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The Glenview Watch
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OLPH BATTLES TO HOLD THE HALL
Glenview’s next local election takes place on April 5, but the campaign has already begun at Glenview’s largest Catholic parish with members of Larry Carlson’s party exploiting fears about the future of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. In a letter to the OLPH men’s group, John Nicolau laments the fact that parishioner Mary Beth Denefe and church ally Larry Carlson will not seek re-election.
“This leaves our parish. . .with little, if any, representation on this critical policy-making board,” Nicolau writes. Noting that Unite Village party chief John Patton Jr. is a member of the church, he continues: “John reminded me that during the 1990’s, our parish was involved in two very significant building projects.” When OLPH applied for permits, he explains, the village could have imposed a requirement to create costly storm water detention. “Father Flavin was more than just a little concerned,” Nicolau says.
Fortunately, he believes two church members on the board at that time – Patton and Joyce Kustra – helped OLPH delay construction of a costly storm water detention system.
“John and I believe that many an OLPH parishioner would not want to see us under-represented in the future,” he continues.
Noting village plans to redevelop downtown, expand or build a new library and “who knows what else,” Nicolau warns: “Having lived here for all his life, John [Patton] knows that OLPH can not risk being under-represented on the village board. He also realizes that we need to get more OLPH people involved, which is where the Men’s Club might come in handy. Think of how we use our parish campus for various Men’s Club and/or parish functions (i.e. Family Fest, Casino Nite, Oktoberfest, etc.) Could zoning changes have a negative impact on us somehow?”
Nicolau urges the men of OLPH to consider serving as village trustees and concludes: “You only need share a passion for our parish and what it means to this community to get involved.”
Editor’s note: Self-interest is nothing new in Glenview politics, and OLPH members have long been involved with the selection and election of parishioners to village boards, but this is more than a matter of self-interest. It’s a matter of preserving Glenview’s old-boy party, variously known as Unite Glenview (UG), Glenview United and this year, Unite Village.
OLPH member Mike Guinane is expected to seek the presidency, but Nicolau doesn’t even mention him. With backing from fellow parishioners, neighbors in Glen Oak Acres, name recognition and extensive campaign experience, Guinane’s got a good shot at winning. If representation is what they seek, the folks at OLPH could do no better, but the independent Guinane scares people like Nicolau and Patton – members of Glenview’s political in-crowd for decades.
FATHER FLAVIN SAYS AMEN
Four years ago, several other church members – car dealer Jim Jennings, bank poobah Paul Jones, construction king Jim Kenny and Glenview Insurance man Bill Zanoni – sent a letter to the families of OLPH. “Unite Glenview and its candidates Larry Carlson, Mary Beth Denefe, Michael Guinane and Jeffrey Lerner need your vote,” it began. “We know and respect all four candidates. Two of them, Mary Beth Denefe along with her husband Mark Anderson and their three children, and Mike Guinane along with his wife Lori and their three children, are fellow OLPH parishioners. . .They are interested in revitalizing downtown and making the area around OLPH a better place,” it read.
When asked about the letter, the spiritual leader of OLPH expressed disapproval, saying he did not want politics in the pews, but this year Father Flavin is all for it. He told the Watch that John Patton is “looking for qualified candidates to run for village board. I don’t think he cares what religion they are. He isn’t that type of person.”
Flavin says the parish is concerned about the issue of storm water detention. A 1995 covenant gave the parish 10 years to build underground vaults that would store run-off from their parking lot. That agreement ends in March 2005. Flavin said compliance with the law could cost his parish $1 million. Faced with the prospect of bankruptcy, he says he would close the church’s elementary and middle school, dumping 900 students into District 34 classrooms.
Clergy at OLPH have also expressed dismay over downtown consultants who see church property along Glenview Road as an impediment to retail growth in the area.
Editor’s note: The Glenview Park District could not say what it cost to provide storm water detention for a new parking lot along the river at St. Peter and Paul’s church – a lot to be shared by parishioners and visitors to Wagner Farm, but Leisure Services Director Bob Quill says storm water vaults at Roosevelt Park will cost about $250,000. Warm, dirty storm water from parking lots like the one at OLPH kills fish and other wildlife in the river.
…AND THERE’S MORE!
