STICKY FINGERS AT GLENBROOK SOUTH?

Glenview police are investigating “a series of shoplifting incidents which have occurred over the past six months” involving an undisclosed number of students from Glenbrook South High School.  The most recent took place at Von Maur’s department store on Saturday, September 25. 

A source at the high school says two girls were stopped by store security guards at The Glen Town Center, and police were called.  An offer of leniency may have induced the girls to watch months of security tapes and identify other students in the act of stealing merchandise.

The police department would not provide details, stressing that its investigation continues. Von Maur did not return our call, and Glenbrook South Principal David Smith said he was only aware of the Saturday night incident.  He said he knows nothing more “at this particular time.”

Unless some connection could be drawn to the school, Smith said no action would be taken against the two by Glenbrook School District 225. He noted, however, that students involved in extra curricular activities are obliged to sign a code of conduct, and theft would constitute a violation of that agreement, punishable by the board of education.  Last year members of the school’s lacrosse team faced the prospect of expulsion from school when they took part in an initiation ritual prohibited by the code of conduct.

Smith plans to retire at the end of this year.  He and Superintendent David Hales were widely criticized by the community for supporting the effort to expel lacrosse players who took part in a paddling party at the home of one student.  Glenview police had investigated that incident, but no charges were filed, and the school board ultimately voted not to expel team members.

GLENVIEW OKAYS HOLIDAY DECORATIONS ON PUBLIC PROPERTY

Glenview made national headlines in 2003 by forcing local firemen to take down holiday decorations they had purchased for their station across from Flick Park. Village President Larry Carlson cited a 20-year-old policy banning Christmas trees, lights and other signs of the season, claiming the U.S. Constitution made it illegal to display them.  Carlson claimed the controversy, erupting less than two weeks before Christmas, did not allow time to research the legality of change.

This year, however, Village Attorney Jeff Randall looked into the matter and discovered that the courts have approved a variety of holiday decorations, saying they do not violate the constitutional mandate to separate church from state.

Taking pains to portray the subject as complex, Randall proceeded to offer a simple, straightforward assessment.  “Almost uniformly, the courts have held that secular symbols are allowed to be displayed on public property.  The United States Supreme Court has determined that secular or non-religious symbols include Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees, lights, sleighs, candy-striped poles, wreaths, garlands, tinsel, carolers and banners that say, ‘Season’s Greetings.’”

While some of these may once have had specific religious connotations, Randall said the high court now considered them part of a national holiday with a legitimate, non-religious purpose. 

He said symbols more closely associated with religions, such as crosses, the Ten Commandments, crèches and menorahs could be problematic.  “The courts have consistently ruled that all such symbols must be viewed in the context of their own unique circumstances,” Randall explained.  In other words, it could be okay for communities to display such symbols as long as they did not imply government endorsement of a particular religion.  Hence, the lawyer said, communities like Northbrook, Wilmette and Chicago, had included menorahs and other religious symbols in holiday displays. 

Brian Gaugh, who heads Glenview’s newly established local chapter of the International Association of Firefighters, said his colleagues are unanimous in wanting to decorate local firehouses with items they had purchased.  He lamented the bad publicity last year’s dispute had caused but predicted renewed interest from the media this year and urged the board to put a positive spin on the story by approving decorations.

Resident Andrew Goldberg said he hoped the community would be willing to include menorahs in holiday displays to underscore the diversity on which our nation is built.  He pointed out that the White House routinely includes holiday decorations from different religious groups and lamented the fact that last year he had to take his children to Skokie to see signs of the Jewish holiday Hanukah.  His young son was puzzled by the need to leave Glenview. “I’m not a lawyer.  I’m a computer guy from Microsoft, so I can’t tell you I know anything more than how the code executes,” Goldberg said, “but I do know that a 5-year-old kid asking me, ‘Dad, why are we going to another community?’ is heartbreaking.”

