As the Cook County Highway Department prepares to start round two of reconstructing Lake Avenue, Glenview’s trustees must decide whether to trade short-term financial help for long-term responsibility. The county wants Glenview to maintain the landscape and control litter along its main east-west street. Right now, the county is responsible for mowing the property several times a year. Public works director Bill Porter puts the annual cost of that job at $20,000. In exchange, the county says it will pay another $500,000 for the $11.5 million construction project.

The village may also pick-up the $20,000 tab to upgrade a fence that will run along Lake between Waukegan and Pfingsten roads. Current plans call for basic chain link, but the trustees could opt for black chain link instead.

The project will involve planting about 500 parkway trees and 42,000 square yards of sod along Lake Avenue. In the second phase of construction, expected to begin this spring, the county will also add turn lanes at Greenwood Road while the village may opt to pay for a stockade fence requested by some residents living along that busy street.

Public comment on the project is invited at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Village Hall board room. The stockade fence will be discussed at the trustees’ meeting March 16.

Editor’s note: With the construction of new sidewalks, Lake Avenue will become the only safe pedestrian route for cyclists, skaters and people walking to The Glen from western Glenview. Will a chain link fence provide adequate protection from speeding cars and trucks? Could any other barriers be more attractive and safer for citizens?

When SBC appeared before Glenview’s plan commission last week, the firm said it wanted to be part of the village. The telecom giant now relies on a well to supply its three-story, 120,000-square-foot building on Sanders Road and the tollway, but the company would like to have water piped in by Glenview. The village is anxious to have property tax revenue from the regional switching station and feels the extension of water service could bring additional corporate properties from that area into the community fold.

Because of the building’s size, Cook County required construction of a large parking lot. An SBC spokesman thought there were about 280 spaces, but since the building is largely occupied by machinery and not employees, only 20 of those spaces are needed by the company. About 100 more spaces are now used by neighboring Culligan, but that still leaves a large swath of unnecessary asphalt. Plan Commissioner Gary Wendt proposed that the company be required to remove some of it and restore green space before the property was annexed.

SBC’s attorney Ivan Kane objected, saying the company might someday want to expand the building. Besides, he said, any added landscaping would likely be nibbled away by deer.

Commissioner Steve Bucklin said it would be nice to have trees and green space, but the parking lot could not be seen from Sanders Road or the tollway. "I’d hate to see unnecessary expense to SBC," he said. "I really would object to that."

Wendt said birds and bunnies would appreciate the green space, even if residents couldn’t see it, and he was willing to give SBC five years to roll back the lot.

Commissioners Bucklin and Brinckerhoff thought perhaps SBC could be made to add landscaping and remove part of the parking lot as part of any future renovation of the site. In the end, the commission unanimously approved annexation but called on the company to work with Glenview in planning some reduction of the parking lot "with a goal to increase landscape area." That plan would be implemented if SBC comes back before the plan commission for future construction projects at the Sanders Road location.

While the Glenview Park District is barred by law from campaigning for more money to fund construction of new swimming pools, administrators may be doing so on the sly. One executive helped organize a steering committee to run the Yes for Pools campaign, two attended a meeting of the group, and the district has now mailed a flyer to all residents – a brochure that seems to address a key argument from opponents who feel the district should have been saving up to replace aging pools. The brochure, titled "A Decade of Progress at the Glenview Park District," lists the programs and facilities the district has provided since 1993 and concludes with a paragraph titled "Building a Better Community through Financial Responsibility."

After one list of new and updated facilities, the district notes, "All of these projects were accomplished with no increase in taxes to residents." There is no mention of fees charged to use facilities – fees that have risen steadily over the years.

Park District Executive Director Tom Richardson denied any connection between the mailing and the campaign. "People have been asking me for a year or more about how things are going at Park Center and what’s happening with golf. We wanted to say, "Look, we’re healthy here." We do three or four mailings like this each year – providing an update on our activities," he said.

Richardson took issue with critics who feel the district could, through more careful use of tax dollars, have amassed enough money over time to pay for new swimming pools. "That doesn’t make any sense," he said. "A lot of us, when we buy a car, don’t save up. We get a loan." Richardson said the district does have a capital replacement program for smaller purchases, but if it had socked away enough money for two swimming pools over the years, he contended residents would have been deprived of many programs and facilities they wanted.

