FIREMEN ALARMED BY CHIEF’S ABSENCE

 

In mid-October, Glenview Fire Chief Dan Bonkowski sent a memo to employees of his department saying he would be away for a couple of weeks for personal reasons.  But after three weeks, firefighters from this and other North Shore communities were perplexed by the fact that Bonkowski’s firefighting gear, maps and books had been removed from his official car, and they were upset by rumors that Bonkowski had been fired.

 

Glenview’s village manager would not comment on Bonkowski’s departure except to say he was on personal leave.  Todd Hileman insisted he could not discuss the case without invading Bonkowski’s privacy and said an announcement would be made when  Bonkowski was “ready to make an announcement.”

 

Hired in 2002 from Northbrook, where he had served for more than 30 years, Bonkowski proved popular in a department fraught with morale problems.  He oversaw construction of two new fire stations in the village and helped stall a unionizing effort that eventually bore fruit.  Three months into the job, the chief suffered an attack of Guillan-Barre Syndrome – a neurological disease from which he recovered.  Sources close to Bonkowski say they do not think he is ill. 

 

RESIDENTS RAVE ABOUT HIGH SCHOOL

 

A survey of 400 area residents finds 75 percent giving Glenbrook South and Glenbrook North an excellent grade, while 15 percent say the local high schools are good.  Nine percent didn’t know, and one percent thought the district was doing a lousy job. 

 

Superintendent Dave Hales shared the findings with members of the school board and won a skeptical response from Vice President Skip Shein who thought most communities would praise their high schools, even if they were not good.

 

Hales said District 225 was rated twice as high as the average Midwest suburban district by its residents.

 

Asked what they thought was the most serious issue facing our high schools, 26 percent of those surveyed cited a lack of money.  Fourteen percent felt discipline was the biggest problem, and 12 percent were most concerned about drug and alcohol abuse. 

 

Sixty percent said they’d support a tax hike to fund current programs if District 225 manages its money efficiently, and 80 percent wouldn’t mind letting companies sponsor school events for a price.  Hales said there are no immediate plans to ask for higher taxes.

 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS BRACE FOR PRICY WINTER

 

Glenview’s elementary school district fears the price of heating nine buildings this winter could take a heavy toll on its budget, as natural gas costs soar by as much as 50 percent.  To blunt the increase, officials are dropping the thermostat to 68 degrees during the school day – down from 72, and they’ll lower it to 65 overnight.  Last winter, the district paid $8,000-$15,000 a month to heat each building according to the Glenview Announcements.  The proactive adjustment to thermostats this school year is expected to cut the bill by 20 percent.

 

GLENVIEW TAKES ANOTHER LOOK AT LEHIGH-CHESTNUT

 

After voting to ban right turns on red at the intersection of Lehigh and Chestnut, Glenview trustees say they’ll take another look at the troublesome intersection.  Residents complain that it can take a long time to turn from northbound Lehigh to westbound Chestnut when a passing train stops the light from changing, and drivers hoping to make a right turn are also unhappy.  The village manager concedes planners did not take into account the fact that a growing number of cars and trucks might be headed for Johns Drive – using it as a north/south alternative to Waukegan Road or Patriot Blvd.  Glenview’s traffic consultant is again reviewing options for the Lehigh-Chestnut intersection and will report to the village board on Tuesday, November 15.

 

TRUSTEES AGREE TO SCREEN POLICE STATION NEIGHBORS

 

When village construction crews took down 29 mature trees at the site of the new police station, neighbors on Independence Boulevard in The Glen got a clear view of the place, and they didn’t like their new view.  The trustees were sympathetic and agreed to spend about $50,000 to build a four-foot berm and to plant 120 new trees.  The board was willing to pay for trees that are 6-8 feet tall but refused to spend another $50,000 for 10-12 foot trees, reasoning that the smaller trees would grow. The neighbors said they might spring for the extra money to get taller trees. The board also voted to spend $55,000 on a 10-foot fence to screen the view of 14 residents who can see the police station from their homes on the south side of Lake Avenue. The homeowners on Park Lane, west of Shermer, noted their neighbors east of Shermer had gotten a nice stockade fence from the village to reduce the noise from a wider Lake Avenue. 

