Come January, Maggie Reif's eyes and ears will be glued to the television, radio and Internet reports, hoping for news -- hopefully, nothing but good news -- concerning the American military presence in war-torn Afghanistan for 12 consecutive months.
So, too, will the attention of her son and the five children of her police officer husband, Steve, for their father -- and 9-year-old Andrew's step dad -- may frequently be in harm's way, serving as a sergeant with the Illinois Army Air Guard as one of three door gunners on a CH-47 double-rotor Chinook helicopter in the skies over Afghanistan.
"I always just wanted to serve my country," said Kneifel, 39, in a recent interview, just before leaving Nov. 12 as part of an 80-member Peoria-based 238th General Support Aviation battalion and undergoing two months of intensive combat training in Fort Sill, Okla., before deploying for a year in the Middle East.
"I've got a little fear, a little bit of anxiety," he said, revealing he will be home for Christmas before deploying overseas. "I also know there's nothing I can do about it. This is the real thing. I'm going overseas for 12 months whether I like it or not."
Other than serving as air support for the 101st Airborne Division, he admits he doesn't really know where he will be geographically and can only guess.
Beyond that, it's probably best he doesn't know -- or say, for his own safety and security.
"I have an idea about some of our missions; we'll be doing a lot of troop transports and flying seven hours a day ... but that's about it," he revealed, surmising they might often find themselves near the country's eastern border with Pakistan -- where much fighting is taking place. "I'm going to be right in the middle of it."
Since, 2001, the 15-year municipal patrolman -- 12-plus with the La Grange Police Department -- has been in the reserves. And he has been in and out of the service since his teens.
He was recognized at an Oct. 27 Town Meeting by Village President Liz Asperger, three days before colleagues threw a farewell party for him and members of the American Legion Coulter Post 1941 presented him with a blue star flag and four days before family and friends joined him in a goodbye party thrown by the owners of La Perla & Thipi Thai.
He was recently feted by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan for his efforts in helping prevent crimes to seniors and was cited in July of 2005 for dedication and exemplary service for helping out in a multijurisdictional drug investigation that led to many arrests.
In 1990, he served in the first round of fighting with Iraq on active duty during Operation Desert Storm -- where he was a mechanic fixing jet engines on the RC-135 refueler in Saudi Arabia.
More than a decade later, for six months in 2001, he trained in biological and chemical
warfare to prepare for deployment in Operation Desert Shield.
But, he recalled, he was never called up.
Then came the call to action -- just a few months back.
"I was told (in September) and I had a feeling it was going to happen," he said, shortly before taking a leave of absence from the force. "I figure it's better Afghanistan than Iraq. I think we're done in Iraq, but there's still work to be done where I'm going."
Kneifel, a squad leader hired by La Grange in January of 1997 and appointed elderly service officer in February of 2007 -- serving as point man for senior outreach through a grant-funded initiative called Aging Well -- has been in the military for 13 years.
He entered on a delayed enlistment in 1986, a year before he graduating from Evanston High School.
"After high school, I began training," he said, noting he attended basic and technical training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
In the beginning of 1992, he went on active Army duty after going through basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga. His first tour of duty was in Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served for two years before a long break in service.
He re-enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 2000 and has been in the reserves one weekend a month ever since.
His first assignment was with the Illinois Air National Guard Reserves, where he actively served for one weekend a month and three weeks in the summer for five years stationed right outside O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.
Kneifel got married to his first wife in 1990 and had five children together.
While still married in early 1994, he started his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in Bowling Green, Ky., after getting out of the service the first time around.
His inspiration for joining the military was, in part, due to his stepfather's own background. A fellow officer -- Miles Odom -- was also deployed to Iraq a few years ago.
"My step dad was in the service and he talked about it a lot," he said, noting his stepfather was an Army and Reserves officer who served during Vietnam.
He realizes the Afghanistan and Iraq conflict is a different war than his stepfather fought. Still, he feels safer than one might imagine, given the constant news of American and allied attacks and casualties abroad.
"I've trained on helicopters and it's not too often that one goes down," he said, "but when it does, it really does (hit) home. It's tough to see my (military) brothers go down like that."
"But ..." added Kneifel, ever the polite person one can only imagine he has taught his children to be: "things can happen."