A representative of the Jewish congregation Lubavitch Chabad agreed and said his temple would be happy to pay for a menorah to be publicly displayed in Glenview.  “I took note of the fact that the board meeting started with the pledge of allegiance – one nation under God,” said Daniel Moskovitz.  “I took note of the fact that because of Hanukah a village board meeting would be moving to another day. And then I took note of the fact that our new post office will be selling Christmas stamps and Kwanza stamps and Hanukah stamps.”  He said Illinois’ governor had agreed to put menorahs in Chicago’s Thompson Center and in the State Capitol in Springfield. 

Moskovitz said the Supreme Court had specifically said that if governments treat Christmas as a secular celebration, they can also designate Hanukah as a secular holiday.

THE TRUSTEES’ TWO CENTS

The board seemed ready to okay decorations identified by the Supreme Court as “secular,” but Trustee Jeff Lerner said that was too easy. He felt it important to include symbols from various cultures. “The Supreme Court has said that in some instances a menorah is a secular symbol,” he noted. 

“The town’s probably 80 percent Christian,” said Trustee Jim Patterson, launching into a two-minute stream of consciousness.  “I don’t know if you can make a statement like that, but I think when you look around and you see there’s Protestants, and Jews and Catholics and Koreans.”  He paused, thinking about Glenview’s largest Korean congregation, then said, “I’m not even sure what religion – Canaan, that’s a Presbyterian religion.  At any rate, I’m trying to understand what other symbols we could add to have balance.” 

Patterson said he understood that secular symbols were acceptable by law and that a menorah could be considered secular, but he wasn’t sure what other cultural groups might ask to have religious symbols displayed.  “I don’t actually know how many religions there are, but I think it’s a huge number, even if there’s only eight in town or 12 in town.  I would prefer secular, but I’m very sympathetic to Mr. Goldberg’s comment, and at the same time I also understand that you can drive through neighborhoods and on private property you can see whatever is there.  Typically you’ll see one religious following or another.  Or next door you’ll see all different ones.  I think that that is probably when you get the whole homogenous neighborhood, all these different religions in the same area, but I think that’s so much easier to do at home than it is in public buildings.”

Patterson resurrected an earlier proposal from resident Al McAndrew that the village lease land to private groups so they could display their own holiday symbols, but attorney Randall balked. “Glenview does not lease its property for these particular reasons, and it’s really a subterfuge.  It’s trying to avoid what you don’t want to confront head on.  If you lease to Lubovitch Chabad, someone else is going to come in and say, ‘Lease me land.’  I think what this board has to do is confront the issue and determine whether or not there’s going to be a limited, designated public forum for the holiday period and determine how you’re going to regulate it with regard to height of symbols and location and disclaimers on the religious symbols.”

Patterson said he couldn’t support that, noting that private property owners have a right to put up their own symbols “and decorate their houses however they like, and as far as a public forum, I don’t think that’s our place to do.”

President Carlson agreed, but Trustee Kimball Woodrow thought it “important to acknowledge diversity,” by setting up a public place where religious symbols could be displayed.  “Let’s not deny it.  Let’s facilitate it.  Allow people to celebrate their holiday season however they choose.”

He proposed that village staff work with the village lawyer to come up with a proposal.  Trustees Kerry Cummings, Mary Beth Denefe and Mike Guinane agreed. 

“It should be everybody or nobody,” concluded Lerner.  “Mr. Goldberg’s comment is the crux of the issue.  . .There’s probably going to be some members of the community who want to display objects and issues that we’re not gonna’ like, but that’s why they call it the Constitution.”

Village Attorney Randall said he’d be back with some proposed legislation at the next board meeting.  “Hopefully we’ll get this put to bed,” said Carlson.

Editor’s note: We were astonished that a trustee in the village of Glenview, with a Korean population of about 10 percent, did not know that most Koreans in this country are Christian.  We were amazed that Trustee Patterson would refer to “a Presbyterian religion.”  Then there was the bizarre assertion that Glenview might be overwhelmed with requests from all the world’s religions, compounded by Trustee Lerner’s suggestion that someone might wish to display objects or issues “we’re not gonna’ like.”

Get real, you guys!  Have Wilmette or Northbrook had such problems because they routinely display a menorah along with traditional Christmas decorations?  Even the Supreme Court says a menorah could be seen as a secular symbol.  The trustees should move fearlessly forward, including in their definition of secular decorations a menorah and leaving the door open to other ethnic groups that might ask to display their own holiday symbols at the library, Village Hall, a fire station or other public building.  Should this prove unworkable, the trustees can always revisit the subject. 