 

 

 

WHEN WILL THE GLEN PAY ITS WAY?

 

During a discussion of how Glenview can boost revenue to support road and sewer maintenance, Trustee Jim Patterson asked a question that may be on the minds of many residents:  When will property taxes from The Glen begin to cover the TIF district’s costs.  The two biggest on-going expenses paid with TIF dollars are debt service ($11-$12 million annually) and make-whole payments to the schools, park district and library ($7.5-$10 million).  Former Glen Director Don Owen says the flow of property tax dollars should equal those expenses in 2008.

 

NEW TWIST IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

-- The latest place to chow down at The Glen is Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels, opening its first bakery/café inside the new Kohl Children’s Museum.  In an ad for a café manager, the company promises “a truly fun, upscale, grease free work environment. Kim & Scott’s Gourmet Pretzels has been in the pretzel business for 10 years and sells gourmet stuffed and non stuffed soft pretzels nationwide in thousands of stores, gourmet coffee shops and on QVC,” the ad continues.  The shop will also feature made-to-order Pretziolaä sandwiches, specialty soups and salads and gourmet beverages, including a kids-only cocoa bar.

-- Morton’s will open a new, 8,100-square-foot restaurant just north of Dundee Road on Skokie Boulevard in Northbrook.  Groundbreaking for the Chicago-based steakhouse is set for November 21, and the chain says it should be ready for business by mid-2006. Morton’s has 69 restaurants in the U.S., Hong Kong and Singapore. 

LOCAL HOTEL TO SPRUCE UP

After an extended wrestling match with Glenview’s appearance commission, the Wyndham Hotel on Milwaukee Avenue has won approval for a new landscaping plan.  Members of the commission hoped to improve the overall look of Milwaukee Avenue by asking Wyndham to blend with its neighbors -- The Grove and ABT. 

 

Wyndham accepted suggestions from the commission and village staff.  Its entrance will now be planted with a variety of native species and large maple trees for color, and other parts of the property will feature layers of low, medium and large shrubs, ornamental trees and shade tress to screen the parking lot.

 

The hotel also plans to install a dramatic contemporary fountain.  Look for some of the work to be done this fall, with the project completed next spring.

 

DEVELOPER WANTS TIF FOR NEW NORTHBROOK HOTEL

 

A developer hoping to build a hotel, stores, offices, a parking garage and up to 72 luxury condos in Northbrook says $20 million in TIF payments will be needed to make the project profitable.  EAG Capital hopes to build the so-called Center of the Northshore project on the northwest corner of Skokie Boulevard and Dundee.

 

The superintendent for business affairs at District 225 objected to the plan, pointing out that schools would not get additional tax dollars from the project for up to 23 years if tax increment financing is used.  Craig Schilling complained that the high schools would get about $17,000 a year from the new development if a TIF were in place – the same amount it is now receiving in taxes from the vacant site.  That, he says, is about what it costs to educate one student in the district.  If three people were to attend over the life of the TIF, he says 225 would have to come up with a quarter of a million dollars to pay for those students’ high school education. 

 

REGIONAL HOSPICE OPENS HERE

 

The Midwest Palliative and Hospice CareCenter welcomed about 500 people to the grand opening of its new $17 million building in the North Shore Corporate Park Sunday.  WGN’s Steve Sanders served as master of ceremonies, and U.S. Representatives Mark Kirk and Jan Schakowsky were on hand.

 

The CareCenter, which had been based in Evanston, is committed to compassionate, state-of-the-art care for people who are dying, suffering from painful or debilitating disease. The group serves about 1,000 patients each day with home visits and other services provided by doctors, nurses and lay volunteers.  For more information, call 847-467-7423 or visit the organization’s website: www.carecenter.org .

