SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

In the first edition of our last newsletter, we reported on groundbreaking for the Ismaili House of Worship, noting the presence of Gov. Rod Blagojevich and claiming former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay had been on hand for the opening of the Ismailis’ center in Sugar Land, Texas. We said the sect was known for its commitment to charitable works, but it was also “a generous donor to politicians.”

In fact, religious organizations are not permitted to make campaign contributions, and while DeLay was Sugar Land’s congressman, he was not on hand for the Ismaili ceremony there.

Aneeta Muradali, a spokesperson for the Ismailis’ Midwest Council, wrote: “As is the case with any resident in the country, individual members of the Ismaili community are at liberty to support elected officials of their choosing, in this state and elsewhere. However, neither the Ismaili community nor its institutions have made any contributions to any politicians anywhere and do not endorse any candidate or elected officials. The assertion that the community has been financially supportive of politicians is erroneous and misleading. Additionally, it was the Texas Governor, Rick Perry, who opened the Ismaili Jamatkhana in Sugar Land. Tom DeLay was not present at that event.”

SPARKS FLY AS LIBRARY AND VILLAGE BOARD MEET

Claire McGuire, chairman of the library board’s budget committee, appeared before the village board last week to request a .18 percent tax levy, which would raise about $4.6 million. “When you compare our library’s tax rate with surrounding communities,” she told the trustees, “you will see the Glenview Public Library is, indeed, very fiscally responsible. In 2008, only two libraries out of 22 will have a lower tax rate.”

McGuire said the library board would hold 40-50 percent of its money in a reserve fund. Village President Kerry Cummings thought that was high, and she wasn’t satisfied with the level of detail McGuire had provided.

Referring to Glenview’s budget Cummings said, “Our five-year capital projects plan had dollar amounts with every project, prioritization, input from the public.”

“I have reviewed other libraries’ special reserves,” McGuire shot back. “They do not list the dollar amounts for future years.”

Cummings continued to scold McGuire. “We asked for this [reserve plan] a year ago, and here it is adopted at your meeting on Thursday, and here we are on Tuesday, and we do have some questions about your long-range planning and how much you’re keeping above the 40-50 percent.”

“You can see how much we are keeping,” McGuire replied. “It’s very evident -- $1.4 million. . .I had a meeting with [Village Manager] Todd Hileman and [Budget Director] Dan Wiersma, with [Assistant Village Manager] Al [Stonisch], with [Trustee] Phil White,” McGuire continued. “They reviewed your concerns about our budget and about our levy. I brought those concerns back to the library board. What I’m presenting tonight is what the library feels is in the best interests of the library. You have the right to disagree with that, but that is what I’m presenting.”

Cummings pointed out that if Glenview were not a home rule municipality, the library could get no more than .15 percent more from taxpayers, producing about $3.9 million.

McGuire again mentioned other libraries in the area. “We are not even in the top 10 percent in terms of our tax rate. If you feel you need [to limit us to .15 percent], I can’t change your mind, but this is what we think is best for the Glenview Public Library.”

Trustee Paul Detlefs thought the library board would actually have a $900,000 surplus this year – money it could roll over for operating expenses in 2008. “We’re getting ready to hit the taxpayers with a very substantial increase in their library tax bill for both bond debt service and for operations, and I think it’s in our best interest to go as easy as possible here.”

McGuire said the library did have ample reserves because it had postponed improvements – waiting for construction of a new building. “Maybe we should spend that money next year so that we can have decent furniture and decent phones in our library and then move them to the new library,” she said.

Trustee Phil White thought expenses were “maybe a little overstated. I didn’t look into those figures,” he said.

“I have,” McGuire replied. “We have done a tremendous amount of work to bring our personnel expenses in line for 2008. We might not be where you want us to be, but we are getting tighter.”