TRUSTEES DEBATE PARKING IN A PARKING LOT

After a second mailing from Village Hall, neighbors of the Canaan Presbyterian Church on Greenwood Avenue turned out to discuss a request by Westbrook School for permission to use a parking lot owned by the church on nights when special events fill the school lot.  The church said it didn’t mind, but the village board had given permission for the lot to be built only after the church agreed to limit use to times when religious services are held.

The village attorney warned that granting permission to use the lot for school functions would make it possible for the church to use it for social and educational events, and that upset the neighbors. 

Pamela Krupp told the board, “If you open it up to the church [for other uses], we’re afraid it will get out of hand.  They will use it every weekend, day and night.  On [one weekend in September] the church must have had a big event.  They filled the church parking lot, Westbrook Parking lot, their new parking lot and our street.  I thought that new parking lot was supposed to get rid of the cars on our street, and it hasn’t. This problem is only going to get worse.  How is anybody going to control the growth of the congregation?  We told you over and over again they were too big for the area.”

Jim Habel said he feels, “the church has an insatiable need to expand. They seem to have a growing membership.  Doing anything that would expand the use of this parking lot would  also encourage the growth of this church.  That will have a negative impact on the flavor of our neighborhood.”

But Scott Britton, a member of the School District 34 school board and a parent,  saw the situation differently.  “My concern is purely a safety one.  I took my second grader and my 17-month-old in a stroller to the [recent] hot dog dinner at Westbrook School.  It is not a very safe area.  There aren’t a lot of sidewalks, so it’s extremely dangerous for families during Westbrook functions.”  Britton said he was an attorney and understood the board’s legal concerns but felt the school should be allowed to use the lot on a limited basis.

Julie Bruch, a PTA representative, presented a petition signed by parents asking the village board to allow overflow parking during special school events.  She said the neighbors did not want parents parking on their streets, but without access to the lot, they had no choice.

Lecturing for nearly three minutes, Trustee Jeff Lerner said he was not convinced.  He found the whole situation “troubling,” and scolded District 34 for failing to make its case more than a year ago when the future of the lot was first discussed.  “I don’t have a dispute that it’s necessary and the cause for the school is appropriate.  My children went to Westbrook School.  I went to the hot dog dinner,  but [permission to build the lot] was granted by a narrow margin based on a promise that this would not happen.  This discussion is too little, too late,” he concluded.

Trustee Kerry Cummings sided with the parents, saying limits on the use of the church lot were “not achieving the goal that was intended.  I don’t think restricting the use of this parking lot would cut back on social events at the church.  It just puts the traffic out into the neighborhood.  The real problem here is parking in the neighborhood, and this is not the only neighborhood that has this issue.”

She said Westbrook would continue to hold its events, regardless of the board’s decision, and considered the school’s request to be “a safety issue.  Using the parking lot is just safer for the community.”

Trustee Mike Guinane sided with the neighbors.  “I stick by the original decision that was made by this board.  I have children that go to District 34 schools, and we have the same problem.  Sometimes we have to walk to get there.”

Trustee Kim Woodrow said he thought, “the safety issue has to prevail,” but Trustee Mary Beth Denefe said she would vote with Trustee Lerner to refuse school parking in the church lot.

Trustee Patterson argued, “Everyone has a right to buy every piece of property.  The church bought this. . . It has been consistently growing, as have their members in the community.  They just keep parking in the neighborhood or wherever they can.  They’re here, and there’s not a lot that we can do about it.  I would support opening the parking lot, because I believe that safety and the greater good for all of those around has to prevail.”

Also citing safety concerns, Village President Larry Carlson predicted use of the lot would ease congestion in the neighborhood.  Breaking a tie, he voted to open the church lot to use by Westbrook School.   

