In a deal kept secret until the day before it was announced, the village of Glenview will pay $2.2 million to help M.E. Fields open three car dealerships on Willow Road at Patriot. Fields would buy and move Finish Line Dodge from Waukegan Road, establish a new Chrysler outlet at the same location and move the Jeep dealership, once located in Glenview, from its current home in Northfield back to Glenview.

Glenview's Redevelopment Director Don Owen warned that the village faces a "significant risk" to its tax base because one dealership – McGrath Acura – has moved away and others might follow. Neglecting to mention that two dealers, Jennings and Bredemann, opted to stay and expand, Owen said the loss of a single dealership could cost $100,000 per year in property tax and $200,000-$500,000 in annual sales tax receipts.

Village Hall predicted the dealerships on Willow Road, to be built on nine acres of land on the east and west sides of a parcel anchored by Costco, would generate $5 million in new property taxes over the next 20 years and sales tax revenue of $750,000-$1 million annually.

Land for the proposed development was originally set aside for creation of wetlands in exchange for a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to fill other wetlands at The Glen. Owen said the developer, Harlem-Irving, had done little to fulfill the promise and characterized the new wetlands as "partially stabilized storm water detention pits."

In exchange for an okay from the corps, Owen said the village would spend up to $825,000 ($700,000 plus a 25 percent contingency fee) to create new wetlands on open space around Lake Glenview and the Air Station Prairie. He claimed the Army Corps is "in favor of this," but Mitch Isoe, Chief of the Regulatory Branch of the Corps, knew nothing about it.

"Where permits were issued and work was done, we hold them to the terms of the permit," said Isoe. "They can’t do a bait and switch on us."

Editor’s note: Owen’s case for car dealerships seemed a little sketchy. At one point, he said the dealerships could generate $300,000 per year in property taxes ($6 million over 20 years) and annual sales tax of $600,000 - $1.5 million. Later, he told the board it could expect $5 million in property tax over 20 years and $700,000 - $1 million a year in sales tax. This sloppy presentation should have served as a red flag to the board – a sign that more study was needed, but the trustees apparently had dollar signs in their eyes and could see no problem with the proposal.

It’s also disturbing to learn that this deal had been in the works for at least a year, yet no information was provided to the public until the day before the proposal came before the board. Taxpayers were given no chance to study the package, nor were they prepared to comment before the board’s vote.

Noting that storm water would have no place to go once wetlands were paved, Owen said Fields would have to construct costly underground vaults to retain run-off, and because the building sites had been filled with soft soil, the dealer would find it more costly to build. For those reasons, Owen said it was necessary to give Fields $2.2 million in public money from the tax increment financing (TIF) fund established to promote redevelopment at The Glen.

If Fields is unable to operate all three dealerships over a 10-year period, Owen said some of the incentive money would be returned. Trustees Kimball Woodrow and Mike Guinane wondered if the cash would come back with interest. Owen said it was too late to negotiate for that.

Fields owns 12 franchises in Illinois, Wisconsin, Florida and Canada. The company hopes to break ground on Willow Road by the end of this year and could be open for business by the end of next year. Owen said Fields would pay $1 million to developer Harlem-Irving for nine acres of land. A tenth acre would be sold to Costco for a gas station.

The tax increment financing plan (TIF) allows Glenview to divert dollars that would normally go to schools for redevelopment of the former Naval Air Station. Until that fund is retired, Glenview’s largest elementary school district will not reap the full benefits of development. Now, the trustees have agreed to spend another $2.9 million in TIF funds, further delaying the TIF’s retirement.

By law, the TIF can run 23 years – closing in 2021. That’s when schools are likely to benefit from The Glen, but the big winner in this deal will be School District 30 – a tiny district with just three schools – Wescott and Maple in Northbrook and Willowbrook in Glenview.

