to the seventh dwarf – Ted Przybylo – who did not even have the courage to comment on this subject. An aspiring politician, Przybylo privately assured members of COWS that they had his backing, then voted publicly with the gang. Of course this is the guy who spent more than anyone else to get elected – the candidate who campaigned with lawn signs pledging to "Save Flick Pool" in the neighborhood around Flick and to "Save Roosevelt Pool" in the neighborhood around Roosevelt. We can’t wait to hear his novel ideas for saving the pools – especially since he and the rest of the board have just angered a large, passionate group of people who are likely to vote – perhaps even work – against any tax hike for the park board.

More than a year after applying to build one of its restaurants in the Willow Road shopping center anchored by Target and Kohl’s, Steak ‘N Shake returned to the Glenview Village Board to ask again. The firm had agreed to close from 1 a.m. until 5 a.m., ditched its signature white tile building for something that blended better with other stores in the strip, changed its traffic pattern, moved its menu board and added landscaping. Those changes won approval from the plan commission, but Trustee Jeff Lerner was not satisfied.

"I don’t feel you’ve addressed any of the things that we’ve asked. . .You still want to be open for 22 hours. You still want the drive in. You still want it to be lit from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. The other businesses are going to close at 11 o’clock during the week. You’re going to be open until one o’clock, and there was a whole big discussion about how that was unacceptable."

A spokesman for Steak ‘N Shake listed the changes his company had made and pointed out that all restaurants in Glenview are permitted to stay open until 1 a.m. Lawyer Mike Downing, representing Steak ‘N Shake, added that a neighboring Bennigan’s restaurant can stay open until 2 a.m. if it wishes. President Carlson added that while the village has sometimes limited the hours for bars, he saw no reason to restrict a burger joint. "What’s the harm if someone wants a milkshake at one in the morning?" he asked.

"Do you want an answer to that?" asked Lerner.

"Sure," said Carlson.

"The shopping center they’re going into was not intended to be operated in this way," Lerner replied. "All the other businesses have roughly the same business hours, the same clientele, so you’re now going to put somebody into the center that has a totally different operation that’s gonna’ overlap into all the other operations. This was originally intended to be an upscale center. I don’t think it was intended to house Tiffany’s, but I also don’t think it was intended to house businesses that were open 20 hours a day. I object to the drive thru because I think it’s a nuisance and a security risk."

Trustee Patterson thought longer hours for Steak ‘N Shake could be a good thing for neighboring businesses. He explained that customers might begin to think of IHOP, Bennigan’s and Steak ‘N Shake as late night dining options. He also noted that the restaurant would be far from Willow Road, making a drive thru window less of an issue.

Finally, Trustee Mary Beth Denefe blew the whistle. "I think Steak ‘N Shake would be a great addition to Glenview. I’d like to see them come with the drive-in, and I’ll be first in line. Trustee Patterson seconded her motion, and all but Lerner voted to permit Steak ‘N Shake to build. The company hopes to open its doors in December.

Editor’s note: Contrary to Lerner’s claim that the community had objected to Steak ‘N Shake, no members of the public complained about its plans, its hours or drive thru window. Perhaps the general public recognized a need for some place that hungry shift workers at Glenbrook Hospital, UPS, Illinois Tool Works or the police department could go late at night or early in the morning. Lerner’s notion that the Target and Kohl’s shopping center is "upscale," is a stretch, but his suggestion that an all night business is inherently low rent is even more disturbing. We are pleased to note that Trustee Denefe and President Carlson, who once took their intellectual cues from Lerner, have finally realized what a windbag he is and can think for themselves.

The Northfield Township Food Pantry shelves are nearly empty. Township officials hope upcoming fall and holiday food drives will replenish their supplies for the needy, but they are asking for community help in the mean time. About 140 local families need help from the pantry each month. Most needed items include breakfast cereal, boxed meals such as hamburger or tuna helper, peanut butter and pasta, but all non-perishable food donations are appreciated. You can drop off a donation at the Northfield Township Food Pantry, 3801 W. Lake Avenue in Glenview, at the Park Center Senior Wing or at the Northbrook Village Hall. For more information or for help in organizing a food drive, please call Terri Graham at 847-724-8300.

After months of public hearings and discussion by the plan commission and village board, Glenview has a law restricting neon or illuminated signs in store windows to no more than 20 percent of the area and holding other types of signs to 25 percent. Day glow colors and neon signs that flash around the frame of a window are also illegal.

