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The Glenview Watch
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FORMER GLENVIEW COP APPEALS FIRING
Glenview’s police department has not seen the last of Melanie Meyer, an eight-year veteran who was dismissed from the force for what Chief Bill Fitzpatrick characterized as stealing. Meyer billed the village for about $500 in overtime to attend court sessions that did not involve tickets she wrote. Meyer contends officers routinely show up on days when their traffic cases may or may not be heard, because case lists distributed in advance by the county are often inaccurate.
Deputy Commander Mike Redmond insists the policy is clear, but concedes a review is now underway to determine whether other officers have also been going to court, even if their tickets may not be heard.
Meyer contends she was actually fired for questioning the priorities of her superiors. Earlier this year her shift commander, Scott Stewart, issued a notice to those who patrol between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Among other things, Stewart indicated each officer “shall make a minimum of two DUI arrests per month.”
To do that, Meyer said, she would have to stake out local bars on a regular basis, making DUI her priority and keeping her away from neighborhood patrols. Since traffic stops require a second officer to be present, she contended two patrolmen would be tied up conducting field sobriety tests. With only six patrolmen on her shift, she questioned the wisdom of setting a quota for drunk driving arrests.
“Of course I would make a stop if I saw someone who appeared to be intoxicated,” Meyer explained, “but I think it’s equally important to be answering calls that might involve a domestic or a burglary.”
Meyer also questioned her commander’s policy on sick leave. “Each officer shall minimize the amount of sick leave taken,” Stewart wrote. “Officers shall maintain a goal of three or less days sick per year.”
Ironically, Stewart has been off the job for the past two months after injuring his ankle on the job.
Redmond defended Stewart’s priorities, saying they were “goals, not quotas.” He denied that officers are targeting local bars but admitted drivers whose blood alcohol is lower than .08 are being charged with driving under the influence.
Under state law, officers can make a DUI arrest, even if a driver is not legally intoxicated. “If their blood alcohol is .05-.07, but they’re driving poorly, courts will uphold a DUI charge,” Redmond explained. “We have discretion.” The class-A misdemeanor can lead to a jail sentence of up to 364 days and a fine of $1,000 or more. Glenview receives a portion of that money.
Last year at this time, the police department had made 133 DUI arrests. This year the number has risen to 181. Redmond defended the decision to make drunk driving a priority, saying the police department could still cover emergency calls and conduct neighborhood patrols. “That’s the dynamics of working the streets,” he said. “There are always things going on. Officers and commanders rely on good judgment and leadership to strike a balance. We don’t want everyone on the 30th of the month to be hunting on Milwaukee Avenue.”
Meyer is appealing Glenview’s decision to county officials and says she’ll pursue the matter in court if necessary.
A FOND FAREWELL TO BILL DOSE
Fifty-three-year-old Bill Dose, a lifelong resident of Glenview, was killed on Harms Road near his family’s Golfview home early Monday morning when his car slammed into a tree between Golf and Old Orchard. Police said he might have fallen asleep at the wheel.
A professional designer, Dose was active in local government, calling on members of the plan commission and village board to consider the appearance of new buildings and to demand more from developers. He was quick to protest tacky construction materials, enormous new buildings and neon signs.
Until recently, Dose had lived at home, caring for his elderly parents. When they passed away, he spent more time in Chicago and was believed to be on his way back when the accident occurred.
Spencer Lord, who described Dose as an “artist, business partner and dear friend,” mourned his passing. “Perhaps Bill didn’t believe in death, but death believed in him. I believed in him too,” Lord wrote on his website. “Life is random and short. Savor each day.”
ATTEA PARENTS AWAIT SUPERINTENDENT’S RESPONSE
Officials were surprised and dismayed late last month when a group of parents who have children at Attea Middle School told the board of education that Attea is under performing. Led by parents with strong professional backgrounds in data analysis, the group claimed Attea lagged behind its sister school, Springman, and seven other area middle schools on state report cards. They noted Attea has had three different principals in the last five years, and they submitted letters of complaint from a dozen families.
“Any organization would prefer this not be done at a public meeting,” said District 34 spokesman Brett Clark. He described a subsequent meeting with the group’s leaders as “eye opening,” but stressed the district did not agree with the parents’ conclusions and said couples who sent letters would have individual meetings with school administrators.
District 34 Superintendent for Curriculum Phil Collins challenged the parents’ statistics and said other scores show Attea in a more favorable light. The group claimed Attea scored 33 percent lower than Springman on reading, but Collins said the actual difference was 10 percent.
Clark suggested scores might be lower at Attea because the school has a relatively high number of low-income students: 13.8 percent of kids qualify for a free lunch. At Springman, the number is even higher: 14.8 percent.
A state report card on the school also indicates Attea teachers have slightly less experience than the average school in Illinois – 11.1 years compared with 12.9 years, and they’re paid slightly less on average -- $56,689 versus $58,275.
Superintendent Gerald Hill will respond to the parents’ report at the school board’s December 17 meeting.
VILLAGE TO HELP REDUCE POST OFFICE GLARE
Because it’s a federal facility, Glenview’s new post office at The Glen wasn’t subject to local restrictions on outdoor lighting, but neighbors have complained, and the village has now persuaded the postal service to make changes. Parking lot lights will be lowered from 30 to 17 feet, and Glenview will share the cost: $36,500.
