THE PRICE OF GROWTH IN 2005

Village management has unveiled next year’s budget for capital improvements – a document that details more than $13 million in spending – mostly for roads, sewers and water lines around town – and more than $28 million for work at The Glen.  Major projects include a new police station, post office and Shermer Road reconstruction.

Planners set aside $3.75 million for the post office, but the village board must decide where it will get that money. The trustees must also come up with Glenview’s share of construction costs for Shermer -- $7.4 million, and the board must determine how it can pay for the Epco Paint Store site next to the public library.  The trustees have announced their intent to purchase that property under eminent domain, claiming parking problems and congestion around the library make it unsafe.

Looking ahead to projects that could begin in the next five years, village planners say the community will spend about $40 million on a new library, $8.2 million to rehab the current village hall and police station, $3.5 million to replace the fire station across from Flick Park, $7 million for a new public works complex with vehicle storage, mechanics bays and office space, and more than $1.7 million to complete a network of bike paths.  The budget also predicts spending of nearly $1.4 million to improve the intersection of Chestnut Avenue and Waukegan (deemed the most dangerous intersection in town) and about $1.9 million for the intersection of Greenwood and Glenview roads.

Construction on Shermer Road is set to begin March 15, and the village warns it will mean some disruption.  In particular, the assistant director of public works says it could be tough getting to fireworks at the park district golf course on July 4.  In response, Redevelopment Director Don Owen suggested holding the annual pyrotechnics at The Glen.  Glenview’s park district will have the final say on that matter.

Public Works Director Bill Porter predicted work on Lake Avenue will be finished before the snow flies.  He told the trustees all lanes could be open by year’s end, leaving only curbs, gutters, medians and sidewalks for next spring.

GOING UP AT THE GLEN

The village expects to spend more than $9.6 million supplying water to The Glen in 2005 and may offer developers incentives totaling $4.75 million to locate there.  Other significant expenses include more than $3.77 for land development, nearly $3.6 million for roadways, more than $2 million for a nature center and improvements to the Air Station Prairie and $1.24 million for Gallery Park.  Besides spending more than $1 million to hook up utilities, next year’s operating budget includes $10,000 for street light bulbs at The Glen.

POSTAL PROBLEMS

Redevelopment Director Owen said plans to build a new post office at The Glen had run into some resistance from families who would have that facility in their backyards.  Residents of the neighborhood known as Southgate have consulted a lawyer.  Owen suggested the trustees try to calm residents’ fears, adding that the postal project should not have been a surprise.  “We’ve had a plan in place for 11 years,” he said.  “These residents were aware of what was going to be there when they purchased.”

Editor’s note:  This claim sounds like a stretch. Closure of the base was announced in 1993, but Glenview had no specific plans for redevelopment 11 years ago.  And even after village consultants drew up a master plan, things changed. At one point, for example, it looked like Glenview might build a new library at the site now reserved for a post office.  In truth, from a planning perspective, we wonder if it makes sense to put a high-traffic industrial use – a mail processing facility -- in the midst of residential and retail activity along Patriot Boulevard.  Has the village considered building the main postal facility in an industrial park and putting a customer service center at The Glen? 

PARK PLANS

Gallery Park at The Glen continues to drain village cash at a rapid rate.  The 2005 budget includes more than $692,000 for landscape stabilization and construction of a playground on the north side of the 54-acre expanse plus $114,500 for signs at the entrances and along foot and bike paths.

The capital improvements budget also contains nearly $400,000 for median trees at The Glen and more than $2 million to build a nature center and create wetlands around the Air Station Prairie.  The village agreed to build those wetlands in exchange for Army Corps of Engineers’ permission to fill wetlands at the Home Depot site north of Willow Road and on the site of a proposed visitors’ center at the prairie. 

WATER WOES

Village management is calling for another increase in water rates – the third since 1999.  In 2001, charges rose 28 cents per 1,000 gallons.  Now, officials want another 25 cents per 1,000.  That increase would cost the average family about $40 a year and would produce $550,000 more for the water department – a significant amount, but not enough to cover the costs of all water main repairs in 2005.  The village says it will have to draw down reserves to fund work on 261 miles of pipes.

REWRITING HISTORY

This month’s issue of the village newsletter reviews the way Glenview chose to finance redevelopment of the former naval air station.  “The village inherited responsibility for this enormous, shuttered industrial complex,” it explains.  “The stakes were just too high to parcel the land out to private developers with no input from the community and no way to balance land uses.”