Public testimony came from one local businessman who wanted no regulation, and from Mike Downing, a local lawyer who often represents developers before the board. Speaking in measured tones, seeming to enjoy the sound of his own voice, Downing gave a speech that left some observers scratching their heads.

"Standards," he began. "Clear and present danger. Boy was that a good movie. But there was a standard you had to meet in order to do what you were going to do. Beyond a reasonable doubt. There’s a standard that you had to do if you’re gonna’ do what you want to do. Preponderance of the evidence. Another standard. A little less than the other two or three, but still a standard that you had to meet if you were going to do what you wanted to do, and then there is the zoning ordinance. Safety and welfare. Another standard that you have to meet in order to do what you want to do."

Here, the lawyer and political pal to President Carlson picked up his pace, sounding angry and righteous. "Nowhere, in any of these hearings has any evidence been presented that any of these standards is being violated. It is a totally subjective, knee-jerk reaction by people who think they know better than you and I do as to what Glenview should look like. I think that’s nonsense. That is absolute nonsense. Now if you feel that there’s been evidence presented that justifies what you’re going to do, well that’s fine, but I think the record should reflect that. And the record does not reflect that. It’s nowhere. There’s nothing here that reflects that type of decision-making process.

"You’re gonna’ basically tell the Glenview House to go out of business. What about the Dairy Bar? I used to work there! C’mon! We got to get real here."

Editor’s note: The ordinance clearly provides an appeals process that would likely exempt unique businesses, such as Glenview House and The Dairy Bar from regulation.

Despite Downing’s quirky talk, Trustees Jim Patterson, Kerry Cummings and Mike Guinane voted for the ordinance. Trustees Kimball Woodrow and Mary Beth Denefe thought it would be better to develop detailed design guidelines for window signs, tailored to different parts of town – a process that might take a year according to village staff. Trustee Jeff Lerner worried that the rules would hurt new businesses who might initially comply with the law but then – if guidelines were established – be required to spend more money to fix their signs. That left Village President Carlson to cast the tie-breaking vote. He weighed in for the modest regulation of window signs.

President Carlson has named Tom Fallon to replace Jim Patterson on the plan commission. Fallon is a construction engineer with a master’s degree in management from the Kellogg School at Northwestern University.

When the commission meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 26, members will consider plans for two former gas station sites. At the corner of Willow and Shermer, a Michigan-based bank hopes to construct a branch, and at the corner of Waukegan and Pleasant, Marathon hopes to set-up a service station.

Also on the agenda, a proposal to rezone 19 acres near the corner of West Lake and Shermer at The Glen. It’s currently zoned for high-density housing but would be declared public land (P-1) for recreation or open space.

– In an effort to shore-up its bottom line, the park district board voted to charge high school students $250 a year to park in one of 40 spaces at the Glenview Ice Rink, just west of Glenbrook South High School. A shortage of parking at the school and new restrictions on parking in the neighborhood have left many kids desperate for a place to leave their cars. Those who opt to pay for a place will not be allowed to leave until the end of the school day, and if they’re caught speeding or violating other traffic restrictions, they will lose their spot.

– The park board is facing a surprise expense for the fitness room at Park Center. Treadmills are wearing-out far faster than expected, and staff is asking the board to spend nearly $21,000 to replace four of them.

– More than 8,000 people played golf at the district’s main course in July – an average of 265 players per day, down from an earlier average of 300 per month. Cart rental revenue was down $9,000 from July, 2002. At the new National 9s, rounds were up 12 percent. Management expressed disappointment since previous months had seen an increase of more than 20 percent, and July revenue was only up three percent from last July.

– Vandalism continues to pose problems and costs for the district. At the course on Shermer, Superintendent Rick Wilson lamented, "Besides the oil on the first green, we have had a couple of occasions where sprinklers have been replaced. The police have been patrolling the course at night to help out."

– Police were called to Wagner Farm on August 13 when Director Todd Price discovered a fence had been cut and two cows had wandered off the property. Officers believe thieves stole two air conditioning units from a construction site on neighboring Burton Terrace, carried them through the fence and across a field at Wagner Farm to their waiting getaway vehicle.

– It’s a story that should concern residents of School District 34, which built the Attea Middle School despite the fact that voters rejected a tax hike to staff and supply it. Sunday’s Chicago Tribune reported four new schools in Elgin will not open because School District 46 is too broke to operate them.

– Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 reports a pleasant surprise -- $600,000 in new property taxes from the Crate and Barrel headquarters on Techny Road and from expensive new homes. Planners did not expect the money this year, and with no building costs for the second year in that three-school district (Willowbrook Elementary in Glenview, Westcott Elementary and Maple Middle School in Northbrook), they’re in good financial shape. Even so, a group of parents who raise money for the district recently asked for donations from the public to purchase a new piece of audio-visual equipment including a digital video camera at a cost of about $20,000. In its letter to prospective donors, the fundraising foundation notes that District 30 already has a number of video cameras, "but very few of them are digital."

– School District 31 is asking all districts that could be home to a new Caremark facility not to extend tax breaks to the company. The small, West Side district says it will lose money if the large office complex on Sanders Road decides to move. The company is looking at sites in Districts 27 and 30, but says it will only relocate if a tax break is offered. District 30's School Board President Karen Roloff told the Glenview Announcements she was "disappointed with [District 31's] lack of understanding of the issue." She argued Caremark could move to Lake County, depriving all area schools of revenue. Likewise, District 27's President Jennifer Warner said, "It’s not possible [to deny tax breaks] in this real world, given the political climate, the village in which we live and the villages by which we’re surrounded, the needs of our residents and our business community."

Editor’s note: It’s time for Springfield to put an end to the welfare fraud perpetrated by companies like Caremark on competing communities. The whole system of paying for public education through local property taxes needs to be scrapped in favor of statewide revenue sharing so firms can no longer pit one village against another.

– Glenbrook’s high school district has decided to install a filtering system on student computers to block websites containing illegal material under the Children’s Internet Protection Act. Failing to do so could cost the system nearly $58,000 in federal aid, but a spokesman said school board members took this action "to protect students and educate them properly." Computer lab managers say they rarely have trouble with offensive sites, but another problem remains. Several students are disciplined each year for hacking into the school’s network.

– Following the spring hazing incident that threw Northbrook into a tizzy for months, School District 225 is telling students they can be punished for violating school rules, even if they are not on school grounds. "If an incident occurs off campus that officials feel had a connection to the school, then consequences can be imposed," Superintendent David Hales told the Pioneer Press.

– The district is also getting tough about drinking and drug use – threatening to expel students for a first offense if their behavior endangers others. The new policy even applies to kids who are sober but have made plans at school to consume alcohol or illegal drugs. Under the previous rule, kids could be suspended for 10 days for a first offense, and if students agreed to seek treatment, the sentence was reduced to five days. Expulsion applied only to second offenses. According to the Pioneer Press, this revision was made after board member Donna Torf challenged rules that did not differentiate between marijuana and hard drug use. Board member Tom Shaer replied that he was not interested in softening the district’s substance abuse policy. "A drug is a drug is a drug, and they’re illegal," he said.

– The Society of the Divine Word has ended months of torment for residents of upscale homes along Waukegan Road just north of Willow. They had feared the old Salvi’s Caravel Inn would become a car dealership, but the society purchased the property. There’s no word, yet, on how it might be developed. Meanwhile, Glenview’s Finish Line Dodge is now looking at another location – 8601 Waukegan Road in Morton Grove. Ironically, that site is vacant because the Revell-Monogram hobby company got incentives to move to Northbrook.

– Mount Prospect is scrambling to stay in the black – cutting spending and talking about a property tax hike of nearly 5 percent. Hard economic times have hurt revenue from Randhurst Mall. Investment income and cable TV franchise fees are also lower than expected.

– Mount Prospect’s police will apparently do their part to improve the financial picture. For the past five weeks, officers have targeted 10 different parts of town, including the most accident-prone areas. With four to six officers assigned to a stretch of roadway for a week, incidents of speeding, blocking intersections and running red lights go down. During the first week, officers wrote 167 tickets along S. Elmhurst Road from Hiawatha Trail to Golf. The program will continue for five more weeks.

On September 8, Youth Services of Glenview/ Northbrook hosts its First Annual Golf Tournament. Meet Tom Waddle and Dave Kaplan of WGN Sports. Tee times begin at 11 a.m. at the Glenview Public Golf Course. The entry fee of $125 per golfer includes a cart and lunch. For details or to register, call Heather Smith at 847-724-2620.

Glenview School District 34 invites the community to take part in a dedication and open house for Attea Middle School at 7 p.m. Thursday, on October 2. The evening will include a formal program, student performances, refreshments and guided tours of the building.