DOWNTOWN PLAN DELAYED OVER AREA RESIDENTS’ PROTEST
Glenview trustees have tossed a hot potato back to the plan commission – refusing to approve a new zoning approach downtown. Residents of Grove Street and Hutchings Avenue told the village board they didn’t want four-story buildings on the west side of Waukegan Road, adjacent to their homes. Form-based code would allow that, and consultants have said the village should permit taller buildings to spark redevelopment.
Members of the village board questioned that recommendation and wondered why most buildings on the east side of Waukegan would be limited to three stories.
"We set out to revitalize the downtown, and we hope some of these changes will bring about change. That's the goal behind this," Village President Kerry Cummings warned.
Trustees asked the plan commission to take another look at the issue in January. The panel had approved form-based code unanimously.
RESIDENTS MUST WAIT TO PROTEST FORESMAN LAND PLANS
With ice in the forecast, the plan commission called off its December 11 meeting, putting another hot issue on hold. Residents of Tall Trees had hoped to protest plans for a large new development on Scott Foresman land – headquarters for the United Methodist General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.
Opponents say the development will make traffic on Chestnut Avenue and flooding in the neighborhood worse.
NEW CIVIC CENTER COULD COST MORE THAN $25 MILLION
Planners have put a price tag on the 78,100-square-foot administration center planned by the village, park district and School District 34. They say the 78,100-square-foot building could cost $22.7-$25.5 million.
The village would pay just over half the bill for that structure, to be located behind the new police station on Lake Avenue. District 34, which could take about a quarter of the space, would pay $5.7-$6.4 million, with the park district covering 18 percent of the cost.
Advocates contend they’d be spending a lot more if they were to build their own office space. Joint construction allows them to share the costs of common spaces, such as the lobby, meeting rooms, a lunch room, restrooms and storage. Planners put the savings at $4 million.
Village Manager Todd Hileman warned the village was not prepared to spend so much but might get by with less space by moving additional personnel into the police station.
Architect Ruck-Pate showed representatives from the village, schools and parks three possible designs. The one the group liked best put District 34 offices, a board room, lunch room and local cable station GVTV on the first floor. The village manager, development and finance departments would be on two, while the capital projects department and park district would share a third floor.
Plans also include a 45-foot berm and evergreens to separate the complex from neighboring Southgate. Still, neighbors are expressing dismay at the prospect of another large government building next door.
The planning committee will meet again on Jan. 31.
ANGRY RESIDENTS SEE BLACK
Last month, the village-controlled cable channel showed a public meeting on plans to widen Greenwood road. It was standing room only in the board room where residents lined-up to protest, but no objections were shown on cable. Instead, Village Hall ended the program after a consultant spoke for nearly half an hour about the advantages of the proposed changes.
“The community bulletin board suddenly appeared on the screen with news from the Glenview Garden Club, accompanies by the usual classical music,” said community organizer Mike Luxem. “I was shocked. There were about 30 people who spoke, but the general public didn’t get to hear their side of the argument.”
Luxem fears local politicians or administrators are trying to push the project through, but village spokesperson Janet Spector Bishop insists that’s not the case. “This is our standard operating policy for these kinds of meetings,” she says. “We’ve always done this for our annual meetings at which area residents are invited to comment on our capital spending plans. The purpose of such meetings is to convey basic information about a proposed project. They are not public hearings. Our only goal in taping is to provide residents who may not have been able to attend a chance to see the presentation.”
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SEND STROGER PACKING
The Cook County finance committee has rejected Board President Todd Stroger’s proposed increase in taxes on electricity, natural gas, SUVs, liquor, hotel stays and jet fuel.
Glenview’s Commissioner Gregg Goslin says Stroger will now have to find a way to cut spending. He and 10 other members of the board called on the president to make department heads itemize their budgets and identify ways to cut spending by 10 percent.
“Brace yourself for the coming hue and cry, the doomsday scenarios, the threats to shut down suburban courthouses and offices, and the threat to shut down the county jail,” Goslin warns. “During my nine years on the county board, officials have routinely ignored the need to streamline their offices, improve their efficiency and reduce payroll by embracing technology.”
Goslin said County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Recorder of Deeds Gene Moore were exceptions to that rule, having closed two underutilized district offices and cut staff this year. He also applauds a decision to stop providing medicine to residents of other counties. “Those counties refuse to reimburse us, and many have boldly provided maps and directions to Cook County hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. After proper notice the county has terminated pharmacy services to out-of-county residents, which cost Cook County $5 million in 2006.”
THE GREEN SCENE
-- Glenview’s Techny Basin has won a 2007 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award from Chicago Wilderness, a coalition of environmental groups in Northern Illinois. Other winners include Northerly Island in Chicago and Native Prairie Restorations in Skokie and Lemont.