Editor’s note: In truth, local zoning ordinances would have given Glenview all the control it needed over development of the military base without sucking up millions of public dollars and years of government attention.  What’s more, the village did not

“inherit” the base! Manager Paul McCarthy fought for it, perhaps wanting this chance to build his own city, and in so doing he sacrificed government’s first obligation -- to protect the interests of the community.  Once Glenview had title to the land, good planning took a back seat to profit.

GALYAN’S TO CHANGE NAME AND STOCK BUT NOT LOCATION

A reader who shops at Galyan’s recently wrote to complain, “They have no stock, limited sizes and too few employees to cover the floor or help the customers.  When I went to pay for my purchase, I asked the clerk what had happened.  She said the company had been acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods.  Their corporate office wanted Galyan’s to sell off all their stock and wasn’t shipping stuff from the warehouse.”

The Watch contacted a senior vice president at Dick’s Sporting Goods, a chain of 239 stores in 32 states.  Jeff Hennion said there are no plans to close the newly-acquired store at The Glen Town Center.  There will, however, be changes beginning with the name.  By the middle of 2005, the store will become Dick’s Sporting Goods, and the mix of merchandise will shift.  About 60 percent of the stuff sold at Galyan’s could be classified as apparel or footwear, while about 60 percent of merchandise at Dick’s is true sporting goods and outdoor equipment.  “You’ll see a shift away from some of the casual apparel to more of an emphasis on athletics and the outdoors,” Hennion says. 

Dick’s will not be selling sun dresses, bathrobes, blankets and towels, nor will it offer Galyan’s private label merchandise.  It will, however, carry Ativa, Walter Hagen, Highland Games and Quest lines -- and the climbing wall will remain.

GONE FISHING

After spending tens of millions to create a lake at The Glen and boasting of the enjoyment local fishermen would find there, The Glen Redevelopment office has completed a survey of folks who were angling on October 9 and 10.  All total, 13 individuals or small groups were questioned.  About half said they had caught fish and most came from other communities.

COULSON SURVIVES AGGRESSIVE ELECTION CHALLENGE

State Representative Beth Coulson fought off an aggressive campaign by Skokie Trustee Michele Bromberg, a Democrat who hoped to unseat the long-time legislator in a newly- drawn district that favors Democrats.  With significant resources from Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan and the Democratic party, Bromberg blitzed residents with campaign mailings attacking Coulson and attempting to link her with right-wing gubernatorial candidate Alan Keyes.  Bromberg also ran television spots touting her support for gun control.

Coulson, who has been cursed by the National Rifle Association for her stand on gun control, won endorsements from the Chicago Tribune, the Pioneer Press, Planned Parenthoods, the Sierra Club and a Jewish women’s service club, Hadassah.  She battled back late in the campaign with two mailings targeted at Democrats.  Neither identified Coulson as a Republican.  One detailed the progressive legislation she had worked on with former State Senator Barack Obama, showing her with the popular candidate for U.S. Senate.  The second featured an endorsement from Democratic Governor Rob Blagojevich.  It’s no secret that Blagojevich and Madigan have been battling for control of their party in Springfield, and Bromberg’s loss may be viewed as a setback for Madigan.

Bromberg carried precincts in Niles Township by 62 percent, but Coulson took 68 percent of the vote in Northfield Township, more than 55 percent of votes in New Trier Township precincts and 52 percent of the ballots in Evanston’s 6^th ward.  Bromberg blamed her loss on “slanted media” and voters who “couldn’t see the truth [because] they  were too confused.”

The Glenview Watch and the Chicago Tribune reported extensively on the smear tactics used by Bromberg, and Coulson felt there was a backlash against those tactics.  In 2002, Coulson won the district by just 666 votes.  This year her margin exceeded 3,800 votes.

IN OTHER STATE RACES …

-- State Senator Susan Garrett beat her opponent by winning more than 70 percent of the vote.  She was first elected in 2002 after serving four years in the Illinois House.  Her challenger, a 35-year-old Lake Forest businessman, proposed privatizing the prison system, passing medical malpractice reforms and providing more tax incentives and relief for small businesses.

 -- State Representative Elaine Nekritz did almost as well, garnering nearly 70 percent of the vote in her race against Republican Steven Szayevich.

KIRK, SCHAKOWSKY WIN NEW TERMS IN CONGRESS

Republican Congressman Mark Kirk is headed back to Washington after handily defeating Democratic challenger Lee Goodman.  Kirk won by a margin of nearly two to one.  Goodman, who had little money to spend, campaigned on a claim that Kirk was too conservative for the district and touted his own opposition to the war in Iraq.