 

POLL WATCHING

 

-- A poll paid for by the Democratic party suggests Congressman Mark Kirk could be vulnerable in the 2006 election.  About 400 voters from the 10^th congressional district were surveyed, and 70 percent said they had a favorable opinion of Kirk.  When informed about some of his votes in the House, however, nearly half of those questioned said they’d vote for a Democrat instead.  The poll’s margin of error is about 5 percent, and Republicans doubt the findings, but at least seven people are considering a challenge to Kirk who has often sided with the Bush administration on controversial issues. 

 

Prospective candidates include:

 

-- Barry Bradford, a Stevenson High School teacher and civil rights activist

-- Jay Footlik, Clinton’s chief liaison to the Jewish community and an advisor to Kerry

-- Clint Krislov, a class action attorney and campaign reform advocate from Wilmette

-- Angelo Kyle, a member of the Lake County Board from Waukegan

-- David Robin, an actuary and attorney from Highland Park

-- Zane Smith, a Winnetka attorney and park board member

-- Dan Seals, a Wilmette businessman and former aide to Senator Joe Lieberman

 

-- State Rep. Beth Coulson says she’ll go for a sixth term in the Illinois House.  Coulson, a Republican, defeated Skokie Trustee Michelle Bromberg in 2004 and will face a former Niles Township Trustee – Skokie resident Judith Rae-Ross – next year.  The 17^th House District was redrawn in 2004 to favor a Democrat, but Coulson has historically appealed to voters from both political parties.

 

TRUSTEES DODGE PORN CONTROVERSY

 

The matter of where to put an adult bookstore in Glenview was back before the village board Tuesday, but the trustees decided not to discuss it whenVillage Attorney Jeff Randall said there was no longer a request to put an adult bookstore here.  President Cummings suggested the matter be placed on the board’s agenda for November 15. She contended zoning for a porn shop was “a very complex matter. . .I believe there is more information that we need to have come forward.”

 

Glenview cannot bar the sale of adult material without risking a lawsuit for violating someone’s First Amendment rights.  On the other hand, many residents have expressed strong opposition to the idea of an X-rated shop here.  The board had been talking about permitting such stores in industrial areas.

 

BOARD STILL DEBATING POLICIES FOR GALLERY PARK

  

The trustees also deferred action on a policy for Gallery Park. One group has already asked to have 30,000 people at an event, giving the trustees cause for concern.

 

Questions the trustees must answer include whether to permit such a big activity,  how much to charge, whether groups that have held events in the past should get priority if they come back for another year, and how far in advance groups should be required to apply? 

 

The organizer of a fundraiser called Miles for Smiles appeared to express his frustration.  Ron Dorfman said his Northbrook charity had agreed to serve as a guinea pig for the village this year.  Members of the Emily Dorfman Foundation had attended village meetings and offered the assistance of their professional event planners as Glenview tried to come up with a policy.

 

Theirs was the first walkathon in Gallery Park, and Dorfman said it had gone off without a hitch, but when the group asked to come back in 2006, staffer Amy Ahner said  applications could not be accepted until a policy was in place.  “Last Friday we got a message from Amy that confused us completely,” Dorfman continued.  “She said our preferred date was already taken, and there were no open spots for our event in June.”

 

He concluded by asking the board to “give us a fair shot for 2006 when your policy is developed.”  Cummings thanked him and said Glenview would be in touch. 

 

 

 

BOARD WATCHING

 

-- Glenview trustees were to meet with their counterparts from Northbrook at 6:45 p.m. Monday, November 7 in Park Center.  The two village boards have traditionally held a joint meeting annually to discuss projects of mutual interest.

 

-- The plan commission holds additional hearings on a proposed Ismaili Muslim House of Worship at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 8 at Village Hall.  The meeting will be carried on cable.

-- The next joint meeting of the village and library boards is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, November 10 at Glenview Village Hall.
  