-- Nature photographer Carol Freeman will speak and show slides from 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, January 20 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Registration is required at http://www.chicagobotanic.org/school/class_schedule/by_topic#nature_studies
Freeman also hosts a holiday sale at her Heatherfield home Saturday, December 15th, from 1-5pm, at 1840 Aberdeen Drive in Glenview. She’s offering original signed prints, calendars, notecards and more. For more information, or to arrange a private showing call 847-404-8508, and for a preview visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/inbeautyiwalk/ to see my latest photos!
NO FEDERAL AID FOR SUMMER FLOOD VICTIMS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Glenview residents won’t be reimbursed for flood damage in late August, because there wasn’t enough uninsured damage to qualify for aid from Washington. The state offered some residents low-interest loans, and the village is still hoping it can collect more than $1 million from the feds – money it spent on the clean up.
DOG PARK UPDATE
The Glenview Park District meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 20 in Park Center for one last review of a proposed dog park, baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds and other features of phase II for Community Park West. Once the board votes, plans go out for bid. As always, public comments are welcome.
SAVE THE DATE
-- State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg and state Rep. Julie Hamos will host a town hall meeting from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, January 3 in the council chambers at Wilmette Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Ave. Residents from Glenview and neighboring suburbs will be invited to weight in on the 2008 legislative agenda. For more information call 847-492-1200, or e-mail anita@jschoenberg.org
-- The first 10th District Democratic Convention will be held at the Deerfield Hyatt on Sunday afternoon, January 20. All candidates running on the Democratic Party ballot in any part of the 10th Congressional District will be invited to attend. Candidates will be introduced, and some will be given time to speak. There will be time before and after for voters to talk with the candidates, and two straw polls will be taken giving voters the opportunity to choose presidential and congressional candidates.
-- Wagner Farm’s annual Christmas Tree & Wreath sale continues through December 23 at 1510 Wagner Rd. Call 847-657-1506 for more information.
-- Register for Holiday Tennis Camp for kids from 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 26-28 and January 2-4 at the Glenview Tennis Club, 1800 Wagner Rd. For further details, call 847-724-1570.
-- The Seventh Annual Glenview Ice Center Winter Carnival takes place Dec. 26-Jan. 6 at 1851 Landwehr Rd. Activities include daily skating, exhibits and demonstrations, figure skating and hockey lessons, parent-child hockey scrimmage, Friday Night Meltdowns, Pro Hockey Mascot Appearances, family New Year’s Party, movie night on ice, and a New Year’s Day celebration. For a complete schedule visit www.glenviewicecenter.org or call 847-724-2800.
-- Park Center, Park Center Health & Fitness and Splash Landings will be open until 1 p.m. on December 24 and December 31. Wiggles & Giggles Childcare will be closed December 24-January 1. All Glenview Park District offices and facilities will be closed Christmas Day, December 25. Park Center Health & Fitness will be open on New Year’s Day, January 1, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. All other Glenview Park District offices and facilities will be closed.
-- Indoor Winter Golf Lessons start January 6 at Park Center. Two 5-week sessions for both beginners and intermediate golfers are offered. Session I, for ages 7 and up, meets Sundays, January 6-February 3 from 10-11 a.m. Session II, for ages 16 and up meets Sundays, February 10-March 9 from 10-11 a.m. Parents can register with their child for either session. The fee for park district residents is $129. Register online at www.glenviewparks.org. Call 724-0250 or 724-5670 for more information.
-- Two New Specialty Fitness Classes start January 7 at Park Center Health & Fitness. Join USA Triathlon Expert Coach Drew Surinsky for The Weekly Brick, a combination bike-run workout that’s guaranteed to be challenging and fun. For ages 14 and up. A 10-week session begins January 8, from 6-8 p.m. in the Fitness Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave. The fee for park district residents and PCHF members is $240.
-- The Cardio & Strength Power Hour, for ages 14 and up, uses circuit training for a cardio and strength-building workout to help you meet your health and fitness goals. A four-week session begins January 7, from 7:45-8:45 p.m. The fee for park district residents and PCHF members is $96. The nonresident fee is $120. Registration for both classes is going on now at Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave., or online at www.glenviewparks.org. Call 847-724-5670 for more information.
-- An introductory knitting class and felted purse workshop will be held at Park Center. Two 2-week Learn to Knit sessions for high schoolers through adults are offered on Tuesdays, January 8 & 15 from 9:15-11:15 a.m. or Thursdays, January 10 & 17 from 7-9 p.m. Knitwear designer Sharon Dreifuss will teach you the basics to create a hat. Bring a pair of #10 24 in. circular wooden needles and one skein of bulky weight, smooth wool yarn to the first class. The fee for park district residents is $40.
-- The library is collecting mittens and other winter woolens for the Northfield Township Pantry until Sunday, December 16 and collecting valentines to be sent to U.S. veterans as part of a national effort called Valentines for Vets. Make valentines and drop them off by February 6 or attend a Decorating Day. Schools, scout groups and clubs are encouraged to participate. Call the library for details: 729-7500.
READERS WRITE
HS wonders, “Why don't you put a reminder in the next Glenview Watch that it is time for us subscribers to send you a check? You can quote me. We are extremely lucky to have such a conscientious source of local information. It makes our village better.”
The Watch replies: Okay. Thanks. If you agree that The Watch is worth having, please help us keep the enterprise going in 2008. Send checks, payable to Glenview Watch, to 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. These contributions are not deductible, but they are appreciated.