The bottom line: Families with children in District 34 schools will be deprived of tax revenue for public education so children in District 30 may someday benefit. Meanwhile, all of the children moving into The Glen will attend District 34 schools, while District 30 shoulders no new burden.

District 34 is in no position to protest. Years ago, its school board signed an agreement pledging never to criticize the tax increment financing program, and its superintendent, Dot Weber, is about to retire.

When the TIF plan was first proposed, District 30's School Board President Karen Roloff and Superintendent Harry Rossi were vocal supporters of the scheme.

In making the pitch for car dealerships over wetlands, Owen said, "There is a sales tax component to this that would allow the village board to consider additional open space purchases if you’re interested."

Minutes later, Village President Larry Carlson asked the board to spend about $1 million to buy a 4.25-acre site along the Chicago River north of Chestnut. The land, adjacent to Valley Lo, is owned by the developer of that property – the Baxter family, and the village had long considered buying it to extend a belt of open space along the North Branch of the Chicago River. Carlson said the acquisition would make construction of a river walk possible.

Village spokesperson Janet Spector Bishop later said the deal was possible because of new sales tax revenue expected to come from Glenview’s share of sales tax generated by the car dealerships.

In fact, the car dealerships will not begin to generate revenue until 2006 if all goes as planned.

Manager McCarthy asked Natural Resource Commission Chairman Kent Fuller to address the board. Fuller is a former trustee and supporter of former Village President Jim Smirles’ Unite Glenview (UG) party. In making the introduction, McCarthy twice referred to Fuller as "Trustee," prompting laughter from the board. An embarrassed manager confessed, "I still call Smirles president when I’m under stress."

"Oh yeah?" said current President Carlson.

Editor’s note: Fuller is not happy about the loss of 10 acres of open space at the Costco site, but he continues to lend his credibility to the pro-development UG party – hoping for crumbs from its banquet with developers. In particular, he would like to see three additional acres of the Air Station Prairie preserved. Glenview is obliged to sell that land, along the prairie’s western boundary, if developer Catellus wants it.

As for Owen’s claim that the sales tax money could be used to buy open space, we can safely assume that will happen only after Glenview is able to pay for the street repairs and sewer construction it has promised taxpayers. A recent note to residents listed streets that were part of this year’s pavement improvement program but warned, "Due to budgetary constraints, changes in streets scheduled for improvements this year may occur."

CLEAN UP VOLUNTEERS CAN’T OVERCOME MONTHS OF NEGLECT

About fifty people spent a mild Saturday morning picking up trash in what the Friends of the Chicago River billed as a "river rescue." The term seemed appropriate in light of the large amount of trash allowed to pile up in and along the banks of the North Branch that flows between the Kohl’s department store on Willow Road and a large open area adjacent to the Heatherfield development.

Volunteers filled 79 large trash bags with paper, bottles, cans and plastic bags. They also retrieved two shopping carts, two bicycles, two plastic garbage cans, two plastic milk crates, a laundry basket, numerous tennis and baseballs, one black yarmulka (a traditional Jewish head covering), a one dollar bill and a disturbing amount of medical waste including rubber gloves and a torn plastic bio-hazard bag. The North Shore Corporate Park, adjacent to the river, is home to several medical buildings.

The green team also enjoyed some close encounters with wildlife. A snowy egret came by to watch the clean up, and a mother mallard kept the volunteers entertained as she led a parade of a dozen fluffy ducklings. The trash pickers also saw a garter snake, heard frogs calling for mates and collected a half dozen shells from the rare fresh water mussel discovered last year in the river.

While the village has declared the river environmentally sensitive, it has no formal program for keeping the area clean, and trash from the shopping center routinely blows onto the banks and into the river.

The clean up was sponsored, in part, by Trader Joe’s, LaSalle Bank and Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Products which gave out free samples of toothpaste along with a brochure and CD detailing the troubled state of American rivers.