-- The trustee will hear from Commonwealth Edison at their next meeting – 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, November 15.  This meeting will also be cablecast.

 

SAVE THE DATE

 

-- Monday, November 7 is the last day to RSVP for the community hunger workshop from 9:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Glenview Community Church on Saturday, November 12th. Representatives from several local, national, and international groups will be on hand to discuss this global problem and to talk about what we can do locally to help.  To be part of the program, call 847-724-2210 or 847-724-2259.

 

-- Glenbrook South is accepting canned and packaged goods as part of its food drive, November 7-22.

 

-- Mark Veteran’s Day with the American Legion's Joseph M. Sesterhenn Post #166 at a special ceremony on Friday, November 11.  The event begins at 11 a.m. at the war memorial on Glenview Road at the bridge in downtown Glenview.

 

-- The Glenview Public Library presents I’ll Be Seeing You: Music from WWII at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 8. Vocalist Marci Novit will sing tunes from that era and will read letters written to American GIs overseas. She will be accompanied by Lee Bassett on piano, Kathryn Mann, also a vocalist, and Doris Lee Dutton, tap dancer.  Register at the Information Desk, call 729-7500 ext. 112 or go to www.glenviewpl.org/programform.htm.

 

-- Get ready to trot.  Hundreds of runners and walkers will gather in Glenview Thanksgiving morning for the 9th annual Tall Trees Turkey Trot, a 5-kilometer fun run/walk that benefits Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook. The race begins at 8:15 a.m. The entry fee for individuals is $20 before November 17, and $25 on Nov. 17 or later, with reduced rates for families. Long-sleeve t-shirts and goody bags will be provided to those who pre-register. Sign up online at www.signmeup.com/52373  or go to Signmeupsports.com.  For more information or to become a sponsor, e-mail Ken Kraus at Kraus@sw.com or call him at 312-701-9328 or 847-657-9060.

 

-- Next year is less than 55 days away, and nationally-known nature photographer                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Carol Freeman, who lives in Glenview, will be signing her 2006 calendars at two local events:  from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday November 20 at St. Catherine Laboure’s holiday bazaar (3535 Thornwood in Glenview), from noon until 7 p.m. Friday December 2 and from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Saturday, December 3 at the Healthy Holiday Bazaar hosted by the Northshore Healing Center, 222 Waukegan Road.  For more information, call 847-657-1600.

 

-- Learn to set a festive holiday table at Glenview’s public library at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 15. See tables set for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, and winter complete with centerpieces. Bring your own cloth napkin to learn the art of napkin folding, and get some great suggestions for centerpieces from decorator Philomena Urhausen.

 

-- Kris Sadur of the Suburban Area Agency on Aging will provide an overview of the new Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage for seniors. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers at 10 a.m. Monday, November 7 in the Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Elinwood St. and at 1 p.m. in the Deerfield Senior Center, 375 Elm St.

 

-- Congressman Mark Kirk and State Seantor Susan Garrett will answer questions about military housing and its impact on schools at 7:30 p.m. Monday, November 7 in the Lake Bluff Middle School, 31 E. Sheridan Place, Lake Bluff, and at 10 a.m. Thursday, November 10, you can learn more about leashold agreements for the Navy’s new military housing at Highland Park City Hall, 1707 St. Johns Ave. 

 

READERS WRITE

 

HS was alarmed to read that property taxes may be rising: “Wait a minute! Glenview is talking about raising the property taxes? During the last seven or eight years we have been experiencing a real estate value explosion in Glenview as well as most other Chicago areas. With this explosion our property taxes have also exploded even though the tax rates don't change. Since housing costs have risen faster and higher than the overall inflation rate then the village has been fortunate to have received a much above average raise.  If the village of Glenview can't balance money when total property taxes are probably at an all time high then when will they?  If they think they have financial problems now what will happen when Willow Festival opens on Willow and Waukegan. From what I have heard, the developer for Willow Festival is very good and aggressive. They are aware of their competition at The Glen. They know the failings of The Glen, and I am sure they will not repeat those mistakes. Bottom line is more tax dollars to Northbrook and less to Glenview. I don't get it? All those expensive homes at The Glen should be paying huge property taxes.”