Two political insiders are protesting plans to hold a key meeting of the Downtown Plan Committee at OLPH. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 9 consultants will present their “State of the Area” analysis, reviewing traffic and parking problems, prospects for new businesses and existing ones, the housing market and storm water problems.
Board member Ty Laurie sent a memo to Development Director Mary Bak, objecting to the location. “I don’t recall having any group discussion about this venue and quite frankly am a bit surprised. I thought we picked Thursdays as our meeting date because the Village Hall main room is available. . .I think the OLPH location will just confuse the portion of the public that is interested and plans to attend.”
Another committee member, Allan Ruder, agreed. “OLPH, because of its location, figures into any downtown plan. OLPH is a decidedly private entity, and we are a decidedly public group. OLPH, rightly or wrongly, is credited with disproportionate political clout in this town,” he wrote. “Certainly the Park Center, the library or Glenbrook South High School would offer us a meeting place that is both spacious and public.”
Ruder and Laurie also expressed concerns about the credibility of the downtown planning process. “From the beginning of our work, I have maintained. . .that public support of our ultimate recommendations depends as much on the integrity of our decision-making process as on the quality of the recommendations themselves,” Ruder wrote. “To have our next meeting – and a critically important meeting, at that – at the wrong location will, I think, seriously compromise that integrity.”
Laurie objected to the fact that past meetings had not been shown on cable TV and that members of a public focus group were hand-picked by Village Hall. “Both issues go to my concern as to how we are reaching out to the public,” he told Bak. “I am now even more concerned in light of this decision to have our next meeting at OLPH, the negative public reaction to the focus group, which many members of the commission foresaw, and your statement in the press that a final plan is expected by February of 2005. I do not see how that is possible unless you truly expect this commission to be nothing more than a rubber stamp. I hope that is not the case, but these recent decisions, and the lack of commission involvement regarding these decisions give me pause.”
The meeting will be taped by GVTV and cablecast on channel 17 or 6. Residents who want to comment on the conversation can send e-mail to joanneh@glenview.il.us, call the village at 904-4340 or write to 1225 Waukegan Road, Glenview, IL 60025.
DENEFE DEPARTS
Trustee Mary Beth Denefe cited a desire to spend more time with her children when she announced plans to step down after four years on the village board. The mother of a college-age daughter and twin boys, Denefe has missed four meetings this year, showed up late for one and was absent from an important hearing on the 2005 budget.
NEW MANAGER ARRIVES
Glenview’s new manager, Todd Hileman, started work last week at Village Hall and will be on hand for the trustees’ meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday. (With Hanukah starting Tuesday, the village board decided to meet a day early.) The agenda includes a discussion and vote on the 2005 budget. The zoning board of appeals, which usually meets in Village Hall on Mondays, will hold its discussions at the police station.
HIGH SCHOOL BOARD OF ED DEBATES ZERO TOLERANCE
This week’s edition of the Glenview Announcements provides detailed coverage of early debate over a zero tolerance policy that has meant expulsion for up to 14 students – mostly first-time offenders -- from Glenbrook North and South each year. A special advisory group of faculty and administrators, including Superintendent David Hales, recommended a more lenient policy for students caught for the first time with alcohol, drugs or drug paraphernalia on campus.
Off campus, such an offense usually nets a $75 fine by the village, but at school it can mean expulsion for a year or more. Students who are intoxicated on school grounds have traditionally been suspended but not expelled for a first offense.
The advisory group proposes first-time offenders go before a committee of administrators, teachers and counselors who would decide a student’s fate.
Board member Karen Long objected, saying the new policy did not go far enough, since some kids could still be expelled.
But member Bob Boron argued for preserving a strong penalty. “These policies changed a culture within the schools and created a deterrent to the vast numbers of students that previously had been undeterred,” he said.
Member Skip Shein wanted the board to go further and review a policy which allows expulsion of students for certain activities off campus. Initiation rites by Glenbrook North girls and Glenbrook South boys have plunged the board into public controversy. “We’ll still have people saying, ‘Why are you in my basement?’ Shein said referring to a paddling party held by the GBS lacrosse team.
The board was unanimous in calling for expulsion of students caught dealing drugs at school, hazing and possession of weapons. A vote on possible changes will take place after a public hearing at a time to be determined.