Editor’s note: We hope merchants in the shopping center are among the sponsors of future clean ups, and – more critically – we hope the village does something to nip this problem in the bud. While food service businesses must have lids on their dumpsters, the dumpsters of retailers and doctors’ offices need not be covered. On Sunday, debris from at least one open receptacle was blowing from the North Shore Corporate park, littering the river banks anew.

Glenview and Northbrook are similar communities. We share a high school district, a telephone directory. Most of our residents are well-educated and relatively well paid. There is, however, one striking difference.

Thirteen years ago, Northbrook marked Earth Day with a celebration on its Village Green. Three hundred volunteers came out to help with exhibits and entertainment. This year, that same event drew 3,000 volunteers. They collected more than 100 used computers, 25 TV sets and a full-sized copier for reuse or recycling. They filled a truck with Styrofoam peanuts and other packing material that would otherwise have gone to landfill and sent a second truck to the Salvation Army with used clothes and household goods.

Residents exchanged 80 gas cans for new ones with vapor control, turned in 20 gas-powered lawn mowers and bought 15 electric mowers. Volunteers also planted 22 flats of flowers, and three Northbrook restaurants provided free food and drinks to keep them going.

During the year, Northbrook has an Adopt-a-Highway program to help keep local roads clean. Residents also volunteer to clear brush and litter from Somme Woods.

The village of Glenview, by contrast, did nothing official to mark Earth Day and has no year-round programs to encourage good stewardship of the planet. That’s not to say residents don’t care. Kent and Jerri Fuller, Judy Beck, Rob Blomquist, Gayle Nelson, Gary Riskin, Carol Freeman, Barbara Hines, Mary Jo Ghiselli and many others have given countless hours to the cause.

So how can we explain Glenview’s lack of official commitment to the environment? Look no further than the parking lot. Glenview’s Village Manager Paul McCarthy drives a gas-guzzling Chevy Surburban, while Northbrook’s Village Manager drives a fuel-efficient Toyota.

In 1991, Novinson recognized that caring for the environment is a community-wide responsibility – too big a job for a handful of volunteers. He asked staffer Mary Bernier to organize something for Earth Day, and the rest is history.

A 21^st century manager should recognize that open space may be far more valuable to a community in the long run than car dealerships. At some point, wealthy communities like Glenview must be strong enough to walk away from tax dollars – recognizing that quality of life is what attracts new home buyers and keeps current residents here.

If Fields builds on the Costco site, covering the last green space on a 40-acre parcel, Willow Road – already marred by a big box shopping center developed on McCarthy’s watch – will look even less appealing. People on the plan commission and village board might be holding their noses as they did when Shell Oil and Steak ‘N Shake wanted to bring their honky-tonk architecture to the neighborhood.

Instead, Glenview’s elected officials are cheering plans to pave the wetlands, because McCarthy – chief architect of The Glen – fought to make local government a developer. Now, facing the financial pressures that developers face, McCarthy and the trustees apparently feel they must sell off green space to the highest bidder.

If McCarthy’s side kick Don Owen is serious about his claim that car dealerships could bankroll future acquisition of open space, let him propose an ordinance to create a green fund, earmarking sales taxes from the dealerships to buy 10 acres of open space elsewhere in Glenview and to assure that our natural areas are properly maintained.

On the heels of a six-page memo in which library trustees outlined their reasons for wanting a new building at The Glen, Library Trustee David Johnson issued his own minority report, refuting each of the board’s claims.

"The village board is the bonding authority," he began. "Without their support there will be no money and thus no new library. To continue trying to change their minds after they have made their decision is like a slap in the face, and it will only delay progress towards the new library we need."

Johnson added that the village was unlikely to provide free land at The Glen, dismissing the board’s claim that a five-acre site there was available now. He also rejected claims that building at The Glen would be cheaper, pointing out that no cost estimates have been done for the current location.

He disagreed with the library board’s contention that access to a building on Patriot Boulevard would be easy, noting that downtown is actually closer for many Glenview residents.