“That’s a matter of opinion, but I’m a ways away from Glenview Road,” White conceded. Trustee Pat Cuisinier challenged inclusion of a video teleconferencing hook-up, an emergency generator, a humidification system, security cameras, office furniture and shelving in its list of future expenditures, rather than including those things in the budget for a new building.

“If your idea is that you’re going to do some of these things now and transfer them over to the new library, that doesn’t make any sense to me at all – not one bit. I just can’t see asking for this stuff right now,” he told McGuire.

“That’s fine. That’s your opinion,” she replied coldly. “I’d like to know why everyone here is worried about library expenditures when we have lower tax rates than most other communities.”

Village Manager Hileman said Village Hall had crunched the library’s numbers and believed they were off by about $400,000. “If that happens, you will actually be sitting on a fund balance that’s far higher than what you’re projecting this evening.”

McGuire admitted her numbers might be off by a quarter of a million dollars, but she said the library board was confident in the numbers she had submitted.

Trustee Debby Karton thanked McGuire for all her hard work.

“You’re very sweet,” McGuire replied.

Karton then expressed her support for the view that reserves were too high and suggested McGuire come back later if more money is needed.

McGuire said the village had made it clear that the library could not expect additional cash for three years after the new library is built, which was why the library board had insisted on a large reserve fund.

Detlefs assured McGuire that the library could come back in the event of an emergency, and an increased levy could be approved next year.

The board will consider a levy to raise $4 million for the library at its December 3 meeting.

TALL BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN? NOT SO FAST!

Members of the plan commission have expressed doubts about allowing four-story buildings adjacent to single-family homes and town houses after residents voiced strong opposition, and in one place village planner Jeff Brady was prepared to cave. Brady said Glenview’s new form-base code could recommend that all four corners of the Glenview-Waukegan intersection be limited to three stories.

As actual proposals come forward, Brady added, the village could review that limit and consider allowing four stories.

Commissioner Peter Brinckerhoff, who served on the downtown redevelopment commission, thought the village should stick with four stories. Consultants had said developers would not be interested in building three stories – that their profit margin would be too small. “The existing zoning allows three stories, and nothing is happening as far as being revitalized,” he concluded.

Commissioner Steve Bucklin pointed to the Optima building on the southeast side of the intersection. “Three stories is a great thing for that particular site. To have more stories, I think, would just be too cluttered.”

“I think from a pure planning standpoint, it’s logical to keep it three stories,” said Chairman Howard Silver. Having all four corners at three stories would, he thought, give the intersection a “gateway” feel.

Janet Jacobs, who lives on Hutchings Street adjacent to a site where four stories could be built, offered emotional testimony. Her voice quivering, she told the commission: “Everyone will be looking in my backyard. My privacy will be gone. I have been here 40 years in that house, and we have equity in that house, and I’ve just figured we could sell the house for a good price when we get old. If you build this huge thing, it’s going to devalue my house.”

Commissioner Ruter, who served on the downtown redevelopment commission, said he had been concerned about excessive height all along, especially since the proposed form- based code would allow five extra feet to screen air conditioning and heating equipment and another 10 feet on corner lots for a clock tower or some other tall architectural feature. He had voted for the redevelopment plan, but now he seemed distraught. “I think you can tell by the tone of my voice, I don’t like voting ‘no’ on something on which I worked for a long time. Does anybody else have this, or am I beating a dead horse about the height?”

Brady tried to assure the commissioners that four stories wasn’t so bad, pointing to the Citibank Building on the southwest corner of Lake and Waukegan, which is about 48 feet tall.

“I wish you hadn’t used that example,” said Ruter. “I regret that building every time I drive by it.”

The commission will continue discussing the issue on November 27.

WHAT GETS DRIVERS TO GO SLOW?

Besieged by residents angry about cars speeding through Glenview’s neighborhoods, Village Hall has been testing various approaches to slow drivers down. So far, officials conclude speed bumps work. So do those electronic signs that let you know how fast you’re going.