ON THE BEAT
-- Last week’s police report included two thefts from Park Center. One woman said her wallet and contents ($135) had vanished from her back pack in an unlocked locker, and another woman reported the theft of her jacket and contents ($570) from a coat hook on the second floor by the track.
-- Officers also reported a break-in at the Lazy Boy construction site, 2830 Patriot Boulevard. Someone stole a chain and padlock, extension cord and a Honda generator valued at $1650.
-- There’s a surprising report of domestic violence on Rugen Road. A man is charged with threatening a household member with an empty gun and cutting her with a sword.
-- And an Elmwood Park man has been charged with dumping three emus in a Cook County Forest Preserve near Glencoe. Isidoro Lujano-Gonzalez had been keeping four birds in a tent behind his apartment complex, but local officials ordered him to find more suitable quarters for the creatures, which stand six feet and weigh about 100 pounds. That’s when police say the man took the ostrich-like animals to the forest preserve near Dundee and Tower Roads and turned them loose. Emu sightings began on November 22, and three of the four have been captured with the help of animal control officers armed with tranquilizer guns. The birds are now living on a farm in McHenry. Lujano-Gonzalez faces possible fines and a six-month stay behind bars.
ATTORNEY GENERAL WARNS OF AREA FRAUD
Illinois’ Attorney General Lisa Madigan is suing an Indiana man and a McHenry County woman who made travel sales presentations to area residents at Lincolnshire and Highland Park hotels. At least one couple from Glenview paid $2,995 to join the Vacation Travel Club and were promised a free cruise. Later, they learned that to take that trip in the winter they’d have to pay $1,051 more plus port fees of $99 per night, activation and service charges. The two hope to get a refund, but fine print on the contract they signed reads: “Vacation Travel Club is not responsible for any verbal misrepresentations made by the seller.”
The sellers also promised substantial discounts on airline tickets, vouchers good for free condominium stays anywhere in the world and a money back guarantee. Buyers were not told of extra costs and expiration dates on offers.
The state suit asks $50,000 for each violation of the Consumer Fraud Act and $10,000 for every violation against a person 65 years or older. Madigan said more than half of the scam’s victims were seniors.
STATE FUNDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE GLEN
The Glenview Announcements reports Thomas Place Senior Apartments at 2200 Patriot Blvd. in The Glen will get more than $9.9 million in financing from the Illinois Housing Development Authority. The project was among 14 approved for a total of more than $89 million to build and preserve more than 1,550 units of affordable housing throughout the state. The authority's allocation of low-income housing tax credits to help construct 44 one-bedroom units and 100 two-bedroom units at Thomas Place "will help Glenview seniors find an affordable home," said a state spokesman. "I commend the developers who remain committed to building quality, safe, decent housing that is affordable to Illinoisans of low or moderate means.” The village gave a developer five acres of Glen land in exchange for a promise to rent three-quarters of the units at reduced rates.
VISITING SAILORS IN SHORT SUPPLY
Glenview firemen invited five sailors to local firehouses last week, allowing them to take a break from basic training at Great Lakes to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. The idea originated with firefighter/paramedic Eamon O’Dowd who quickly won approval from the rest of the force and from management. The department even arranged for the sailors to go along on any emergency calls, and while nothing very exciting happened, one fireman recalls, “the Navy guys seemed to really enjoy the ride.”
Meanwhile, neighboring communities hoping to host service men and women were disappointed when 400 got orders to ship out just before the holiday. Officials at the base said there were also fewer troops around than in years past – 1,800 down from more than 3,100. In Wheeling, the Amvets post had planned to serve 100 sailors, but only 27 showed up, and in Arlington Heights, where the American Legion post cooked for 50, nobody came. Great Lakes apologized for the mix-up, and volunteers ate the meal intended for the sailors, putting leftovers in the freezer for this year’s Christmas dinner. The Amvets sent their food to the Little Sisters of the Poor in Palatine.
THE GREEN SCENE
-- Consumers who want to help protect nature are finding supplies of organic bananas at local grocery stores – fruit grown without the sprays that poison tropical fields and people in Honduras, Ecuador, Costa Rica and the Caribbean. Sunset Foods in Northbrook is taking the mission one step further, offering Turbana bananas from Ecuador. Human Rights Watch has attacked many exporters for failing to insist on decent conditions for banana workers, including children, but a British watchdog group (bananalink.org) praises Turbana – a cooperative of growers – for having “one of the best records for negotiating collective agreements with workers.”