Democrat Jan Schakowsky beat Republican challenger Kurt Eckhardt with more than 70 percent of the suburban vote in the 9^th congressional district.  She proved even more popular in city precincts. 

GLENVIEW GROWS AT THE POLLS

An unincorporated neighborhood west of The Glen along W. Lake Avenue voted to join the village in Tuesday’s vote.  Residents were concerned about developers tearing down modest single-family homes to build condominiums and town houses.  They hope the village will take a tougher stand than Cook County planners who have controlled development to date.

WAGNER FARM NEIGHBORS SAY VISITORS’ CENTER MAY BE TOO BIG

As the Glenview Park District proceeds with plans for a 16,000-square-foot visitors’ center north of the house at Wagner Farm, some neighbors are protesting – saying the building will overwhelm the site.  The village board will hold a public hearing on the matter at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 16 in the board room of Village Hall.

The so-called Heritage Center will include classrooms, a science and greenhouse area, a demonstration kitchen and general store.  There will also be a milking parlor where visitors can observe the essential process of dairy farming.  The new building is expected to cost $3.25 million. Ground could be broken next summer.

HOME ASSESSMENTS UP

Residential property owners got their tax reassessments last week, and many were unhappy.  On average, they’re up 27 percent, and some residents have come to the assessor’s officer to complain about 50 percent increases.  People wanting to appeal can get help with the process at the county assessor’s regional office – 5600 Old Orchard Road in Skokie or by calling 847-470-7237.  You can also visit the downtown Chicago office – 118 N. Clark St., call 312-603-5300 or pick up literature and speak with experts at the Northfield Township office, 3801 Pfingsten Road, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 1-8 p.m. Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays.  For details, call 847-724-8300.

HELP WANTED

-- Glenview is looking for people to help with a special census to be conducted late this year.  The job will last 2-4 weeks and pay $11 per hour.  Applicants must be 18, pass a test of written skills, be available for day, evening and Saturday work and have a non-cellular phone.  For more information, call Al Stonitsch at 847-904-4370 or e-mail astonitsch@glenview.il.us .

-- Northfield Township offers a free job listing service with new positions posted weekly.  Employers can fax openings to Mary Lou Kratochwill at 847-724-8310, and residents can stop by 3801 W. Lake Avenue for a look.  For more information, call 724-8300.

HELPING THE HUNGRY

-- If you plan to shop for groceries at Jewel, Dominick’s or Sunset this month, consider bringing a benefit day form for the Northfield Township Food Pantry.  Those stores will donate 5 percent of profits to the cause.  Go to www.northfieldtownship.com to get the coupon you’ll need to participate.

NEWS FROM THE NEIGHBORS

-- Deerfield voters refused permission for their community to sell $25 million in bonds for construction of a new library.   That issue would have cost the owner of a $465,000 home $312 more a year in taxes. World famous architect Frank Gehry had expressed interest in designing the 80,000-square-foot building.  A spokesman for the library board said the matter would be put to the voters again.

-- Skokie village trustees have given unanimous approval to a five-story mixed use development to be built at 8255 Skokie Blvd.  The building will contain nearly 3,000 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 30 condos above.  The village board was concerned with the height of the building (40 feet), but developers would not agree to a smaller structure.  Planners argued the condos would mean more affordable housing within walking distance of the Skokie Swift.

-- Northbrook officials are warning of trouble starting Friday, November 12 when work begins on Dundee Road.  “It’s going to be horrible,” said the superintendent of public works.  “If you drive on Dundee Road and have a vacation coming, that would be the week to take it.”

-- The Morton Grove plan commission votes Tuesday on whether to let the Muslim community build a mosque next to its school at 8601 Menard Ave.

-- The Kenilworth Historical Society has handed out nine awards to homeowners who’ve done a sensitive job rehabbing their homes.  The group hopes to encourage more families to restore rather than tear down historic houses.

-- Wilmette has approved plans to create 86 apartments for senior citizens at the former Mallinckrodt site.  Officials say completion is at least two years away.

-- And New Trier High School has banned card games at its Winnetka campus after an increase in reports of student gambling.

PLAN COMMISSION PREVIEW

The plan commission will discuss a possible change in local ordinance to permit parking of some trucks and SUV’s overnight on residential streets and in driveways.  The current law bars commercial vehicles, including some pick-up trucks and SUV’s.  A proposed ordinance would still make it illegal to park taxis, tow trucks or vehicles with lettering or logos overnight.  The public is invited to speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 9 in the board room of Village Hall or to watch the proceedings on cable channels 17 or 6 depending on your provider.