On Harrison Avenue, where speed bumps were installed, the village reported drivers going 3-8 miles per hour slower on average, while the electronic sign on Laramie lowered speeds by 5-25 miles per hour.

In Heatherfield and Haverford, two relatively new subdivisions in northwest Glenview, planners tried painting the pavement to narrow lanes. They concluded that technique did nothing to deter speeding. Likewise, the construction of a raised barrier at the intersection of Spruce and Fir in Swainwood was a flop.

MAJOR REORGANIZATION UNDERWAY AT VILLAGE HALL

It’s musical chairs at Glenview Village Hall as more people line up to retire under a plan that allows civil servants to leave with full benefits if they’ve served at least 20 years in local government and are at least 50 years old. Among those who could take the buy-out, Development Director Mary Bak and Budget Director Dan Wiersma.

So far, 15 have left or plan to leave, including former building and zoning director Bill Knudsen, who’s been temporarily replaced by Glenview’s health inspector Kerry O’Shaughnessy. Public Works Director Bill Porter departs in mid-December. Deputy Administrator Chris Clark will assume Porter’s administrative duties while Capital Projects Chief Don Owen gets a promotion and will take on some of Clark’s jobs.

The voluntary retirement program runs through June 2008. It’s expected to save Glenview $4-$6 million over a five-year period.

COMMUTERS BRACE FOR HIGHER RATES

Glenview residents who ride Metra trains would pay 10 percent more each year for the next three, and weekend rates would rise to $7 under a proposed budget adopted by the transit authority’s board. Metra faces a $4-million shortfall, and directors chose the fare hikes rather than eliminating Sunday service and making more job cuts. Already, there are plans to fire some administrators and janitors.

The budget must still be approved by the Regional Transportation Authority. In 2006, Metra raised rates by five percent.


PLAN COMMISSION OKAYS ELECTRONIC SIGN ON TOLLWAY

Faced with a request from Glenview’s largest taxpayer, Abt Electronics, the plan commission chose to allow electronic signs for businesses on at least 25 acres along the tollway. Such a sign could be no bigger than 72 square feet, and the message could change no more than once a day. Abt had asked for the change so it could direct prospective customers to its store when Milwaukee Avenue is under construction. Six other businesses along Milwaukee Avenue could put up such signs.

POLICE PROBE CAR TRASHING SPREE

Vandals broke windows, scratched, dented and punctured the tires of about 40 cars over the last two weekends. Most were parked in Tall Trees or downtown.

Some vehicles had been sprayed inside with a fire extinguisher. Investigators estimate damage in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Police have added extra patrols and ask residents to call 911 if they witness suspicious activity.

Meanwhile, four 18-year-olds have been charged with smashing mailboxes in the Indian Ridge development.


WAIT, THERE’S MORE!

Check out the police blotter for just six days this fall:

On October 30 an unlocked 2000 Dodge Caravan was burglarized while parked on Greenwood Road. The offender removed a diaper bag and back pack with personal effects and cash inside. Estimated loss: $115.

On October 31, lawn lights on Robincrest were damaged. Estimated loss: $150.

On November 1, a Neil Lane resident found a window on her detached garage was broken, perhaps shot out by a BB gun. Estimated damage: $350.

Four tires on a 2000 Chevrolet Impala were slashed at Belmont Village, 2200 Golf Rd. The damage there was estimated at $300.

On November 2, a swastika was spray-painted on the porch of a home in the 2300- block of Dewes. Damage was set at $50.

On November 3, vandals spray-painted an offensive statement inside a heart on a Honda Civic parked in the 2200-block of Henley Street. Damage: $100.

A resident of Elmgate Drive reported two swastikas spray-painted on the front hood of his 2005 Volvo XC90, while the vehicle was parked in his driveway. Damage: $150.

Another offensive phrase inside a heart appeared on another car in the 700-block of Shermer Road on both passenger side doors of a Subaru. Damage: $300.