Local branches of government may soon learn if their reserve funds are adequate. Cook County warns that an unusually large number of property tax appeals will probably mean a delay in payments to villages, schools and park districts. The number of appeals jumped from 154,000 in 2000 to more than 220,000 for 2003, and the board of review says it is short on staff. The county cut its budget by a million dollars, leaving 12 positions vacant.

Glenview village and school officials could not be reached for comment, but the park district’s executive director said reserves were sufficient to assure continued operations even if county tax payments come late. "We’re okay," said Tom Richardson. "Our cash reserves are fine. It won’t be comfortable. We’ll lose interest, but we’ll do it."

Glenview’s plan commission will hold public hearings on the future of downtown at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 24 at Village Hall. Meanwhile, neighboring communities are looking at their central business districts – making a range of proposals.

– Wheeling’s local newspaper says the community is looking for retail and residential developers to rebuild the area around its Metra station. The regional commuter railroad plans to add a second track in 2006, bringing more people to the central business district, and Wheeling will use tax increment financing to streamline redevelopment. The suburb’s economic development director will work with a special commission and public relations coordinator to market the town to developers. A brochure is being mailed; the community has updated its website and has created a CD-ROM so people can see what Wheeling looks like.

– Northbrook trustees have asked their Central Business Area Task Force to make recommendations on condemning some downtown properties and to develop a concept for redeveloping the area by June 4. That community may let residents vote on the question of village condemnations this fall. Meanwhile, the owners of two shopping strips in Northbrook say they will not build three-story buildings for retail and residential use, even if the village changes its zoning to allow that. The Meadows Shopping Center on Cherry Street has been struggling since it lost its main tenant, Sunset Foods, in 2002. The strip to its south – across from Northbrook’s Village Green – wants to expand to provide more space for Lou Malnati’s pizza and other tenants, but its owner is waiting to see what the village decides to do downtown.

– In the heart of Evanston, which has enjoyed a building boom, Alderman Edmund Moran is protesting the amount of high-density construction done by developers, like Thomas Roszak, Optima and Focus. Moran says he doesn’t recognize his hometown anymore.

– And in Arlington Heights, where massive downtown redevelopment has already taken place, the community is considering formation of a committee to ensure its continued success. Village officials say the panel could coordinate downtown activities and develop long-term goals for the area.

As Glenview prepares to find a new village manager, the community will have competition. Evanston’s manager says he will also step down this summer after eight years of service. Roger Crum is 65 and says, "It’s time for a break while I figure out what I want to do when I grow up."

Glenview may have one advantage over its larger neighbor in the competition to attract a top manager – better pay. Crum earns $135,800 per year while Glenview’s Village Manager Paul McCarthy’s base salary is $156,840 – more than Illinois pays its governor.

Glenview’s largest elementary and middle school district hopes to announce the choice of a new superintendent by February 9. Forty-one people have applied to replace Dorothy Weber who retires this year. The District 34 School Board has narrowed the field to three candidates – one from the city of Chicago, one from downstate Illinois and a third from out of state. Several board members will visit the finalists’ school districts before a vote is taken. Board President Julie Quinn told the Glenview Announcements, "We’re pretty close."

In the wake of an embarrassing hazing incident that sent five Glenbrook North students to the hospital last year, the school is hoping to root out all rituals that could get out of hand. Principal Mike Riggle has been working with faculty members to help them understand why some activities that seem harmless should be banned. "If you’re saying it’s O.K. with whipped cream and ketchup, as opposed to feces," he told the Northbrook Star, "then you’re sending a mixed message, and validating the idea that hazing is okay."

The administration is urging teachers and kids to promote positive actions instead of traditions that may be harmful. Riggle cited the swim team’s way of honoring new members by stringing toilet paper through their front yards. Students have been encouraged to plant congratulatory signs in the lawn instead. GBN has also changed the name of its "violence hotline" to a "reporting hotline," so kids and parents can record concerns about problems that might not result in physical harm.