JR chuckled when District 34 complained that parents were airing complaints about Attea Middle School publicly. Officials said they’d prefer to have private, individual meetings: “Sure they would. They can bamboozle one or two sets of parents but are scared to death of a group with real facts.”
N. Chadwick is puzzled by the need for a new Village Hall: “I recently read The Village of Glenview Report and was amazed to learn that 28 years after building our current municipal office building, it’s too small and in poor condition. I was equally surprised to read that many employees are working out of trailers. How in the world did our village fall so far? And why do we need a space study? That sounds like a no brainer. How about Village Hall moving into the new police station? It sure sounds as if they have plenty of space for all the employees, departments, storage and meetings. It certainly looks big enough to accommodate, and it's brand new!”
The Watch replies: In fact, some municipal employees will be doing just that. Staffers who assist with computers and other technology at Village Hall will move into the police station in mid 2008.
MB was irked when Glenview trustees refused to approve the tax hike sought by Glenview’s library board: “Alright already! Do the village trustees not understand that a library is an icon to the cultural and intellectual spirit of the community? I didn't hear this kind of nonsense when the fire stations and police station were being built. Perhaps the village is jealous of the library's reserve fund. Were you listening to Claire McGuire's claim that our library has an extremely low tax rate compared to the surrounding communities? The value a community places on a library speaks to what that community stands for. Let's get the show on the road as far as this project, whatever it takes.”
And SH is dismayed that the village board keeps overriding the library trustees: “The continuing soap opera of Glenview's Public Library never fails to illustrate how a vocal minority overrides the silent majority. Glenview citizens elected a library board to represent their needs and desires in a library. The elected board went about its business and tried to come up with a plan for a new library that would meet the needs of its citizens based upon tens of thousands of dollars spent on countless studies produced by several different consultants. These studies were reviewed, pored over, and analyzed by the library board, various citizens groups, and individual library patrons. Based on these objective studies and analyses, the library board came up with a plan for a library comprised of a specific amount of square footage for patron use and material storage. It also included various amenities that would serve to enhance the usage of the public library facilities by a broader range of its citizen base than that provided by the old library and other, rejected study proposals.
“All of these efforts have now been crushed by the elected village trustees who, in their wisdom and innate knowledge of the library’s needs, decided that the persons elected to the library board are feckless, insensible of costs, and incapable of intelligent thought.
“All I can say to the citizens of Glenview is this: The village board is responsible for the current tax rates in Glenview, the tens of millions spent on developing The Glen's Mercedes Benz of infrastructure, including piped in music to manipulate Glen strollers into a frenzy of buying and eating not otherwise possible. If you believe that the elected village board has implemented choices that you totally agree with, at a cost that you find acceptable, then re-elect them to the library board as well next time. Eliminate the need in the future for concerned, caring, devoted citizen representatives to be humiliated and frustrated by the actions of the village board. Maybe we library patrons will be happy with just getting some more parking and skip a new building all together. Perhaps, the new Taj Mahal, oops, I mean Village Hall, park district and District 34 facility can also include a paperback lending library that can meet our needs.”
But Watchdog Wally writes: “Like spoiled and unruly children, the Glenview library board members are stamping their feet and demanding they get more dollars than the generous $26 + $1 million allocated to them by our village trustees to build a new state-of-the art library. Having already spent an almost unbelievable half-million dollars on a bevy of consultants, while other neighboring towns spent less than 5 percent of that amount, these spendthrifts are insisting on another $5 million dollars to spend on unneeded and unnecessary square footage with accompanying frivolous accoutrements. So blinded by their arrogance and persistence, these library trustees are not only willing but are now hell bent on changing the name of our library from the ‘Glenview Public Library’ to whatever a generous commercial donor would like. Can you imagine the ‘Wal-Mart’ or ‘Toys R Us’ Library of Glenview just to get their $5 million. A library board turnover is sorely needed.”
GV5 comments on the call for an Olive Garden downtown – and on public complaints about speeding through some neighborhoods: “An Olive Garden sounds great! We need a good, reasonably priced restaurant in downtown Glenview! As for people calling police to report rush hour or speeding cars, I would say ‘get a life or move.’ Most likely these calls are coming from bored housewives with nothing else to do. With the tremendous growth this village has seen, the problem of cut-through speeding will only get worse. It's with us now cradle to grave, and residents shouldn’t tie-up the police with these frivolous calls when they could be helping citizens in serious situations.”
BH says combined dispatching of police and fire calls may cost taxpayers more than they realize: “I read the article in the Announcements touting the new combined Police/Fire Dispatch Center. They forgot to mention the lost revenue from Wheeling and Wilmette to the tune of $500,000 plus, nor did they mention the true cost of new software, hardware and training. If Glenview had played its cards right, the village would be even further ahead of the game. Our fire calls should be going to RED Center in Northbrook – a service that is very popular with our neighboring fire departments. You have to wonder why so many communities decided not to combine police and fire dispatch.”