Glenview’s library board is displaying pictures of the building it would like to have at The Glen and inviting public comment. Executive Librarian Vickie Novak says you can write to vnovak@glenviewpl.org .

The Downtown Redevelopment Commission selected four finalists in its search for a consulting company, and three of them are familiar names at Village Hall: Skidmore Owings and Merrill, The Lakota Group and Camiros. Camiros was responsible for the 1990 comprehensive plan and did one of the first studies on how to redevelop The Glen. One of its principles – Jacques Gourguechon – was appointed to Glenview’s Environmental Review Commission. Later, Gourguechon was forced to resign after his firm chose to represent Belmont Village. Local ordinance did not allow him to serve on one village commission while doing business with another. Since then, Camiros has done business with LaSalle Partners, the company that employees Downtown Redevelopment Commission Chairman Kimball Woodrow.

The Lakota Group, landscape architects for The James Company, is also in the running, although its planning credentials are thin. Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, is a prominent Chicago architectural firm that designed Gallery Park and the Sears Tower. The fourth candidate, Civitas, is a Denver firm of landscape architects, urban designers, architects and graphic designers. It describes itself as "innovative."

Tune in Tuesday, May 11 when the owner of the Plaza del Prado on the southeast corner of Willow and Pfingsten roads returns to ask for permission to put another building on the site – between Bank One and the Willow Road entrance. More than a year ago, the commission turned thumbs down on a plan to build space for two restaurants. Residents complained that parking was already a problem at the shopping center. Since then, the owner has redesigned the parking lot and hired a private security guard to assure that people don’t park in fire lines, leave 15-minute spaces on time, and – if they work for one of the stores – park in employee spaces behind the center. The meeting will be cablecast at 7:30 p.m..

Glenview’s village board is poised to reverse itself on a provision key to the local historic preservation ordinance. The trustees had threatened to restrict the right to nominate properties – allowing only owners to do so. Critics pointed-out that developers are unlikely to propose protection for homes or buildings they intend to demolish and replace with new real estate. State officials and The Glenview Announcements also weighed-in against the change.

The board still favors letting owners have a final say on designation, but trustees Woodrow, Kerry Cummings and Jeff Lerner feel others should be allowed to nominate properties. Village President Carlson, Trustees Guinane and Jim Patterson object. Trustee Mary Beth Denefe was absent from last week’s meeting, but Woodrow proposed discussion be continued when she is present. Denefe and Woodrow often agree on the issues.

Parents of a senior expelled from Glenbrook South when a marijuana pipe was found in his car are pleading with the school board to let their son graduate with his classmates and attend the prom after spending five months in an alternate academic program.

Sean Easton underwent a drug test the day after the pipe was found. The scan detected nothing more than Tylenol. Easton’s father, Bill, says the boy had tried pot over the summer but decided it was not for him – then forgot about the pipe.

Now, the father argues, "expelling [Sean] for having a pipe in his car [was] overly punitive." What’s more, he contends parents who hire a lawyer get different treatment for kids caught with drugs or paraphernalia than those who do not. Before Sean’s hearing, Easton says he and his wife were told by officials that a lawyer was unnecessary, since the district would help the family through the process. Today, Easton says that was bad advice, and failure to get an attorney was a mistake.

Easton also says he was told the zero tolerance policy was iron clad – that no student caught with drugs or paraphernalia could escape expulsion, but when this case became public, several parents phoned to say their youngsters had not been expelled.

On Monday, May 10, the High School District 225 Board will consider Easton’s plea behind closed doors. The family is not welcome to participate, but friends are already having their say. In a letter to Superintendent David Hales one wrote, "Sean is not a kid who caused or would cause any harm to anyone at school. He has learned from his mistake [and] paid a heavy price for it. . .Please allow him to graduate with dignity and allow him to be proud that he graduated from GBS." Then, she says, the community should sit down and have a long talk about whether zero tolerance is a policy that helps or hurts kids.