Editor’s note:  We think this is the right decision.  The cars are already there.  The lot is already there.  Refusing to let drivers park in the parking lot only makes life more difficult and dangerous in the neighborhood around the school and church. We don’t know if the church will now ask permission to park during social events, but we think it should.  No other church in a residential area faces such restrictions.  Can you imagine the village board imposing similar limits on OLPH, the Glenview Community Church or St. David’s?  If the neighbors are unhappy, they might consider chipping in for some extra landscaping around the lot, but like others residing near churches, synagogues and schools, they must accept the reality of living in a heavily-developed suburb near important community institutions. 

TRUSTEES MULL POSSIBLE MANAGERS

Glenview Trustees scheduled three executive sessions this week to discuss hiring of a new village manager.  Meeting at the Doubletreee Hotel on Milwaukee Avenue, it seems likely they are interviewing candidates for the job.  One applicant believed to be high on the list is former Assistant Manager Matt Carlson, who left Glenview four years ago in search of a better quality of life in Wisconsin.  For the last four years he’s been city manager of Delafield – population 6,700, and judging by a public workshop held there last summer, the quality of life is swell.

Asked what they liked best about Delafield, 23 people said the lake, sailing and fishing.  Eleven favored the quiet rural atmosphere, and six liked the wildlife -- deer and turkeys.  When it came time to complain, the largest number of participants (17) expressed dismay over lake weeds and silt.  Further down the list, 13 people said city government was not following the advice of planners, and 12 protested high taxes.

 “If you could wave a magic wand,” residents were asked, “what would you do?”

The largest number of respondents – 18 – said they would, “Put a water treatment plant on the Bark River and remove 50 years worth of silt.” 

Editor’s note:  You have to wonder if the man who’s been managing Delafield is really ready for Glenview with its complex finances, controversial development issues, daunting traffic problems and challenging political climate.  It’s true that Carlson is familiar with the town, having served under former Village Manager Paul McCarthy, but if that’s what the trustees are looking for, many feel Glenview would be better off giving the job to acting Village Manager Joe Wade, who has been at Village Hall for more than 20 years, holds two masters degrees in public administration and was, by former manager Paul McCarthy’s own admission, the manager in charge of day-to-day operations while McCarthy planned redevelopment of the former Naval Air Station.  

GLENVIEW’S  2003 ANNUAL AUDIT LONG OVERDUE

By state law, villages like Glenview must file their annual audit report 180 days after the end of their fiscal year.  That means the 2003 audit report was due in Springfield at the end of June 2004.  Illinois does grant one 60-day extension to villages that can’t make the deadline, and Glenview has routinely taken advantage of that extension.

This year, however, the June and August deadlines came and went with no auditor’s report from Glenview.  The Watch asked Village Hall what had happened.  Communications Director Janet Spector Bishop replied, “The village's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report ("CAFR") for the year ended December 31, 2003 has not been finalized. The village has requested and received extensions.” 

In fact, state law allows for only one extension – which expired at the end of August.  Spector Bishop blamed the delay on a new accounting standard called GASB 34, “which requires that financial statements include entity-wide, consolidated Statement of  Net Assets and Statement Activities.  The implementation has been an involved process,” she concluded, “but the 2003 CAFR is anticipated prior to the middle of October.”

Editor’s Note:  After listening to all that accounting lingo, it’s tempting to take a nap, but here’s the wake up call: Glenview has known since 1999 that it would have to implement GASB 34 for the 2003 fiscal year.  The village has had four years to get ready.  It’s been nine months since the end of the 2003 fiscal year.  If a public corporation did that, its stock would tank, shareholders would demand an immediate explanation, and officers’ heads would roll. 

We also wonder how the 2005 budget can be prepared without this crucial information, and why our trustees have been silent on the failure to file on time?   One week before official budget hearings are to begin, Acting Village Manager Joe Wade says next year’s spending plan is “still under construction.”

What’s more, we note with dismay that this isn't the first time Glenview has missed a financial deadline. Village officials postponed the annual meetings required by law to discuss the status of a tax increment financing program at The Glen with the schools, library and park district.  Officials said their records were not complete.  What is going on at Village Hall? 