THE GREEN SCENE

Nationally-known Glenview nature photographer Carol Freeman hopes to raise matching money so she can document Illinois’ endangered species.  Toward that end, she’ll meet the public at Wild Birds Unlimited, 1460 Waukegan Road at Carillon Square from 1-4 p.m. Sunday, November 14.  On Saturday, November 27 Freeman will be at the Botanic Garden Gift Shop to autograph 2005 calendars and to answer questions from fellow photographers.  For details on Freeman or her calendars, postcards, greeting cards, posters and prints visit www.carolfreemanphotography.com .

SAVE THE DATE

-- The Tall Trees neighborhood will host the annual 5K Turkey Trot at 8:15 a.m. Thanksgiving Day.  More than 400 people are expected to take part in the event which is sanctioned by the U.S. Track and Field Association.  Medals will go to top finishers in various age groups along with shirts and goodie bags for anyone who pre-registers.  For more information, go to signmeupsports.com, e-mail Ken Kraus at Kraus@sw.com , or call him at 312-701-9328 or 847-657-9060.

-- The Glenview Senior Center holds its annual holiday bazaar 4-7 p.m. Friday, November 12 and 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, November 13 at Park Center.  The sale will feature crafts, handmade gifts and baked goods.  For details, call 847-724-4793.

-- Learn more about the new Medicare law, prescription drug assistance programs, aid with utility bills and senior care at 11 a.m. Monday, November 22 at Northfield Township headquarters – 3801 W. Lake Avenue.  For more information, call 847-724-8300.

-- Lee Gibbs will speak about Jackie Kennedy: The White House Years at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 9 in the Maynard Room of the Glenview Public Library.  Gibbs will present a slide show previewing next week’s opening of an exhibit at the Field Museum, featuring 70 gowns worn by the First Lady.  To register for this free program, call 729-7500, extension 112.

-- A panel of social workers will discuss the impact of divorce on children at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 10 at the Glenview Public Library.  Register by calling 729-7500, extension 112.

-- Veterans will share their memories of World War II at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 16 at the library.  If you’d like to tell a tale, call Anne Feeney at 729-7500, extension 127.  Frank Mack, President of Hangar One will also speak about the new naval air station museum at The Glen.

-- The public is invited to mark Veterans Day at 11 a.m. Thursday, November 11 at the war memorial in downtown Glenview – corner of Glenview Road and River Drive.

READERS WRITE

An anonymous neighbor takes exception to our description of the campaign pitting State Representative Beth Coulson against challenger Michele Bromberg:  “You said newsletter publisher Rich Miller described Coulson as a ‘hard-working, solid legislator who prides herself on independence.’ Citizen Action Illinois, the largest public interest organization in the state, thinks a little differently.  That group has led legislative battles for reasonable utility rates and taxes, affordable and quality health care, insurance and campaign finance reform, and stronger regulations to protect the environment and food safety.  Citizen Action rates Coulson mediocre.  Your letter also states that Mike Madigan has thrown his support behind Michele Bromberg.  Since when is it politically incorrect for a Democrat to back another Democrat?  And why isn’t it mentioned that Republicans have frequently targeted Democrats with a smear campaign or distorted lies?  The fact that the Chicago Tribune has endorsed Beth Coulson comes as no great surprise, since it is a Republican newspaper.  The Tribune endorsed George Bush.  You wrote that Coulson refuses  to switch to the Democratic party because of ‘hacks like Madigan.’ What about hacks like Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly, Ann Coulter and Sean Hannity?”

The Watch replies:  You know the old saying: Two wrongs don’t make a right.  We deplore the misleading, mudslinging tactics of all politicians.  Their dishonesty demeans our democracy.  We had no objection to Madigan endorsing Bromberg, but his tactics were reprehensible.

CC was puzzled by our story about the Coulson-Bromberg race in which we quoted a political pundit who thought Bromberg might win because she was a Jewish woman.  CC wrote: “I’d like to know the relevance of the ‘Jewish female’ reference.”

The Watch replies:  Elections are often about demographics, and the Democratic party may have thought a Jewish woman would appeal to the large number of Jewish women in Coulson’s district.  Anecdotally I can vouch for that theory.  My hairdresser, who hails from Skokie and rarely votes, told me months ago that she would be casting a ballot for a candidate who rang her doorbell one day.  My hairdresser said the woman’s name was Bromberg.  I asked what she was running for, and she replied, “I don’t know.  School board or Congress or something.  She just seemed like a nice Jewish lady – like me.” 