 

The Watch replies:  We asked Village Manager Todd Hileman to help sort this out.  Here’s what he had to say:  “The village has experienced significant growth in the equalized assessed valuation (EAV) during the past five years; however, the trustees have not historically employed the strategy of trying to sustain a particular tax rate to capture the new EAV generated from the real estate market as the following chart shows (Note:  levy years lag one year behind the village's budget year):

 

Levy Year    2000        EAV    $1,227,656,200    Amount Levied    $8,230,905    Tax Rate    0.6705

 

Levy Year    2001        EAV    $1,511,642,699    Amount Levied    $8,230,905    Tax Rate    0.5445

 

Levy Year    2002        EAV    $1,607,514,242    Amount Levied    $8,230,905    Tax Rate    0.5120

 

Levy Year    2003        EAV    $1,630,257,841    Amount Levied    $8,230,905    Tax Rate    0.5049

 

Levy Year    2004        EAV    $1,931,176,516    Amount Levied    $8,230,905    Tax Rate    0.4262

 

Levy Year    2005        EAV    $2,025,000,000    Amount Levied    $9,000,000    Tax Rate    0.4444   (PROPOSED)

 

As the above chart clearly shows, the village has not taken advantage of the increased property value cycle, nor the inflationary rate, which has caused some real issues in Glenview’s ability to pay for capital projects.” 

 

JLo is back with thoughts on village finances and development downtown: “Since the financial crunch is on for Glenview due to the increased needs of The Glen for services, why not let The Glen residents pay for what they need?  Why should my tax bill go up to pay for The Glen's light bulbs and plowing?  I didn't want The Glen in the first place and I shouldn't have to shoulder the responsibility for those living in McMansions in Pleasantville.

 

“As for redevelopment of the downtown, can the trustees go to Naperville or Winnetka to see that charm is necessary for success, not height?  If the downtown area were nice-looking, tenants would love to present their wares here, since the area would be conducive to strolling, shopping and snacking.  Why not incorporate a river walk into the plan?  It works elsewhere, why not here?  Why on earth do we need three and four-story buildings?  Few people would want to live in them anyway.  We really don't need any more housing or office space.”

 

Fritz agrees: “It's beyond me how village government can plan on giveaway programs for developers to rebuild an area nobody asked them to redo on such a grand scale. The trustees should have learned a lesson at The Glen.  How about cutting some of the budget to save tax money.  If the taxes on Glen properties, during or after the TIF, are not high enough to pay for the services they require, raise their taxes, not the taxes for everybody else in town that did not support that wonderland development in the first place.  These folks are just plain mixed up.  (Two years ago all hell broke out because the firemen put up a little tree in the Glenview Rd. fire house while at the same time the village was spending thousands on Christmas decorations at The Glen.)

 

“We need to hold the current village board accountable to the commitment of the prior board that said in no uncertain terms that Glen development would pay for itself and would not increase taxes for the rest of the village.  If they want to continue to play developer for the downtown, the same rules should apply.”

 

SJH seconds that emotion: “I totally agree that Glenview should not pay for high-rise housing.  With additional taxes already on the table for other uses, we cannot afford developer incentives at this time.  We are better off doing nothing at all.  The downtown planning commission should complete the analysis ASAP.  We should then allow time and market demands to create a climate in which developers will be willing to do what the community wants at their own expense.  There is no justification for public subsidies.  Look what the economic development model of The Glen has cost the average taxpayer!”

 

Evelyn Lucas writes: “How can you have an $8.5 million shortfall and also shell out millions of dollars for the three, four and five-story buildings that the downtown
planning committee is talking about?  I would think that developers would be paying Glenview to come in and build, but I guess I missed something.  The planning committee is determined to build three, four and five-story buildings.  What will happen to the streets after you have heavy duty equipment and concrete trucks running up and down Glenview and Waukegan roads?  Will this be another Glen project with lots of houses, condos and town houses but the same outdated two-lane roads?”