After all. he said, even the streets of La Grange can be dangerous -- referring to a shootout outside of Harris Bank south of 47th Street a few years ago in which an armed robber led police on a multijurisdictional chase and killed himself after breaking into a home and killing a family dog during an all-night standoff six towns away in Villa Park.
His said his children are old enough to understand potential consequences of his departure, his wife was a bit upset upon hearing the news and his stepson was confused.
"It was a little hard for him to understand and it's going to be a little tough when I'm away ... but hopefully, it's going to go quick," he said. "What will help this time is I'll have my cell phone and laptop, so we'll be emailing a lot, and I'll have my camera taking pictures and sending them over and using my webcam and voice over the Internet."
Still, he says he looks forward to serving his country and coming home -- quickly.
"I just want to get it going," he said. "I'll be working a lot of hours so the time (will go) by quick. It's going to be hard but we'll all get through it."
Senior citizens at the Southwest Suburban Center on Aging on Harris Avenue in downtown La Grange will undoubtedly miss his daily presence and frequent friendly visits, as will those in churches and civic organizations and even private residences around town.
For nearly two years, "Officer Steve" has been fulfilling a goal he said he realized was an unmet need on the department before he became an ESO and one that was only being addressed on a part-time basis before him by his close colleague, Detective Dave Rohlicek, who has since trained Kneifel.
Every day, he helps out seniors with any issue they face, whether it be handicapped access or Medicare dilemmas, educating them about protection from home repair scam artists or identity thieves, or something as simple as conducting well-being checks or helping them figure something out.
"I go to a lot of senior meetings," said Kneifel, who earned his ESO certification through the Illinois Attorney General's Office in Springfield. "I really enjoy helping the seniors out. It's just a great feeling."
He said Police Chief Michael Holub -- also a U.S. Army veteran who served as an overnight guard during the Vietnam era in Washington, D.C. -- has been most accommodating about his partial pay with benefits leave. And, most seniors he's told about his deployment have been "pretty supportive," he said, adding, "They're going to pray for me."
However, he said he will not only miss not his wife and children and senior pals but the whole town.
"It's been going great and I love it here; I really do," he said. "It's such a close-knit community and I'm so glad that while we're growing we're still able to keep control of the crime rate."
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
VOTERS APPROVE PARK LAND SALE
Park District of La Grange voters have apparently given the Park Board the green light to go ahead with its plans to sell 2.82 acres of the 17.5-acre Gordon Park for a rumored $6 million, despite a contentious battle fought by a vocal opposition to the proposal.
According to unofficial results released late Tuesday night by the Cook County Clerk's Election Department, the referendum question was approved by a 54.73 to 45.27 percent margin. With all 16 precincts reporting, there were 4,164 yes votes and 3,444 no votes.
Although the proposed sale of public green space quickly gained opposition more than a year ago and spurred a lawsuit from resident Orlando Coryell (the president of the Citizens' Council of La Grange) and a vitriolic Internet blogging campaign by other opponents (with a little help from the Citizens Advocacy Center in Elmhurst), a pro-referendum group -- Citizens for a Great Gordon Park -- organized late in the game, with a $30,000 startup donation from Atlantic Realty Partners.
ARP is the proposed developer of the former Rich Port YMCA site, which will include the controversial 2.82-acre site in question based on an auction bid already negotiated with the Park District. Park officials believe the amount will be significantly higher than any other bid when the land is put on the auction block, as required by law. The development, to be called La Grange Place, is a mixed-use apartment and townhome complex with more than 30,000 square feet of retail space.
The land for sale is on the northwestern edge of the park, according to the Park District, just east of La Grange Towers and south of the Plymouth Place retirement community, comprised of two parcels. The larger parcel is on a hill and not used for many activities, the district maintained, and the smaller, 1.1-acre piece, has an empty maintenance shed -- the contents of which are now located in the new community center on East Avenue.
In a separate deal, the Park District has already agreed to swap a vacated .7-acre Shawmut Avenue (which splits the 2.82 acres) with the village. Shawmut will become a street and in exchange the village will give the district the east side of the Locust Avenue parking lot between the Y building and the park, which will become green space in a new 14.7-acre Gordon Park. That project will be heavily financed with proceeds from the land sale.