PAST THEIR BED TIME

After wading through discussions of a parking lot for parking and decoration of public buildings at the holiday, Glenview’s trustees were clearly exhausted.  They approved five agenda items, including the construction of a Staple’s store on Waukegan Road, in less than five minutes, then hunkered down to discuss the community’s multi-million dollar construction project – a new police station on Lake Avenue.

As the building’s lead architect began describing some recommendations that could save the community money, Trustee Denefe rebelled.  “Maybe some of the other trustees want to hear this, but it’s a quarter of eleven.  We’ve been here a long time, discussed a lot of meaty issues, and this is interesting – but not that interesting.  So maybe trustees have questions.  I don’t.  I’m very content with the recommendations.”

“I’ll support your position,” said Trustee Jeff Lerner. “The architects are [making recommendations] based on the science of what we’re doing.  I’m gonna’ rely on their opinion.  I don’t have any questions either.” 

“Anyone else have any questions?” asked President Carlson. 

Mike Guinane, a construction contractor, asked the architect about several details, including an energy-efficient roof.

Lerner again tried to move matters along, noting that the board still had to talk about the overall financing of the project. 

“We’ve got to get into the budget, the cost of this has gone up considerably. . .We’ve issued bonds for a set amount, and we’re short some money,” said Guinane.

Since the village provided no information to the public about this subject before Tuesday’s meeting, that was an important signal for the cable audience to stay tuned, but it won the independent trustee a sharp rebuke from the clubby Kerry Cummings.  “That’s what Trustee Lerner just said,” she told Guinane.

“Okay, we’re all okay with the recommendations,” Carlson told the architect as the group moved to discuss financing the new cop shop.

MONEY MATTERS

Based on current estimates, Redevelopment Director Don Owen said Glenview could be $3.1 million short when it comes to paying for the new police station.  Since the village sold $18.8 million worth of bonds, anticipated building costs have risen to more than $22.6 million dollars.  The village will use $680,000 from tax increment financing at The Glen to cover project costs, and Owen said he hoped for more cost-savings as the project proceeds.  He added that if the funding gap remains, money would have to be taken from other village programs.

Owen characterized the higher costs as a natural part of the planning process and blamed rising prices for steel and other materials, but when questioned by Trustee Guinane, he admitted responsibility for a large chunk of the increase.  “[The architects] put together an $18.8 million budget, and in fact they had another $1 million contingency that was not actually listed in the budget but was described in the lower part of that budget,” Owen said. “As you know, I was brought into the project right at that point in time, and I just completely missed that fact.  It was [eventually] pointed out to me. So, in fact, we didn’t really start with an $18.8 million figure, we started with a $19.8 million figure.  So, so I think the starting point is something we should all at least understand if you go back and look at the space needs analysis.  The starting point, instead of $19 million it was around $20 million.”

Editor’s note:  This is not the first time Owen, director of redevelopment at The Glen, has slipped up. Four years ago almost to the day, he told the board that contractors were ready to build a section of Patriot Boulevard but had discovered the soil was too soft and wet for quality road construction.  Had we known sooner, Owen said it might have been possible to till, dry and compact the dirt, but with autumn rains falling and the clock ticking on construction season, drastic action was needed.  Owen called for removal of 4,500 cubic yards of “unsuitable soil,” to be replaced by an equal amount of clay at a cost of $260,000.

One trustee was puzzled.  Hadn’t the contractor, who was being paid more than $3 million to build the road, done any testing beforehand?  “No,” said Owen.  “The soil sampling and boring was our engineering responsibility.”

Earlier that year, the Illinois EPA cited Glenview for serious environmental violations, allowing huge amounts of soil to wash from Glen construction sites into the Chicago River, polluting streams and tributaries. Owen referred to the violation as a “ding,” but the infraction led to a lawsuit by the state. Glenview paid a fine of nearly $9,000 and agreed to spend thousands more on environmental improvements.

Don Owen drives a village-owned SUV and is collecting a salary of about $200,000 a year. When it comes to The Glen, the buck should stop with him. We’re not sure the latest million dollar mix-up will make any real difference in the long run, but the board and the public were misinformed about costs of a significant village project, and we’re concerned that Owen is never held responsible for such mistakes.  