-- Riverwoods continues to debate an ordinance that would protect trees and undergrowth from widespread clearing by land owners. Trustees there are considering a limit of 30 percent on removal of trees and brush from any wooded areas in private hands. The hope is to preserve 70 percent of Riverwoods’ woodland, but elected officials worry the rule will lead to lawsuits. You can read the proposed ordinance at www.villageofriverwoods.com .
TO YOUR HEALTH
If you're still searching for a flu shot, Cook County has vaccine. December 6-10, the Department of Public Health is offering shots to people in high-risk groups -- pregnant women, adults 65 and older, healthcare workers and people caring for babies less than six months of age. The closest location for Glenview residents is the county courthouse on Euclid Avenue in Rolling Meadows. That clinic will be open from 1-7 p.m. today (December 6) and from 9-11 a.m. Friday, December 10. For details, call 708-492-2185 or visit www.cookcountypublichealth.org .
NEWS FROM THE NEIGHBORS
-- Kenilworth is debating what holiday decorations can be displayed on public property. For nearly 100 years, the community has put a Christmas tree on the fountain near its village hall and train station. Last year, a menorah and nativity scene were purchased with private money and displayed. Some residents felt that was going too far.
-- Spouses of public officials sometimes complain about the time commitment made by their mates, but for one Deerfield couple, public service is no problem. Derek Ragona is running for mayor, and his wife Susan is running for a seat on the village board.
-- Northbrook trustees will consider a 3 percent increase in the property tax this month – hoping to fill a $1.2 million hole in next year’s budget.
-- And a church in Winnetka has found an intriguing solution to the unsightly problem of cellular antennas. To get money for a new roof and other building repairs, Winnetka Covenant has agreed to house an antenna in its steeple.
READERS WRITE
On reading that Village President Carlson would step down, JS wrote: “Damn, I wanted to vote Carlson out. Guess he saw the handwriting on the wall. Chicken!”
Terry Wodder responds to news that village officials are challenging library board plans: “Kudos to Mary Bak and others for chastising the library board two weeks ago for not conducting a parking study. The board claims to need 250 spaces but can’t prove it. Sounds familiar. For the past couple of years I have chided the board for failing to conduct a patron seating study. The current plan calls for 450+ seats – roughly twice as many as recommended by the nation’s leading authorities on library planning. Based on dozens of random counts over the past couple of years, the average number of occupied seats is just over 30 with a maximum in the 50’s. The board made one feeble attempt to count occupied seats last spring but decided to call it a ‘test’ count when the numbers were similar to those above. I don’t know about you, but 450+ seats seems a bit over the top. In fact, I believe it proves that the space needs study that the board commissioned from an architectural firm in 1998 was intentionally inflated to increase future architectural fees which are based on a percentage of total construction cost. This is called a conflict of interest – something that has become all too common in corporate America in recent years. The library board has wasted hundreds of thousands of dollars on duplicate community surveys, a downtown site selection survey and most recently $25,000 for a model and preliminary drawings for a new facility at The Glen without stopping to ask the village board whether or not they could build on the five acre site originally set aside for a new post office. The board has also engaged in a deliberate campaign to deceive the public, claiming its current building is substandard. Their own consultant, Fyre Gillan Molinaro Architects Ltd., said the building is in very good condition. The village board should take over the planning function for a new, expanded library. This is the option that Northbrook, Wilmette, Skokie, Niles, Mount Prospect and Arlington Heights chose to save millions of dollars in construction costs, future operating costs and, most of all, local property taxes without sacrificing quality of service.”
Dick Feit was disappointed by our coverage of the on-going dispute between Glenview’s village board and its library board: “You wrote: ‘Ignoring the wishes of all but one board member, Carlson says a new library will not be built at the Glen.’ That is misleading by omission of two salient facts: Two surveys clearly indicated a majority of taxpayers do not want a library at The Glen. In the first, 66 percent preferred that the library remain at its current location on Glenview Road. The second showed 60 percent preferred the library downtown. This only changed when deliberately hyped/misleading costs for downtown versus The Glen were presented, which was the board's attempt to seek a "Glen favorable" survey response, and the board refused to specify the current location in that second survey. You should also have noted that downtown merchants almost unanimously prefer the library remain at its present site. Larry Carlson has acted on behalf of the wishes of a vast majority of both Glenview taxpayers and merchants in not building a new library at The Glen. You should have applauded his efforts on our behalf and denigrated our self-absorbed library board which ignores us even after surveying us twice at considerable cost!”