A resident of Becker Road reported an unknown offender used red spray paint to write graffiti on the east and west brick driveway entrance walls of the residence. Damage was estimated at $50.

A man reported his 1985 Ferrari was burglarized while parked at the Mobil Gas Station, 9701 Milwaukee Ave. Two checks and a cell phone were taken from the unlocked auto. The loss is estimated at $200.

On November 4, a resident of Michael Lane reported two offenders broke the glass top to a patio table in the rear of the residence and the front windshield of an Oldsmobile parked in the driveway. Damage was estimated at $550.

The owner of Cesaroni Design Associates, 1863 Grove St., reported a front window of his business was shattered overnight. Damage was estimated at $600.

A woman reported her 2002 Mercedes Benz C240 was burglarized while parked in the garage at 2701 Aviator Lane. The offender smashed the driver’s side front window and removed a GPS Unit. Total loss is estimated at $550.


GLENVIEW MAN CLIMBS SEARS TOWER STAIRS

Once again, 70-year-old Bob Sherman of Glenview has done the difficult – scaling all 2,109 steps of the Sears Tower to help raise money for the Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation. Sherman shaved one and a half minutes off last year’s time to complete the race in 30 minutes and 38 seconds. He’s now climbed the Sears Tower three times and scaled the Hancock four times. Next year he hopes to have company. If you’d like to join Sherman in a race to the top, you can contact him by email: rts4114@aol.com


PARK DISTRICT PATTER

-- Walk-in registration for Glenview Park District winter programs begins at 9 a.m., December 7. Numbers will be distributed at 8:30 a.m. Walk-in registration is conducted on a first-come, first-served basis to fill openings in winter programs still available after lottery registration. Registration can also be done by mail, via fax or online at www.glenviewparks.org. Registration for ice, tennis and golf programs occur at their respective facilities.

-- Wagner Farm’s annual Christmas Tree and Wreath sale conintues from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays. Stop by the Heritage Center’s Museum Store to find unique gifts for the farm fan on your holiday list. Wagner Farm is located at 1510 Wagner Rd. Call 847-657-1506 for more information.

-- The Cafe at the Glenview Park Golf Club, 800 Shermer Road, hosts breakfast with Santa. Adults and kids can meet Mr. and Mrs. Claus over breakfast at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 1. The next two Saturdays (December 1 and 8) there will be two seatings – at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Call The Cafe at (847) 657-3200 to make reservations. The cost is $13 per person, plus tax and tip.

-- The Glenview Children’s Theatre presents Disco Nights in Park Center at noon Saturday, December 1 and Sunday, December 2. The following weekends you can catch the show at noon or 4 p.m. Tickets are on sale at Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Avenue. Call 847-724-5670 for more information.

-- Welcome the holiday season with music at the 24th Annual Holiday Song Fest. Ten senior center choirs will perform from noon-2:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 12 at the Glenview United Methodist Church, 727 Harlem Avenue, Glenview. The public is invited to this free event.

-- Kids can decorate a gingerbread house for a special holiday centerpiece from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, December 12 at Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave. Instructions and all materials are included. Each child under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. The resident fee is $56 for resident pairs and $70 for non-residents. For details call Park Center at 847-724-5670.

-- Families can make a gingerbread barn at Wagner Farm from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, December 15 while listening to music, sipping hot chocolate, and enjoying cookies. Pre-assembled gingerbread barns, icing and candy trimmings will be provided. Up to six family members may decorate one barn at a cost of $38 for residents and $47.50 for non-residents. Kids under 7 must be accompanied by an adult.

-- Glide into winter with a competitive program of figure skating from 5-8 p.m. Admission is free, and the Friday Night Meltdown – a chance for everyone to skate – will follow at 8 p.m.. Admission is $7. Parent chaperones are free.