TRUSTEES APPROVE LAND SWAP WITH POST OFFICE

The village board has authorized staff to negotiate an exchange of land.  The U.S. Postal Service would get a parcel on Patriot Boulevard, just north of the Dominick’s shopping center at The Glen, and the village would get title to the USPS site on Prairie Street behind the public library downtown.  Ground could be broken next spring for a 30,000-square-foot post office built with a $3.75 million subsidy from Glenview’s tax increment financing fund.  That fund diverts tax dollars from our public schools and park district to pay for improvements at The Glen.

Redevelopment Director Don Owen rushed to assure the community the new post office need not extend the life of the TIF, now expected to close in 2015.  He said two small pieces of land at The Glen could be sold to developers of multi-family housing, with the proceeds used to offset post office costs. 

Owen also assured residents of  single-family homes just north of the site that postal trucks will be parked away from their property – south of the building. A spokesman for the postal service said the new facility could be open in early 2006.  The postal service will hold a public hearing on the subject at 7:00 p.m. Monday, October 11.

Meanwhile, plans continue for a new library that will make use of the current post office space.  The Glenview Library Board will review architectural drawings and hear public comment at 7 p.m. Monday, October 18 in the Maynard Room.  That meeting is open to the public.  Revisions to plans will be shown on November 4 and 22.

Editor’s note:  Once again, Village Hall is playing the shell game in claiming post office costs will not impact the TIF.  After all, the money gained from land sales could be used to retire the TIF earlier were it not needed to pay for the post office.

ELECTION NEWS AND BLUES

-- The Democratic party is putting significant money behind an effort to defeat long-time Glenview lawmaker Beth Coulson in the 17^th district – an area that also includes Skokie.  Two slick mass mailings appeared last week in local mail boxes, attempting to tar Coulson for the company she keeps.  “On the issues that matter, Republican Beth Coulson Doesn’t Share Our Values,” said one.  Citing reproductive rights, the flyer charged, “[Coulson] supports and contributes to conservative Republican Anti-Choice candidates who would eliminate a woman’s right to choose.”  Coulson’s campaign shot back with an endorsement from Illinois Planned Parenthood. “Beth has always been there for the residents of Illinois and has been a very strong and vocal leader on preventive health care issues,” said IPP President Pam Sutherland.  “That’s why Planned Parenthood is very excited about endorsing her for her fifth term in the House.”

-- Democrat Lee Goodman is calling for 10^th District Congressman Mark Kirk to resign over what Goodman says is a violation of law.  On June 23, Goodman learned Kirk had claimed to be working for the CIA.  Goodman says it would be illegal for Kirk to work for the agency while serving in Congress.  When asked about the allegation on July 4, Kirk told the Watch Goodman was mistaken -- that he had never made such a statement. He mocked Goodman, saying he was a desperate candidate with no money to spend on his campaign. Goodman produced the Congressional Record in support of his claim.  Kirk said the Record had misquoted him and demanded it be changed.  Now, Goodman has obtained a copy of Kirk's speech from C-Span and is planning to screen it at the Northbrook Public Library at 3 p.m. Tuesday, October 12.  Voters who can't attend but would like to see the tape can call 847-714-0081.

-- Congregation B'nai Jehoshua Beth Elohim hosts a Meet the Candidate's Night from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Oct. 18, at 901 Milwaukee Ave. U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky, D-9th, and her Republican opponent, Kurt Eckhardt will speak along with state Rep. Beth Coulson, R-17th, and her Democratic opponent, Michelle Bromberg,  state Rep. Julie Hamos, D-18th, and her Republican opponent, Julianne Curtis. The public is invited.  For information, contact Marc Swatez at (847) 729-7575 or www.bjbe.org.

THE GREEN SCENE

-- One of the world’s top wildlife advocates will visit the North Shore this month as a guest of the Glenview Prairie Preservation Project.  Known in Australia as “The Koala Woman,” Deb Tabart will show part of a recent Animal Planet program about her work and share dramatic stories of struggle and success at 7:30 p.m. Monday, October 11 in the Community Room of Evanston’s Public Library.  Tabart is a powerful and entertaining speaker with an important message for wildlife lovers everywhere.  For more information, call 847-291-7434.