Editor’s note: Start the conversation now. Send e-mail to the school board in care of Superintendent Hales at dhales@glenbrook.k12.il.us .

For 37 years, Glenview has been handing out a Citizen of the Year award. The competition is organized by Glenview’s establishment – members of traditional service clubs like the American Legion, Lions Club, Glenview Women of Today and Rotary, but it also gets a hand from the village. Its chief of police serves as emcee for an elegant awards dinner, Village Hall provides postage for a mass mailing, and the chief’s secretary coordinates the event while she’s on the public payroll. Organizers say the dinner pays for itself, but because public dollars are involved, critics are asking why the event was again held at the North Shore Country Club, a private organization that does not admit blacks or Jews.

Editor’s note: This event should be held at the Lakeview Room in Park Center, providing appropriate support for our park district and sending a clear signal that Glenview is a community that respects all people and does not condone discrimination. 

Congressional candidate Lee Goodman (D), who’s seeking to replace incumbent Mark Kirk (R) in the U.S. House is pinning the blamed for prisoner abuse on President Bush and Kirk, saying the problem began when they refused to protect prisoners at Guantanamo Bay. Those men, rounded up in Afghanistan, have been held for over a year without charges.

When asked about the situation, Goodman recalls Kirk’s lack of concern. "He said that he wanted to protect Americans, and the prisoners were not Americans," Goodman says. "That blatant disregard for human rights is what has led to the present disgraceful situation."

Goodman urged Kirk, to reveal what he knew about abuse of prisoners in Iraq. "Kirk has been boasting for years that he is a Navy intelligence officer," the candidate said. "He claims to be the only Representative to have served in the war in Iraq. He has said he is fulfilling his reserve obligations by serving in intelligence in the Pentagon, and that he has inside information on what is going on in Iraq. He has asked his constituents to support the President's actions there based on his personal assurances about the reliability of military intelligence. He serves on the appropriations subcommittee that deals with military aid. If anyone in Congress should have known there was a problem, it would be him."

– Karen Finerman hosts a benefit garage sale from noon to 4:30 p.m. Sunday, May 23 at 1120 Antique Lane in Northbrook. The first $250 in sales will go to Orphans of the Storm – a pet shelter in Riverwoods. For details, call 847-609-8191 or e-mail hannah753@yahoo.com.

– The Samaritan Institute, an interfaith community center that offers psychotherapy and educational programs for low income families, will hold a benefit on June 13. It’s called Jazz in June and will, of course, feature an 18-member jazz band. For details, call 847-446-6955.

– Glenview’s library presents Joel Frankel's Musical Merriment on Saturday, May 15 at 2 p.m. Frankel will perform songs from his four children's CDs. For free tickets, stop by the Youth Desk with your library card.

Last week we mistakenly referred to officer Terry Urbanowski as a "he." In fact, Sgt. Urbanowski, is female. She is also supervisor of the Traffic Bureau and liaison to Glenview’s mysterious traffic committee – a group that meets privately at Village Hall to discuss public concerns about how cars and trucks move through town. You can send your questions and complaints to Sgt. Urbanowski at turbanowski@glenview.il.us .

LMG is curious about consultants’ claims regarding the library and its impact on nearby business: "I have been in the village for 11 years and use the library a lot. Am I the only person who has noticed that the strip mall across from the site of the current Glenview library has had rapid retail turnover and continues to do so? Most recently we lost the excellent King Maa Chinese restaurant and The Pantry convenience store. Retail keeps turning over, despite the towering presence of the library across the street. What makes the planning consultants think that the library will be able to save the downtown?

More than a dozen families signed the following letter entitled "Puzzled Over Parking: Take a look at what residents said in focus groups organized to help plan a new library. Not a single patron asked for more seats or books _-just parking, parking, parking! Library Board Member Arlene Anthony says that’s why the new building must be at The Glen. If it were downtown, the library would need underground parking. Anthony and Board President Mark Grant claim that creates security problems. If that's true, shouldn’t we feel sorry for the folks who put down big bucks to move into The Cloisters at Optima East or Hyatt and Chestnut Square at The Glen. Security issues are not stopping Mt. Prospect’s new underground library construction.