Glenview’s police department has not seen the last of Melanie Meyer, an eight-year veteran who was dismissed from the force for what Chief Bill Fitzpatrick characterized as stealing. Meyer billed the village for about $500 in overtime to attend court sessions that did not involve tickets she wrote. Meyer contends officers routinely show up on days when their traffic cases may or may not be heard, because case lists distributed in advance by the county are often inaccurate.
Deputy Commander Mike Redmond insists the policy is clear, but concedes a review is now underway to determine whether other officers have also been going to court, even if their tickets may not be heard.
Meyer contends she was actually fired for questioning the priorities of her superiors. Earlier this year her shift commander, Scott Stewart, issued a notice to those who patrol between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. Among other things, Stewart indicated each officer “shall make a minimum of two DUI arrests per month.”
To do that, Meyer said, she would have to stake out local bars on a regular basis, making DUI her priority and keeping her away from neighborhood patrols. Since traffic stops require a second officer to be present, she contended two patrolmen would be tied up conducting field sobriety tests. With only six patrolmen on her shift, she questioned the wisdom of setting a quota for drunk driving arrests.
“Of course I would make a stop if I saw someone who appeared to be intoxicated,” Meyer explained, “but I think it’s equally important to be answering calls that might involve a domestic or a burglary.”
Meyer also questioned her commander’s policy on sick leave. “Each officer shall minimize the amount of sick leave taken,” Stewart wrote. “Officers shall maintain a goal of three or less days sick per year.”
Ironically, Stewart has been off the job for the past two months after injuring his ankle on the job.
Redmond defended Stewart’s priorities, saying they were “goals, not quotas.” He denied that officers are targeting local bars but admitted drivers whose blood alcohol is lower than .08 are being charged with driving under the influence.
Under state law, officers can make a DUI arrest, even if a driver is not legally intoxicated. “If their blood alcohol is .05-.07, but they’re driving poorly, courts will uphold a DUI charge,” Redmond explained. “We have discretion.” The class-A misdemeanor can lead to a jail sentence of up to 364 days and a fine of $1,000 or more. Glenview receives a portion of that money.
Last year at this time, the police department had made 133 DUI arrests. This year the number has risen to 181. Redmond defended the decision to make drunk driving a priority, saying the police department could still cover emergency calls and conduct neighborhood patrols. “That’s the dynamics of working the streets,” he said. “There are always things going on. Officers and commanders rely on good judgment and leadership to strike a balance. We don’t want everyone on the 30th of the month to be hunting on Milwaukee Avenue.”
Meyer is appealing Glenview’s decision to county officials and says she’ll pursue the matter in court if necessary.
A FOND FAREWELL TO BILL DOSE
Fifty-three-year-old Bill Dose, a lifelong resident of Glenview, was killed on Harms Road near his family’s Golfview home early Monday morning when his car slammed into a tree between Golf and Old Orchard. Police said he might have fallen asleep at the wheel.
A professional designer, Dose was active in local government, calling on members of the plan commission and village board to consider the appearance of new buildings and to demand more from developers. He was quick to protest tacky construction materials, enormous new buildings and neon signs.
Until recently, Dose had lived at home, caring for his elderly parents. When they passed away, he spent more time in Chicago and was believed to be on his way back when the accident occurred.
Spencer Lord, who described Dose as an “artist, business partner and dear friend,” mourned his passing. “Perhaps Bill didn’t believe in death, but death believed in him. I believed in him too,” Lord wrote on his website. “Life is random and short. Savor each day.”
ATTEA PARENTS AWAIT SUPERINTENDENT’S RESPONSE
Officials were surprised and dismayed late last month when a group of parents who have children at Attea Middle School told the board of education that Attea is under performing. Led by parents with strong professional backgrounds in data analysis, the group claimed Attea lagged behind its sister school, Springman, and seven other area middle schools on state report cards. They noted Attea has had three different principals in the last five years, and they submitted letters of complaint from a dozen families.
“Any organization would prefer this not be done at a public meeting,” said District 34 spokesman Brett Clark. He described a subsequent meeting with the group’s leaders as “eye opening,” but stressed the district did not agree with the parents’ conclusions and said couples who sent letters would have individual meetings with school administrators.
District 34 Superintendent for Curriculum Phil Collins challenged the parents’ statistics and said other scores show Attea in a more favorable light. The group claimed Attea scored 33 percent lower than Springman on reading, but Collins said the actual difference was 10 percent.
Clark suggested scores might be lower at Attea because the school has a relatively high number of low-income students: 13.8 percent of kids qualify for a free lunch. At Springman, the number is even higher: 14.8 percent.
A state report card on the school also indicates Attea teachers have slightly less experience than the average school in Illinois – 11.1 years compared with 12.9 years, and they’re paid slightly less on average -- $56,689 versus $58,275.
Superintendent Gerald Hill will respond to the parents’ report at the school board’s December 17 meeting.
VILLAGE TO HELP REDUCE POST OFFICE GLARE
Because it’s a federal facility, Glenview’s new post office at The Glen wasn’t subject to local restrictions on outdoor lighting, but neighbors have complained, and the village has now persuaded the postal service to make changes. Parking lot lights will be lowered from 30 to 17 feet, and Glenview will share the cost: $36,500.