-- The Holiday Store at The Grove’s Kennicott House is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. every Wednesday through Sunday through December 23. The Holiday Store offers shoppers a variety of seasonal decorations and ornaments, household accessories, one-of-a-kind gifts and personalized novelty items. In addition, visitors can purchase delicious baked goods and gourmet foods. Proceeds benefit The Grove National Historic Landmark. The Grove is located at 1421 Milwaukee Avenue. For more information, call 847-299-6096.


SAVE THE DATE

-- Democrat Dan Seals, who hopes to challenge Mark Kirk for a seat in Congress will be at Pinstripes Wednesday, November 28 at 7:00 p.m. The bowling and bocce center is located on the north side of Willow Road, just west of Waukegan. For more information, e-mail infor@dansealsforcongress.com

-- Representatives of the village, park district and School District 34 -- will hold their next meeting to discuss construction of a shared administrative building at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 29 at the Police Station, 2500 East Lake Avenue. The public is welcome.

-- The Glenview Senior Center will host a free, one-hour program on early-stage memory loss and Alzheimer’s disease on Thursday, November 29 at park center. The featured speaker is Mary Lu Osterberg, LCPC, Clinical Coordinator at the House of Welcome in Northfield.

-- If you live in Maine Township and are thinking about appealing your property tax assessment, get some free advice at 7 p.m. Wednesday, November 28 at the Maine Township Town Hall, 1700 Ballard Road, in Park Ridge.


READERS WRITE

GLNB writes: “I wanted to respond to GV's comment on traffic in the Patriot and Chestnut area. Chestnut was not designed for all of the development surrounding it. Since The Glen was built, Chestnut has gone from a traffic backwater to a major east -west thoroughfare with little or no change in design. All three intersections (at Patriot, Lehigh, and Waukegan) have been the site of many accidents and close calls. The situation is bound to get worse with the development of the back of the Scott Foresman property. The sale of that property is pending, and subsequent development will lead to an additional 275 cars during rush hour. The only entrance to this new office building is slated to come in off Chestnut. Adding all of these cars to this area will only increase the traffic and headaches. The traffic concerns add to the safety concerns with Attea Middle School, the Lutheran Church day care facility and the Park Center so close. Whether you have children at the school, live in Valley Lo or The Glen, or participate in classes at the Park Center, I would suggest attending the plan commission meeting on December 11, when plans for this property will be discussed.”

BC is also worried about the impact of development on land owned by Scott Foresman: “The property at 1879-2003 Chestnut has a potential buyer who will need to create a road cut out onto Chestnut, thus increasing the amount of traffic on an already crowded two-lane road, increase flooding in the Tall Trees neighborhood, and impact the security of the homes on a new internal two-lane road. The homes on the west side of Blackthorn will potentially have a two-lane road 40 feet from their property line. Other Blackthorn homes will have a paved parking lot 40 feet from their property. Due to the wetlands on this land, the new road will need to be elevated and a bridge created.

“The Tall Trees Homeowners’ Association will present a letter to the plan commission, asking to have the road and parking lot moved further west and to improve flood prevention. The presence of the many affected citizens would send a clear message to the village.”

DV wonders: “Why must all southbound traffic leave The Glen or post office southbound on Patriot which abruptly narrows to one through-lane with a second designated as a right turn lane for Dominick’s? This is creating a huge and unnecessary bottleneck! Leaving two lanes open down to Lake Avenue and allowing cars to make a right turn into the center like most developments have would greatly improve the situation.

JNA hopes the new library will be LEED certified. “In fact, the village should mandate that all their municipal buildings meet LEED certification as Chicago and other communities have done. As a LEED-accredited professional, experience has shown me that people generally worry way too much about the upfront capital costs of a project but fail to take into account future operating costs. For buildings, 95 percent of the lifetime cost is in operation. The U.S. Green Building Council states that a typical building that meets its LEED Certified Rating, the lowest rating achievable under LEED guidelines, will achieve approximately a 25 percent savings in energy usage with an initial investment of about 1-2 percent of the construction cost of the building. In other words for the proposed $27 million library, adding $270,000 to $540,000 to ‘green’ it would result in a 25 percent energy savings in operating the library over its lifetime. I don’t know about you, but an extra half a million dollars to save potentially tens of millions of dollars over several decades is a no-brainer. Someone tell the library board, and while you’re at it, the village board for any of their future developments.”