 

The Watch replies:  Members of the downtown planning committee are talking about selling some village assets downtown to help bankroll redevelopment.  Among other things, they’re prepared to part with the fire station on Glenview Road and the Metra parking lot just north of The Noodle.  Proceeds would, presumably, help fund a new fire station on Dewes and a parking garage to accommodate commuters and shoppers.

WS takes “exception to your remark about The Glen having more light bulbs to change in more street lights than in the rest of the community combined.  With the exception of the main roads (Patriot, Lake and Chestnut), I'd like to know where these lights are.
Everywhere I've driven the street lights are only located at the intersections of the streets or alleys. Which lights should be removed? As for the Town Center, this is a shopping area and needs to be illuminated. Would you also suggest removing street lights along Glenview Road or Waukegan, to save money?

”On another note, I agree that the left turn arrows at Chestnut and Lehigh need rethinking.  In case no one has noticed (or commented), the current situation is creating a lot of cut-through traffic in The Glen from people who are trying to avoid that intersection.  This is a very dangerous situation, as many of these people do not heed speed limits or stop signs.”

The Watch replies: We were not quibbling with the installation of lights at The Glen – only pointing out that new development brings new costs.  We don’t have an exact count on street lights at The Glen, but the total number for Glenview grew from 495 in 2000 to 1,215 today.    

BT warns residents about wildlife in our midst: “I watched last week in amazement when two coyotes came out of my neighbor’s yard (the 2400 block of Central) apparently unafraid of me or the school children heading off to school. This took me by surprise, because they were now in pairs and were out in the daylight. I did my civic duty and called the non-emergency number for the Glenview police department and was told that the only thing I could do was leave a phone message for the animal control officer.  The indifference doesn't surprise me, but I want to warn residents not to leave small children and pets unattended. Like the ongoing skunk problem, the village likely won't do a thing. This problem, however, could have tragic results.”

Terry Wodder hopes the village will consider renovating and expanding the current library rather than building new.  He says that would save money and energy: “At a time when gas prices have soared passed $3 per gallon; home heating costs are skyrocketing and the Saudis will run out of oil in this century the phrase ‘save more’ takes on added meaning.  Every step of the construction process consumes energy and generates pollution.  Glenview can afford to build a library twice as large as the board wants, but can we as a society continue to waste our limited natural resources?  The board’s own consultants have found the existing building to be in good condition.  Yes, some windows need to be replaced and the HVAC system needs to be overhauled, but these are hardly reasons to tear down the existing building with a replacement cost of more than $15 million. What sense does it make to replace glass with glass, steel with steel, and brick with brick?  The existing building has already been paid for by Glenview’s hardworking families.  Why should they have to pay again?”

 

Mrs. JB asks, “What is the word with the increased number of military families moving to the area? I had heard that the Navy had privatized its housing in Glenview, so we should expect more children to arrive at District 34’s door. I had also heard they were planning on closing some housing in North Chicago and relocating those families down here. There was an article in the paper with a quote from the school superintendent from North Chicago stating if that happened they would not have the funds to operate. What is happening with all of these plans? And is this the reason they are talking about raising the property taxes, to pay for this?”

 

The Watch replies:  We asked Glenview’s communications director, Janet Spector Bishop, about that.  Here’s what she had to say: “The Navy's plans to privatize the military housing area in Glenview have not been finalized, but the latest proposal is to reduce the current number of housing units from 400 to 250, which should result in an overall decrease in Navy residents and school children from a few years ago when the housing was full.  But as I mentioned previously, this is not the reason the village is considering increasing some of its revenue sources.  Rather, the primary focus for new revenue is related to our five-year Capital Improvement Program, where we have been underfunding the need for roads, utilities, and related infrastructure.”