DOWNTOWN PLAN DELAYED OVER AREA RESIDENTS’ PROTEST
Glenview trustees have tossed a hot potato back to the plan commission – refusing to approve a new zoning approach downtown. Residents of Grove Street and Hutchings Avenue told the village board they didn’t want four-story buildings on the west side of Waukegan Road, adjacent to their homes. Form-based code would allow that, and consultants have said the village should permit taller buildings to spark redevelopment.
Members of the village board questioned that recommendation and wondered why most buildings on the east side of Waukegan would be limited to three stories.
"We set out to revitalize the downtown, and we hope some of these changes will bring about change. That's the goal behind this," Village President Kerry Cummings warned.
Trustees asked the plan commission to take another look at the issue in January. The panel had approved form-based code unanimously.
RESIDENTS MUST WAIT TO PROTEST FORESMAN LAND PLANS
With ice in the forecast, the plan commission called off its December 11 meeting, putting another hot issue on hold. Residents of Tall Trees had hoped to protest plans for a large new development on Scott Foresman land – headquarters for the United Methodist General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.
Opponents say the development will make traffic on Chestnut Avenue and flooding in the neighborhood worse.
NEW CIVIC CENTER COULD COST MORE THAN $25 MILLION
Planners have put a price tag on the 78,100-square-foot administration center planned by the village, park district and School District 34. They say the 78,100-square-foot building could cost $22.7-$25.5 million.
The village would pay just over half the bill for that structure, to be located behind the new police station on Lake Avenue. District 34, which could take about a quarter of the space, would pay $5.7-$6.4 million, with the park district covering 18 percent of the cost.
Advocates contend they’d be spending a lot more if they were to build their own office space. Joint construction allows them to share the costs of common spaces, such as the lobby, meeting rooms, a lunch room, restrooms and storage. Planners put the savings at $4 million.
Village Manager Todd Hileman warned the village was not prepared to spend so much but might get by with less space by moving additional personnel into the police station.
Architect Ruck-Pate showed representatives from the village, schools and parks three possible designs. The one the group liked best put District 34 offices, a board room, lunch room and local cable station GVTV on the first floor. The village manager, development and finance departments would be on two, while the capital projects department and park district would share a third floor.
Plans also include a 45-foot berm and evergreens to separate the complex from neighboring Southgate. Still, neighbors are expressing dismay at the prospect of another large government building next door.
The planning committee will meet again on Jan. 31.
ANGRY RESIDENTS SEE BLACK
Last month, the village-controlled cable channel showed a public meeting on plans to widen Greenwood road. It was standing room only in the board room where residents lined-up to protest, but no objections were shown on cable. Instead, Village Hall ended the program after a consultant spoke for nearly half an hour about the advantages of the proposed changes.
“The community bulletin board suddenly appeared on the screen with news from the Glenview Garden Club, accompanies by the usual classical music,” said community organizer Mike Luxem. “I was shocked. There were about 30 people who spoke, but the general public didn’t get to hear their side of the argument.”
Luxem fears local politicians or administrators are trying to push the project through, but village spokesperson Janet Spector Bishop insists that’s not the case. “This is our standard operating policy for these kinds of meetings,” she says. “We’ve always done this for our annual meetings at which area residents are invited to comment on our capital spending plans. The purpose of such meetings is to convey basic information about a proposed project. They are not public hearings. Our only goal in taping is to provide residents who may not have been able to attend a chance to see the presentation.”
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SEND STROGER PACKING
The Cook County finance committee has rejected Board President Todd Stroger’s proposed increase in taxes on electricity, natural gas, SUVs, liquor, hotel stays and jet fuel.
Glenview’s Commissioner Gregg Goslin says Stroger will now have to find a way to cut spending. He and 10 other members of the board called on the president to make department heads itemize their budgets and identify ways to cut spending by 10 percent.
“Brace yourself for the coming hue and cry, the doomsday scenarios, the threats to shut down suburban courthouses and offices, and the threat to shut down the county jail,” Goslin warns. “During my nine years on the county board, officials have routinely ignored the need to streamline their offices, improve their efficiency and reduce payroll by embracing technology.”
Goslin said County Treasurer Maria Pappas and Recorder of Deeds Gene Moore were exceptions to that rule, having closed two underutilized district offices and cut staff this year. He also applauds a decision to stop providing medicine to residents of other counties. “Those counties refuse to reimburse us, and many have boldly provided maps and directions to Cook County hospitals, clinics and pharmacies. After proper notice the county has terminated pharmacy services to out-of-county residents, which cost Cook County $5 million in 2006.”
THE GREEN SCENE
-- Glenview’s Techny Basin has won a 2007 Conservation and Native Landscaping Award from Chicago Wilderness, a coalition of environmental groups in Northern Illinois. Other winners include Northerly Island in Chicago and Native Prairie Restorations in Skokie and Lemont.
-- Nature photographer Carol Freeman will speak and show slides from 1:30-3 p.m. Sunday, January 20 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. Registration is required at http://www.chicagobotanic.org/school/class_schedule/by_topic#nature_studies
Freeman also hosts a holiday sale at her Heatherfield home Saturday, December 15th, from 1-5pm, at 1840 Aberdeen Drive in Glenview. She’s offering original signed prints, calendars, notecards and more. For more information, or to arrange a private showing call 847-404-8508, and for a preview visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/inbeautyiwalk/ to see my latest photos!