-- The Woodworth Prairie will host a workday and potluck lunch at noon on Sunday, October 17.  The public is invited to eat and help collect prairie seeds, pull weeds and pick-up trash at the 5-acre site near the corner of Milwaukee and Greenwood. Work will continue until 4 p.m.  Enter off Milwaukee, just north of McDonald’s.

-- Over the past two years, Cook County laid off hundreds of people responsible for maintaining the forest preserves. Now, officials say they’ve wiped out a multi-million dollar debt and are hiring again, but the best-paying jobs are going to politically- connected Democrats rather than senior maintenance people. Critics blame Cook County Board President John Stroger.

READERS WRITE:

JR attacks a claim by challenger Lee Goodman who wants more than two debates with incumbent Congressman Mark Kirk: “Bull to Goodman! The Democrat running for Congress from the North Shore’s 10^th District says the incumbent doesn’t want constituents to know about his conservative Republican voting record. Glenview and the North Shore are still predominately Republican, and elected officials should be proud of their conservative positions and votes.  The fact that we have two Democrats from this district in office right now is a fluke and should be a wake up call to complacent Republican leaders to get busy.” 

The Watch replies:  As more Chicagoans move to the North Shore, Democratic party leaders contend the political makeup of these suburbs is changing, and we think it’s a stretch to say the 10^th District is conservative.  Former Congressman John Porter was moderate on social issues and progressive on the environment.  The same can be said for State Representative Beth Coulson.  Both are Republicans whose voting records often put them in the Democrats’ camp.  State Senator Susan Garrett and State Representative Elaine Nekritz are Democrats who won election two years ago from parts of the 10^th, and Northfield Township went for Gore in 2000. 

Carol Freeman thinks incentives to attract some corporations and stores to The Glen are inherently unfair: “In the Heatherfield shopping center there are three stores that have been sitting empty for months. The rents are outrageous, and the only businesses that can afford that kind of rent are major chain stores. Whatever happened to encouraging and supporting local businesses?  Why not offer them some incentives? One –of-a-kind stores really add to the charm and character of a town. We need more of them. I think we have enough banks, cleaners and office supply stores already.”

SK has had it with our reports on The Glen: “Your continued negativity and narrow view of The Glen just amazes me.  It appears that only the failure of that entire area would please you.  The Glen is for all the residents of Glenview to enjoy.  It is part of Glenview.  The fact is that for the first time in my nearly 40 years of living in Glenview, I have seen some life in this once sleepy, deteriorating little farm town.  Wake up!  It’s all about survival and competition from other northern communities.  For the first time, people are coming into Glenview from other communities for recreation, dining, shopping, medical and other purposes.  We now have a magnificent, beautiful large park and lake that will be even more utilized in the future when concerts and the Independence Day fireworks are in the park (where they really should be).  That will no doubt give you something else to complain about. The planning of improvements to the downtown area is also welcome and has come about only because of what is seen as competition from The Glen.  That planning is something which should have been done many years ago. Improvements, if carried out properly and as successfully as in The Glen, will only add to the allure of Glenview.  Join the party and stop complaining about nickels and dimes. It takes money to make money, and these expenses will pay off handsomely in due time. Your positive attitude and support would be helpful instead of intimidating to all these efforts.”  

The Watch replies: Glenview’s investment of public money at The Glen now stands at $485  million.  That could hardly be described as “nickels and dimes,” nor does it take into account the revenue our schools should be getting from this development.  Our complaint has not been with The Glen per se – although we would have preferred to see a lot more open space there.  Our gripe is with the way public officials have chosen to risk our tax dollars and the future of public education here in deals which benefit developers first and foremost.  As for your suggestion that our comments have intimidated developers, we can only say, “We wish.”

Pam Lewkovich wants a new library at The Glen: “I have been a Glenview Public Library patron for over 25 years, and I feel that my tax dollars would be better spent on a new library built in The Glen. I am getting increasingly irritated with the high handedness
demonstrated by the Village Board on the issue of library location. It appears that Larry Carlson and his board feel they don't owe the people who elected them any say in where the library should be. They say the library is needed to bring people to the downtown area. That is ridiculous. I think that the post office, which the board wants to move to The Glen, brings as many, if not more people downtown. I would like to know the real reasons for this inflexible attitude. I have tried to reach the trustees by phone, but it was impossible to speak to any of them. Perhaps it is time to elect a new village board with people who believe that Glenview is a democracy.”