Downtown businesswoman Jennifer Kozicki is optimistic, yet cautious about the up-coming consultant presentation on downtown redevelopment: “I hope the suggestions presented reflect the attitude that dominated the recent workshop and focus group. It was very clear that our village is not ready to lose its charm or duplicate the suburban trend of over-development. On the positive side I have discovered that we have supporters on the Downtown Plan Committee. I am confident they will not rubber-stamp plans changing suburban to urban. I have also been assured that the needs of the business community downtown will be supported appropriately and that eminent domain will not become the master tool. I believe the view that fifties are necessarily shabby, as stated so often by our village president, will not dominate the process. The matter of past facade improvement programs will be an important issue. There has been a level of mis-information that seems to be clearing, enabling that important tool to be utilized. This approach will save taxpayer dollars, while creating real opportunities for landowners to develop without being forced out of their holdings.”
Gayle Nelson-Blomquist says a recent Chicago Tribune article on creating town centers saddened her: "The November 20 article focused on the rebirth of many centers of town. It also highlighted The Glen. The original center of Glenview has so much to offer including an affordable grocery store, library, train station, and diverse eating establishments. I bet if Glenview invested a very small portion of the enormous amount spent on The Glen, we would celebrate a rebirth of the center of town as well as our new development. I understand that The Glen was a big project requiring all of the focus and money, but now is the time to invest in our town center. I'm sure there is room for two vibrant areas in Glenview."
Fritz responds to reports that District 34 may consider a shorter school year: “Show me the parents that want a shorter school year. One hundred ninety days is a short school year by international standards, which is why our students in public schools continue to fall farther and farther behind other developed countries. The District 34 Teachers’ Association should be ashamed of itself. Educators here have an income that is higher than the average mean income for residents of Glenview. Me, Me, Me. This school board should not be misled by those teachers that have lost sight of the goal, more and better education for our children.”
Kevin Killion responds to a reader who thought District 34’s math program was swell “because it worked well for her kids. Indeed, it very well may have. But an anecdote for one family does not mean that this is the correct approach for an entire district and all children. Indeed, test results from around the country cast serious doubt on whether fuzzy math programs are the best approach. A fundamental truth that all parties agree upon is that different kids learn differently. The educrats, despite lip service to that point, impose a single curriculum for all children in the district. If you sincerely believe that kids learn differently, why does their assignment to a school depend solely or primarily on a street address, and why is there only a single base approach to math?”
Timothy Rocap, chair of School District 34’s caucus, writes: “In March, Glenview will be electing three District 34 school board members. It is the purpose of the caucus to interview and nominate individuals to run in the election. To present the best possible candidates for the three open seats on the board, the caucus needs your help, whether you currently have children attending a District 34 school or not. Decisions made by the board affect us all. According to the latest financial projections, the district may face an increasing deficit each year for the next few years. There are hundreds of pre-school age children at The Glen? Once they reach kindergarten, what school will they attend? Will boundaries need to be changed? Will we need to expand our current grade schools? These are only a few of the problems that must be addressed by the board. The best way to ensure the future of Glenview's children is to volunteer and make a difference! If you are interested in being a candidate for school board, please contact me at (847) 707-7838. If you’d like to join the caucus, please call Michele Cutler at (847) 724-4102.”
Brian Gaughan, president of the Glenview Firefighters Association Local, expresses “thanks to the many village residents who expressed their concern over the village’s refusal to allow our firefighters to decorate fire houses for the holiday season. It was their concern that prompted village officials to reconsider this matter. It was good to see that our trustees are willing to rethink decisions and look beyond what they initially saw. In the sprit of this holiday season, I am writing to let residents know that all five Glenview Fire Department stations are drop off points for the Toys For Tots campaign. In a joint effort with The United States Marine Corps, we are collecting new, unwrapped toys for disadvantaged children. We are seeking toy donations, and hope residents respond with the heartfelt enthusiasm they showed when firefighters were forbidden to have a Christmas tree inside our stations.”
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.