NO FEDERAL AID FOR SUMMER FLOOD VICTIMS
The Federal Emergency Management Agency says Glenview residents won’t be reimbursed for flood damage in late August, because there wasn’t enough uninsured damage to qualify for aid from Washington. The state offered some residents low-interest loans, and the village is still hoping it can collect more than $1 million from the feds – money it spent on the clean up.
DOG PARK UPDATE
The Glenview Park District meets at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 20 in Park Center for one last review of a proposed dog park, baseball and soccer fields, playgrounds and other features of phase II for Community Park West. Once the board votes, plans go out for bid. As always, public comments are welcome.
SAVE THE DATE
-- State Sen. Jeff Schoenberg and state Rep. Julie Hamos will host a town hall meeting from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, January 3 in the council chambers at Wilmette Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Ave. Residents from Glenview and neighboring suburbs will be invited to weight in on the 2008 legislative agenda. For more information call 847-492-1200, or e-mail anita@jschoenberg.org
-- The first 10th District Democratic Convention will be held at the Deerfield Hyatt on Sunday afternoon, January 20. All candidates running on the Democratic Party ballot in any part of the 10th Congressional District will be invited to attend. Candidates will be introduced, and some will be given time to speak. There will be time before and after for voters to talk with the candidates, and two straw polls will be taken giving voters the opportunity to choose presidential and congressional candidates.
-- Wagner Farm’s annual Christmas Tree & Wreath sale continues through December 23 at 1510 Wagner Rd. Call 847-657-1506 for more information.
-- Register for Holiday Tennis Camp for kids from 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday-Friday, Dec. 26-28 and January 2-4 at the Glenview Tennis Club, 1800 Wagner Rd. For further details, call 847-724-1570.
-- The Seventh Annual Glenview Ice Center Winter Carnival takes place Dec. 26-Jan. 6 at 1851 Landwehr Rd. Activities include daily skating, exhibits and demonstrations, figure skating and hockey lessons, parent-child hockey scrimmage, Friday Night Meltdowns, Pro Hockey Mascot Appearances, family New Year’s Party, movie night on ice, and a New Year’s Day celebration. For a complete schedule visit www.glenviewicecenter.org or call 847-724-2800.
-- Park Center, Park Center Health & Fitness and Splash Landings will be open until 1 p.m. on December 24 and December 31. Wiggles & Giggles Childcare will be closed December 24-January 1. All Glenview Park District offices and facilities will be closed Christmas Day, December 25. Park Center Health & Fitness will be open on New Year’s Day, January 1, from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. All other Glenview Park District offices and facilities will be closed.
-- Indoor Winter Golf Lessons start January 6 at Park Center. Two 5-week sessions for both beginners and intermediate golfers are offered. Session I, for ages 7 and up, meets Sundays, January 6-February 3 from 10-11 a.m. Session II, for ages 16 and up meets Sundays, February 10-March 9 from 10-11 a.m. Parents can register with their child for either session. The fee for park district residents is $129. Register online at www.glenviewparks.org. Call 724-0250 or 724-5670 for more information.
-- Two New Specialty Fitness Classes start January 7 at Park Center Health & Fitness. Join USA Triathlon Expert Coach Drew Surinsky for The Weekly Brick, a combination bike-run workout that’s guaranteed to be challenging and fun. For ages 14 and up. A 10-week session begins January 8, from 6-8 p.m. in the Fitness Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave. The fee for park district residents and PCHF members is $240.
-- The Cardio & Strength Power Hour, for ages 14 and up, uses circuit training for a cardio and strength-building workout to help you meet your health and fitness goals. A four-week session begins January 7, from 7:45-8:45 p.m. The fee for park district residents and PCHF members is $96. The nonresident fee is $120. Registration for both classes is going on now at Park Center, 2400 Chestnut Ave., or online at www.glenviewparks.org. Call 847-724-5670 for more information.
-- An introductory knitting class and felted purse workshop will be held at Park Center. Two 2-week Learn to Knit sessions for high schoolers through adults are offered on Tuesdays, January 8 & 15 from 9:15-11:15 a.m. or Thursdays, January 10 & 17 from 7-9 p.m. Knitwear designer Sharon Dreifuss will teach you the basics to create a hat. Bring a pair of #10 24 in. circular wooden needles and one skein of bulky weight, smooth wool yarn to the first class. The fee for park district residents is $40.
-- The library is collecting mittens and other winter woolens for the Northfield Township Pantry until Sunday, December 16 and collecting valentines to be sent to U.S. veterans as part of a national effort called Valentines for Vets. Make valentines and drop them off by February 6 or attend a Decorating Day. Schools, scout groups and clubs are encouraged to participate. Call the library for details: 729-7500.
READERS WRITE
HS wonders, “Why don't you put a reminder in the next Glenview Watch that it is time for us subscribers to send you a check? You can quote me. We are extremely lucky to have such a conscientious source of local information. It makes our village better.”