Help District 34 choose a new superintendent. A search committee hired by the board of education will host two community meetings where residents can share their ideas on what kind of person should replace Dot Weber at the end of the 2003-2004 school year. The first session will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, September 8 at Attea Middle School. The second hearing will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 9 in the Westbrook School library. You can also fill out a form with your views at www.ncook.k12.il.us. The committee hopes to announce its choice in February.

READERS WRITE:

Norma Morrison, who spent more than a decade fighting to preserve Wagner Farm, is dismayed by the park board’s decision to paint the barn red: "How naive we were to think the Glenview Park Commissioners would respond to professional advice on the best finish for the Wagner barn. By insisting on red paint, those board member will now be responsible for destroying history and allowing the wood to deteriorate. Paint does not preserve wood. Paint is an accepted coating on many surfaces. However, it will not protect or preserve the weathered historic barn. This is emphasized in numerous reports from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wood Product Laboratory. COWS spent over $300 duplicating a dozen reports sent to park board members. Recognized experts wrote that penetrating pigmented stain was the product that would preserve old weathered wood. The reports included pictures of actual experiments using paint or penetrating stain. Unfortunately, no acknowledgment was forthcoming from the board members on this information. Instead they stubbornly reaffirmed their choice of red paint based largely it seemed on establishing their prerogative to make the decision. COWS presented the technical advice in the hope that the park board would reconsider its red paint vote and that the professional advice would lead them to use penetrating stain to preserve the weathered old wood of the Wagner barn."

Biff Thiele writes about "three sad meetings: This week I watched the village board on tv and attended both the library and park board meetings. In the 17 years I’ve lived in Glenview, I have never felt more helpless or more angry. It’s a sad day for Glenview when elected representatives attempt to stifle dissent and defy the wishes of those who elected them. These public meetings are a farce. These boards have made it clear that they couldn’t care less what the public thinks. Of course, if you agree with them they will host a parade for you and appoint you to a commission.

"Trustee Mike Guinane attempted to learn the outcome of the gun licensing motion, since it was tabled last month. But the rest of the board was too embarrassed to admit they had supported it. Along with the village attorney they danced around it, saying Galyans dropped their request, so the motion was moot. But the motion to create a gun ordinance never mentioned Galyans, and ordinances are adopted all the time without specific petitioners. Guinane just wanted closure. The others argued that without a petitioner, there was no cause to move on this motion. More smoke and mirrors, Mr. Carlson?

"Library Board member David Johnson asked his board to include the current library site when they ask the public which location it prefers for a future library. That option was chosen by 60% of residents in a previous poll, but the library board shut Johnson down before he could finish his sentence. They have decided not to give residents that choice. So much for democracy.

"And, once again, pompous arrogance prevailed at the Glenview Park Board meeting. The park board made it clear they have no aesthetic taste, respect for the citizens of Glenview or common sense. They completely ignored the U.S. Forest Products Laboratory conclusion that paint does not preserve wood and stuck to their July decision to paint the Wagner Farm barn red. They refused to acknowledge more than 800 petition signatures, a COWS survey and hundreds of calls and e-mails in support of oil-based penetrating stain which does preserve wood. Instead, they cited the five people who spoke last month in favor of paint. A red barn may stand as testament to the betrayal of the public trust and yet another broken promise to the taxpayers. What will they promise taxpayers for our swimming pool votes?"

R. Hyman doesn’t see why some people are upset about plans to paint Wagner barn red: "No one is going to care if the barn is red, black or worn looking. The farm will be remembered by most visitors as a place where they have chickens, cows and a big barn with hay."

NAF identified with SM, who wrote about corn growing tall in a neighbor’s front yard: "Thank you SM for questioning the mini-farm at Henley and Spruce. It is an eyesore and demeans the hard work that other neighborhood residents put into making their properties look well-kept. One would think that an upscale suburb like Glenview would object to such a mess, but village officials have turned a blind eye to the appearance of this lot. Guess since it's not in The Glen, it doesn't matter. Maybe the next cow sent away from The Farm can move in on Henley Street."

MV is watching summer sprinklers and worrying about natural resources: "Maybe it's time Glenview enacted some water restrictions similar to those in effect in Northbrook. It seems like there is more water going down the storm sewers than on people's lawns these days with all the automatic sprinkler systems that have been installed. I hear them going on day after day with rivers running down the street. What ever happened to water conservation? Just a thought for the village to consider for future summers."

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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