Battling an enormous public relations problem resulting from charges of massive financial mismanagement at the top, Hollinger Publishing – parent company of the Pioneer Press – seized a terrific PR opportunity at the local level, announcing it will pay for an experimental medical procedure needed by the son of one of the company’s employees. The 8-year-old boy suffers from a rare neurological disease that causes seizures, problems with memory and ultimately death. Pioneer Press Publisher Larry Green said Hollinger had, "agreed to do whatever it takes to give this child a chance." He said the medical bills could be hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The paper also informed readers that they could send money to the Aaron Hultman Fund, Presbyterian Church of Norwood Park, 5849 N. Nina Ave., Chicago, IL 60631.

Editor’s note: While this gesture of corporate concern is noble, it’s worth noting that it was Hollinger’s insurance company that refused to pay the boy’s medical bills in the first place, and Pioneer Press employees, who have worked without a contract since April of 2002, may strike in part because the newspaper guild says the company wants to gut employees’ health benefits.

– El Jardin opens in time for lunch Monday, February 2 at The Glen Town Center with a menu known to those who have visited the restaurant on Clark Street near Wrigley Field. The Glenview location seats about 100, specializes in carne asada, chile rellenos, margaritas and other Mexican favorites. Hours of operation are 11 a.m. -11 p.m. Monday through Thursday – until midnight on Friday and Saturday and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

– Also taking off this week at The Glen is Flight, a wine bar with at least 80 different choices by the glass. Launched by two Northbrook men, Flight also features a large selection of martinis including the Purple People Eater – made with vodka, blue Curacao, raspberry schnapps and lemonade. There’s also Blueberry Pie in the Sky, Root Beer Float, Everything’s Peachy, and Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to name a few. (These are martinis, not ice cream flavors!) Diners will find a limited menu of tapas, soups, salads, entrees, cheese plates and desserts. Chef Joe Campagna, who trained with Charlie Trotter, recommends the lamb chops and shrimp tempura. Flight seats 100, and its lounge features two working fireplaces. A jazz trio will perform on February 10, 17 and 24 from 8 p.m. until midnight, and the restaurant is offering a special Valentine’s Day menu with seatings at 6 and 8:30 p.m. Regular hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday – later Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For details, visit www.flightwinebar.com.

– Northbrook’s Little Louie’s at 1342 Shermer Road has expanded its hours. It’s now open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. The restaurant, which can seat 65 people, has a new party room, cable tv and video games, and its menu features some of the items from the Blue Cactus, a neighboring restaurant that closed.

– The Weber Grill on Milwaukee Avenue has been incorporated by Buffalo Grove, allowing the 210-seat eatery to have village water, police and fire protection and some financial incentives from that community. In exchange, Buffalo Grove looks forward to about $20,000 a year in additional sales taxes.

The battle to build a new museum at The Glen has produced its first casualty. The Kohl Children’s Museum fired its top financial executive just before going to market with $13 million in bonds to fund construction. Jane Ames, who had been in her post for about three years, would not discuss details of the matter on advice of her attorney. Crain’s Chicago Business reported three people familiar with the matter had blamed a long-running dispute over financial controls, saying Ames had pushed for tougher standards. The museum’s CEO said that was "not the case at all. . .There weren’t any problems."

The new building at The Glen is expected to cost $23 million, and Kohl plans to finance $13 million by selling bonds through the state of Illinois. Crain’s notes Kohl lost money in 2002, is maxed out on a $180,000 line of credit and has lost funding from its founder and most generous donor, Dolores Kohl. Her contributions reportedly dropped from $550,000 in 1999 to zero in 2002.

– Two months after backing away from public hearings on the historic value of Wagner Farm and calling for a seminar to better educate Glenview’s trustees on our Historic Preservation Ordinance, the Historic Preservation Commission has scheduled that workshop for Wednesday, March 3 at 7 p.m. in the board room at Village Hall.

– In Wilmette, lovers of the historic chapel at the former Loyola/Mallinckrodt campus fear they will lose a fight to save it. A developer is set to tear down the 86-year-old college and convent buildings, but the Wilmette Park District had asked for some office space to be preserved. Now, however, officials say the chapel, with its high ceiling, can’t fill the bill, and a proposal to use the space for performing arts appears low on the district’s list of priorities.