K was looking at homes in The Glen and did a little googling.  That’s how she found Glenview Watch: “I live in Barrington, and boy do we need a Barrington Watch. It's nice to see another town dealing with the TIF demons.  Our TIF just started, and a lot of folks see nothing but trouble down the road, yet the majority of our trustees voted for it and keep moving forward with projects. There are a few folks who get up at the village board meetings on a regular basis and speak. There's a resident comment period, and everyone gets three minutes. One guy used to write great letters to the editor in the Pioneer Press newspaper.  They were not flattering to the folks in power, but they were very illuminating.  The paper has now banned him from print, and he's no longer a regular at the board meetings.  I can't help but wonder what happened. There's only one trustee on our board who actually cares about the people and always stands up for the individuals.  She consistently votes against the old guard, and they are very hostile towards her.  It's gotten to the point where whatever she votes, they vote the opposite, just to flex their muscle.  She's told me that they've worn her out, and she isn't running for re-election in April.  She's just tired and actually may move out of town to get away from all the junk.”

The Watch replies: “You have no idea how familiar it all sounds, and ironically one of our independent trustees finished her term, then moved to Barrington – disgusted by the local government scene in Glenview – hoping, no doubt, to get away from all the junk.”

John George didn’t like our advice to the reader who was disturbed by smoke from a neighbor’s firepit.  He wrote: “I'm disappointed that the first recourse you offer is to
call the police.  I know you're not running a personal advice column, but a better
answer would have suggested a friendly chat by GS with the neighbor, to alert him to GS's dislike of the smell and asthmatic condition.  Calling the cops on a neighbor should be the second-to-last option.  (Lawyers, of course, being the very last.) Beyond maintaining neighborly amity in our community, better communication between residents in instances like this will relieve our police from having to be arbitrators.  I imagine they have enough to do patrolling the mean streets of Glenview.”

The Watch replies: You make some excellent points, John.  Sadly, it sounded like this reader was not comfortable chatting with the neighbors. Glenview police have good community relations skills -- often acting as go betweens in situations that can get ugly.  The vast majority of police business in this community is classified as service calls, and many of those involve helping neighbors get along. 

And Steve wrote: “These outdoor fireplaces are illegal by themselves, but if you are using them for any kind of cooking then they are perfectly legal. I was told this by a lieutenant on the Glenview Fire Department several years ago when they paid me a visit for using one. I find it strange that merchants can sell these in Glenview, but you can not use them legally for their intended purpose -- enjoying a nice little backyard fire. As for the pollution that these put out, it's no more than someone burning wood in their indoor fireplace, which is perfectly legal. Maybe we should have an ordinance against that too, since we've become preoccupied with minding everyone else's business.”

DW wants to know why Galyan’s is allowed to sell guns at The Glen: “Galyan’s recently had a sale flyer showing extra savings on handguns.  There was a photo of one on the front page, and the caption read, ‘Take an extra $20 off all handguns. . .Handguns available in select stores only.’  Why is The Glen a select store?  This is not something we need sold in our community.”

The Watch replies:  After a community uproar, Glenview’s trustees specifically voted not to allow the sale of guns at Galyan’s, and the “select stores” line refers to others in the chain.  If you want to buy a rifle, for example, you need only head down the road to Galyan’s in Niles. Glenview’s store does, however, offer an extensive collection of air and pellet guns, despite a complaint from local police who often cannot tell if the weapon a kid is wielding is loaded with BBs or deadly ammunition.

KG writes: “We have a used computer that needs a good home.  Your latest issue mentions used computers, can you tell us where we can donate it?”

The Watch replies:  You’ll find an extensive listing of organizations that accept donations of used computers at http://www.usedcomputer.com/nonprof.html#nonprof

YOUR TURN:  Write to glenviewwatch@aol.com or 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. 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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