The Watch replies: You just did. Many thanks.

Public Pat responds to SH, who told library critics to quit whining: “Let’s set the record straight. No critic has ever said, ‘nobody uses the library,’ or ‘libraries are irrelevant.’ In fact, critics fully support a state-of-the-art library but object to excess square footage and extra costs, especially since Glenview’s library attendance has declined for the last 10 years as Internet usage has increased. Unfortunately, SH and the library trustees prefer to give away our library’s very name so they can attract a commercial sponsor willing to pay $5 million. We, the public, are beholden for $27 million. After spending nearly half a million dollars on consultants over more than six years, time is way overdue for the library board to come to its senses, stop insulting the public and build a library with the $27 million it got from Village Hall.”

DC was dismayed by the dismissal of a Glenview cop who claimed she was fired for objecting to local quotas on DUI arrests: “CLTV has a scrolling information line about over 40 damaged cars in Glenview. Maybe if the midnight shift of our police department wasn't so busy meeting the crazy DUI quota, they could have prevented some of these.”

MF disagrees with the reader who wanted an Olive Garden or Red Lobster in downtown Glenview: “Our society is inundated with chain restaurants and stores. Who would want to put in a huge Olive Garden and or Red Lobster restaurant in the old Dominick’s location on Waukegan Road? That’s all we’d need to complete our home town feel!”

Carlo F. Cavallaro is unhappy with plans for a dog park at Community Park West: “Nearly six acres for a Dog Park! Is this really necessary? I see the vocal few seem to have convinced the park district that it is. Did they consider passing a survey around regarding the priorities of the park district? Was this widely supported or just by the folks that don’t want to drive to the county’s dog park a few miles down the road? Is the park district going to sell licenses for access to this park? What are the intended users going to do to help support the park or maintain it? I won’t use it and don’t see the need for this type of open space, especially since it will effectively close the space to anyone else. I assume cleaning the park of dog feces will be the district’s responsibility as well. I replaced my old fence with a new one in anticipation of getting a dog. I must have been an idiot to take responsibility for planning for future pets when I could have shifted the burden to the rest of the tax payers.”

The Watch replies: Based on a formula provided by the American Association of Veterinary Medicine, there are about 8,700 dogs in Glenview. How many golfers do you suppose there are in Glenview? Our guess is that dog owners outnumber the duffers, yet Glenview has set aside hundreds of acres for golf. True, the proposed location for a dog park is close to the county’s facility, but Beck Lake is unusable for much of the year -- dangerously muddy, since the county’s done nothing to improve drainage of the land. Glenview’s park district has pledged to consider that problem in engineering its new park. It will also provide a special area for little dogs, a spot where owners can clean their dogs up and an agility training course – three things not offered by the county. The park district will not, however, be solely responsible for keeping the new park clean. That will be a requirement of dog owners who will also help enforce the rules of the new park and make sure everyone who enters has paid the annual membership fee, likely to be set at $50.

HS suggests another way to help local charities: “I am on the board of the Samaritan Counseling Center which is an interfaith center for counseling and education on the North Shore. SCC offers high-quality counseling on a sliding scale basis and does great things for individuals, couples and families, but it runs on a shoestring budget. You can help this and other worthy organizations by registering your Dominick's Fresh Values card, if you have one, and then Dominick's will contribute to these local charities at no cost to you every time you shop there.
   
“Please go to http://www.escrip.com  for details. If you have a Dominick's card but don't know the number, then call 877-723-3929 and they will look it up. This is an easy way to help your neighbors anonymously but effectively.”