– The owner of the Georgian, a large old building that provides senior housing in Evanston, is fighting local efforts to designate it a historic landmark. Mather Lifeways says the building is obsolete and has no architectural distinction. The company wants to tear the building down and replace it with new senior housing.

Glenview-based Acumen Pharmaceuticals has struck a deal with Merck to pursue research on Alzheimer’s disease. Local resident Grant Krafft and his Winnetka partner Bill Klein have identified a molecule that could help prevent – even reverse – the effects of the devastating brain disease. The results of studies with animals have been encouraging, and the men say Merck could produce an antibody or vaccine for Alzheimer’s within five years. For details, see Sara Loeb’s story in this week’s edition of the Glenview Announcements: www.pioneerlocal.com.

WM thinks the Watch was tacky when we mocked North Shore Country Club Trustees Woodrow and Denefe for their concern about Glenview’s AAA bond rating and challenged our call for action on the long promised affordable housing at The Glen: "Your reference to two trustees’ membership in a club was tacky. Trustee Woodrow was right on track by highlighting four areas of concern. The village, with a new manager coming on board, needs to reexamine all plans for the future. To maintain the AAA rating, we need to run the village professionally. Fiscal management is a major ingredient of this exercise. Affordable housing? The Watch constantly harps on this subject. Why is the village capable or expected to develop and manage such housing? And if so with whose money? The village taxpayers’?"

The Watch replies: We do not believe the village has an obligation to provide affordable housing, but Glenview did get 1,100 acres of prime suburban real estate from the federal government at no charge – land that belonged to the taxpayers. And we did sell off most of it to the highest bidder. We believe the trustees had some obligation, as the master planner of The Glen, to address certain community needs. The trustees provided land for a school and a community center. They built not one but two expensive parks. Why shouldn’t they provide incentives for development of housing that our senior citizens, teachers, police officers and firemen could afford?

Phil Montross comments on Trustee Woodrow’s short-term priorities for the village – among them, a review of village finances to protect our AAA bond rating and revitalization of downtown: "Mr. Woodrow seems to be a big picture person, and that should be a worthwhile addition to the village board. I agree that Glenview's AAA bond rating is not the most critical issue facing the trustees, but managing the financial affairs of the village appropriately would seem to be consonant with maintaining a high bond rating. I am confused that Mr. Woodrow is the chair of a commission examining the ‘rebirth’ of the downtown, when the plan commission is set to begin hearings on a comprehensive plan for downtown and the rest of Glenview. Is there an overlap here? Is it intended? Is Mr. Woodrow's commission a sub-commission of the plan commission? And any reference to planning in Glenview, whether downtown or at The Glen, must involve the library board and it's deliberations about a new library. Does that issue fall under the aegis of the plan commission, Mr. Woodrow's commission, the village board or the library board alone? Perhaps all that will be revealed at the February 24 unveiling of the new comprehensive plan."

Jill Schwartz writes: "This was my first time visiting your web site, and I think it would be much better if you stuck to facts and left your obviously biased feelings out of it. For example, what difference does it make if two of the trustees belong to country clubs. Does this make them less qualified? Why is this an issue to you?"

The Watch replies: We don’t think the country club connection is a big deal, and it certainly doesn’t disqualify people from serving on the village board, but we wonder how grounded these public servants are – how connected to the average voter. In explaining why they thought a review of village finances was important, Woodrow and Denefe might have expressed a desire to assure the taxpayers that their money is being spent in a responsible manner. Instead, these two members of a club for people with plenty of cash expressed a concern for Glenview’s bond rating! As for your suggestion that we stick with the facts, we do. It’s just a matter of which facts we include. Like all reporters, we have limited space and time. We share what we consider significant or interesting. We try to confine opinions to our editor’s notes – kind of like a newspaper’s editorial page. As for bias, we confess. We are prejudiced against arrogant, incompetent, spineless or small-minded public officials and strongly support good, respectful, open government for Glenview.

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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