"After all the secret meetings, it's time for the library board to stop looking for reasons to move off the current site and begin looking at huge savings for Glenview. If underground parking will allow the library to expand the existing building and save $12-$15 million, shouldn’t we be focusing on that?

"Some library board members claim the current building could not support an addition. Yet, just four years ago the library’s own consultants said the building was structurally sound. The existing building was already paid for by the taxpayers. To spend $12-$15 million to replace it doesn't make sense. Northbrook spent $2 million to completely gut their existing building, and – for another $8 million -- added an additional 35,000 square feet and upgraded their heating and air conditioning systems. Our library board predicts a move to The Glen will cost more than twice that amount.

"If we have to pay the post office to move to The Glen, let's do it. We would then have a great new, expanded library and a post office with off-street parking for less than the cost of a new library at The Glen. The village could also drop its costly condemnation suit against EPCO and give the paint store owners what they deserve. They have served our community for over 51 years. With the money the library board will save by adding on, the village can afford a reasonable settlement."

John Ranz urges the library board to to give up on plans to build at The Glen: "With the exception of David Johnson, the library board refuses to accept the reality that Village Hall will not provide land at The Glen for a new library. They will continue to waste money, and have failed to demonstrate that they understand even the rudiments of public service. The thought of putting up a model of a building that will never be built in the lobby of the Library, to show off the money they wasted is reason enough to call for the resignation of board members Clark, Anthony, Grant and McQuie along with Executive Librarian Vickie Novak. All have been the source of stall tactics and outright lies. They tried to pull a fast one on the public by conducting closed meetings in violation of state law and have not allowed for public review of their plans.They clearly prefer to present a done deal to the public, but more work is needed before Glenview can build a new library. The 1998 space needs study is out of date. As much as I detest consultants and studies, the library should commission a new, independent study of space needs. The board must also begin a new dialogue with the public. A group named SOLD ( Save Our Library Downtown ) has been formed to ensure sensible redevelopment of the library and post office. This group and other interested parties should be involved as full members of any redevelopment efforts. The library board has shown they can't be trusted to do this on their own."

JH was puzzled by a preliminary village decision not to allow bank construction at the Olympia Plaza shopping Center across from Glenview’s library: "Countrywide Bank has applied for a building permit at Harlem and Glenview Road. The permit has been denied because that shopping center is not zoned for a financial institution. Charter One Bank has been operating in the center for at least five years. The village has no idea what they are doing, and this is proof. No wonder retail space is so empty throughout Glenview. I bet if they wanted to put another dry cleaners in at this location, it would be accepted in a snap. This town is going down the tubes!"

The Watch replies: The initial decision to deny a permit was based on special D-1 zoning which only allows for retail uses on the first floor of downtown buildings. Banks and other service providers that were doing business before D-1 are exempt and can even expand their operations. According to Development Director Mary Bak, this issue has been resolved in Countrywide’s favor because the bank portrayed its plans as an extension of a pre-existing activity and not construction of a whole new enterprise. There is no prohibition against dry cleaning downtown since it is considered a retail function.

TS tried the newest restaurant at The Glen and was favorably impressed: "Wow. We went to the new restaurant at the Glen the other night, Bravo! Cucina Italiana, about four nights after they opened. What a nice place with great food! And after opening week challenges, they will get even better. We wish them great success."

The Watch replies: Ditto. We especially liked the crayons kids can use to color on the white paper that covers each table and the dough provided by your waitress. Shape it anyway you like, and they’ll bake it for you in one of their wood fired pizza ovens. The ciabatta bread was also excellent – made with the chef’s secret ingredient, mashed potatoes. (Remember, you read it here first!)

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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