Howard Schneider thinks incumbent state legislators should have been defeated on Election Day for negligence on the financial front: “My wife works at the Center
on Deafness in Northbrook.  They depend on state funds, but Springfield has been slow to pay, and on Friday October 29, center employees didn’t get paid. In fact, they are still waiting for paychecks.  I sent an e-mail to State Senator Susan Garrett and State Representative Elaine Nekritz.  I told them that even though I support many of their political views, I would vote for their opponents in protest. It is too bad that this happened so near the election. If I had had more time I would have contacted their opponents and more newspapers. I believe that something should be done so when the state has a financial obligation they are forced to pay up.  I guarantee you that if I owed taxes to the state of Illinois they would not accept me being late without penalty or interest.  I further believe that the state should pay the Center on Deafness a penalty.”

TAK responds to the reader who felt our village board should let the library board do what it wants – build a new building at The Glen: “Last week, TJ accused the village board of bullying Glenview residents in keeping the library at its current downtown location.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Unlike the self-absorbed arrogance of the library board in ignoring their constituency, the village board has acted on Glenview residents' survey preferences for the downtown location by proceeding with an excellent plan that keeps the library on Glenview Road and moves the post office to The Glen.  Only the library board has an agenda -- namely to ignore the downtown location preference of two-thirds of constituents in two professional surveys.  Why?  Because they just can not fathom residents/taxpayers telling them what to do. God forbid!”

Kevin Killion took exception to our description of the Bush administration’s education program, No Child Left Behind: “I am not a fan of NCLB either, primarily because it is focused on whole districts rather than on individual children.  If you focus on whole districts, then all too often children ARE left behind.  A child who flounders under the program offered by a passing school is ignored -- nothing is done or offered for that child.  On the flip side, a child in a failing school is supposed to be offered other options, but this usually means transfer to other schools that may be just as bad. A district may also claim it is unable to offer other options. (In Chicago, 125,000 students in failing schools were offered a grand total of 3,000 transfer slots.) I also am concerned about NCLB's expansion of the power of the feds in education, and the potential for reduction in traditional local and parental control. That said, some items in your paragraph do need some clarification:

”-- NCLB was passed by a near-unanimous Senate vote: 91 to 8.  Although initiated by Bush, it was clearly a bipartisan bill.  It was largely crafted with the participation of Sen. Ted Kennedy, and John Kerry voted for it.

“--  NCLB sets percentage goals for how many children are supposed to pass assessments of basic capabilities, but the standards for what constitutes passing and how the assessment is done is strictly up to individual states, NOT the feds.

“-- Tests mandated by NCLB need not cost anything more about $20 per student, and then only in tested years. 

“-- The average school district in the United States now receives $300 more per student in federal assistance than it did in 2000.  This puts the lie to districts that claim NCLB is too demanding:  if they don't like NCLB, they have every right to opt out by simply not
taking the federal funds.

 

“-- Finally, I would advise caution with regards to your mention of ‘perfectly good school districts like 34 here in Glenview.’  I've talked to enough parents in Glenview to know that 34 is certainly not perfect, particularly in 34's controversial approach to teaching
mathematics.  The thriving business at the Kumon, Huntington, Score, and Learning Post locations suggests something is badly amiss.”

Glenview’s executive librarian, Vickie Novak, writes to clarify our statement that Glenview need not build an enormous new library to serve people who live in neighboring communities.  We said those towns had excellent libraries of their own and are not likely to visit Glenview to check out a book or use the Internet.  Novak says, “The Glenview Public Library, while spatially challenged, continues to offer a very fine collection of both print and non-print materials. Patrons from many of the North Suburban Library System communities visit the Glenview Public Library to borrow  books and other materials that their libraries do not have.  For example, in August (the most recent month for which figures are available), the Glenview Public Library loaned 6,226 items to patrons from other NSLS libraries. Of these transactions, 3,228 items were borrowed by Northbrook residents, 169 by Morton Grove residents, 48 by those who reside in Deerfield and 474 by people living in Wilmette.”

Editor’s note: We asked Novak to look at the flip side.  Were Glenview residents borrowing from neighboring libraries.  She replied that folks from this village checked out 1,186 items from the Wilmette library in August, 666 items from Northbrook and 476 from Morton Grove.

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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