The Watch replies: Okay. Thanks. If you agree that The Watch is worth having, please help us keep the enterprise going in 2008. Send checks, payable to Glenview Watch, to 3537 Maple Leaf Drive, Glenview, IL 60026. These contributions are not deductible, but they are appreciated.
JR chuckled when District 34 complained that parents were airing complaints about Attea Middle School publicly. Officials said they’d prefer to have private, individual meetings: “Sure they would. They can bamboozle one or two sets of parents but are scared to death of a group with real facts.”
N. Chadwick is puzzled by the need for a new Village Hall: “I recently read The Village of Glenview Report and was amazed to learn that 28 years after building our current municipal office building, it’s too small and in poor condition. I was equally surprised to read that many employees are working out of trailers. How in the world did our village fall so far? And why do we need a space study? That sounds like a no brainer. How about Village Hall moving into the new police station? It sure sounds as if they have plenty of space for all the employees, departments, storage and meetings. It certainly looks big enough to accommodate, and it's brand new!”
The Watch replies: In fact, some municipal employees will be doing just that. Staffers who assist with computers and other technology at Village Hall will move into the police station in mid 2008.
MB was irked when Glenview trustees refused to approve the tax hike sought by Glenview’s library board: “Alright already! Do the village trustees not understand that a library is an icon to the cultural and intellectual spirit of the community? I didn't hear this kind of nonsense when the fire stations and police station were being built. Perhaps the village is jealous of the library's reserve fund. Were you listening to Claire McGuire's claim that our library has an extremely low tax rate compared to the surrounding communities? The value a community places on a library speaks to what that community stands for. Let's get the show on the road as far as this project, whatever it takes.”
And SH is dismayed that the village board keeps overriding the library trustees: “The continuing soap opera of Glenview's Public Library never fails to illustrate how a vocal minority overrides the silent majority. Glenview citizens elected a library board to represent their needs and desires in a library. The elected board went about its business and tried to come up with a plan for a new library that would meet the needs of its citizens based upon tens of thousands of dollars spent on countless studies produced by several different consultants. These studies were reviewed, pored over, and analyzed by the library board, various citizens groups, and individual library patrons. Based on these objective studies and analyses, the library board came up with a plan for a library comprised of a specific amount of square footage for patron use and material storage. It also included various amenities that would serve to enhance the usage of the public library facilities by a broader range of its citizen base than that provided by the old library and other, rejected study proposals.
“All of these efforts have now been crushed by the elected village trustees who, in their wisdom and innate knowledge of the library’s needs, decided that the persons elected to the library board are feckless, insensible of costs, and incapable of intelligent thought.
“All I can say to the citizens of Glenview is this: The village board is responsible for the current tax rates in Glenview, the tens of millions spent on developing The Glen's Mercedes Benz of infrastructure, including piped in music to manipulate Glen strollers into a frenzy of buying and eating not otherwise possible. If you believe that the elected village board has implemented choices that you totally agree with, at a cost that you find acceptable, then re-elect them to the library board as well next time. Eliminate the need in the future for concerned, caring, devoted citizen representatives to be humiliated and frustrated by the actions of the village board. Maybe we library patrons will be happy with just getting some more parking and skip a new building all together. Perhaps, the new Taj Mahal, oops, I mean Village Hall, park district and District 34 facility can also include a paperback lending library that can meet our needs.”
But Watchdog Wally writes: “Like spoiled and unruly children, the Glenview library board members are stamping their feet and demanding they get more dollars than the generous $26 + $1 million allocated to them by our village trustees to build a new state-of-the art library. Having already spent an almost unbelievable half-million dollars on a bevy of consultants, while other neighboring towns spent less than 5 percent of that amount, these spendthrifts are insisting on another $5 million dollars to spend on unneeded and unnecessary square footage with accompanying frivolous accoutrements. So blinded by their arrogance and persistence, these library trustees are not only willing but are now hell bent on changing the name of our library from the ‘Glenview Public Library’ to whatever a generous commercial donor would like. Can you imagine the ‘Wal-Mart’ or ‘Toys R Us’ Library of Glenview just to get their $5 million. A library board turnover is sorely needed.”
GV5 comments on the call for an Olive Garden downtown – and on public complaints about speeding through some neighborhoods: “An Olive Garden sounds great! We need a good, reasonably priced restaurant in downtown Glenview! As for people calling police to report rush hour or speeding cars, I would say ‘get a life or move.’ Most likely these calls are coming from bored housewives with nothing else to do. With the tremendous growth this village has seen, the problem of cut-through speeding will only get worse. It's with us now cradle to grave, and residents shouldn’t tie-up the police with these frivolous calls when they could be helping citizens in serious situations.”
BH says combined dispatching of police and fire calls may cost taxpayers more than they realize: “I read the article in the Announcements touting the new combined Police/Fire Dispatch Center. They forgot to mention the lost revenue from Wheeling and Wilmette to the tune of $500,000 plus, nor did they mention the true cost of new software, hardware and training. If Glenview had played its cards right, the village would be even further ahead of the game. Our fire calls should be going to RED Center in Northbrook – a service that is very popular with our neighboring fire departments. You have to wonder why so many communities decided not to combine police and fire dispatch.”
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.