No official Election Night gatherings were held, partly because of the belief it may have taken too long to determine the final results. As a matter of fact, a glitch in the county's computerized vote tally equipment or software caused just that to occur.
Long before the results were known Tuesday, pro-referendum activist Kate Brogan said it was such an odd ballot question in the first place.
"A 'no' vote (is) not going to stop anything," she said, speculating the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue property would be redeveloped one way or the other and perhaps with a big-box retail giant instead. "In my mind, (ARP) made a wise business decision."
Brogan's group had the same color signs as the opposition -- one green on white, the other white on green. Over the weekend, vandals stuck duct tape over the word 'yes' on many of the pro-referendum signs, according to police.
The next step? The closing on the land deal and property exchange and final approval of the agreement by the village, which still is finalizing redevelopment plans before it issues demolition or building permits for the project.
According to unofficial results released late Tuesday night by the Cook County Clerk's Election Department, the referendum question was approved by a 54.73 to 45.27 percent margin. With all 16 precincts reporting, there were 4,164 yes votes and 3,444 no votes.
Although the proposed sale of public green space quickly gained opposition more than a year ago and spurred a lawsuit from resident Orlando Coryell (the president of the Citizens' Council of La Grange) and a vitriolic Internet blogging campaign by other opponents (with a little help from the Citizens Advocacy Center in Elmhurst), a pro-referendum group -- Citizens for a Great Gordon Park -- organized late in the game, with a $30,000 startup donation from Atlantic Realty Partners.
ARP is the proposed developer of the former Rich Port YMCA site, which will include the controversial 2.82-acre site in question based on an auction bid already negotiated with the Park District. Park officials believe the amount will be significantly higher than any other bid when the land is put on the auction block, as required by law. The development, to be called La Grange Place, is a mixed-use apartment and townhome complex with more than 30,000 square feet of retail space.
The land for sale is on the northwestern edge of the park, according to the Park District, just east of La Grange Towers and south of the Plymouth Place retirement community, comprised of two parcels. The larger parcel is on a hill and not used for many activities, the district maintained, and the smaller, 1.1-acre piece, has an empty maintenance shed -- the contents of which are now located in the new community center on East Avenue.
In a separate deal, the Park District has already agreed to swap a vacated .7-acre Shawmut Avenue (which splits the 2.82 acres) with the village. Shawmut will become a street and in exchange the village will give the district the east side of the Locust Avenue parking lot between the Y building and the park, which will become green space in a new 14.7-acre Gordon Park. That project will be heavily financed with proceeds from the land sale.
No official Election Night gatherings were held, partly because of the belief it may have taken too long to determine the final results. As a matter of fact, a glitch in the county's computerized vote tally equipment or software caused just that to occur.
Long before the results were known Tuesday, pro-referendum activist Kate Brogan said it was such an odd ballot question in the first place.
"A 'no' vote (is) not going to stop anything," she said, speculating the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue property would be redeveloped one way or the other and perhaps with a big-box retail giant instead. "In my mind, (ARP) made a wise business decision."
Brogan's group had the same color signs as the opposition -- one green on white, the other white on green. Over the weekend, vandals stuck duct tape over the word 'yes' on many of the pro-referendum signs, according to police.
The next step? The closing on the land deal and property exchange and final approval of the agreement by the village, which still is finalizing redevelopment plans before it issues demolition or building permits for the project.
Monday, November 3, 2008
BATTERIES NEEDED FOR SECRET SANTA
Santa is headed to La Grange and needs loads of batteries to power the toys that fill his sleigh. The Community Nurse Secret Santa program needs the community to “power up” for the nearly 900 children whose Christmas stockings will be stuffed with battery operated games and educational toys. Books for all ages are also needed.
All battery sizes are needed including AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and button cell.
Books for all ages are also a high need to fill the empty stockings hanging in the workshop. Every child receives an age-appropriate book including soft books for infants, board books for toddlers and early and teen readers.
Also needed:
Community Nurse serves more than 2,750 low income and uninsured families from Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Countryside, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, LaGrange, LaGrange Highlands, LaGrange Park, Lyons, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Willowbrook and Willow Springs.
Donations of new items can be brought to CNHA’s clinic at 110 Calendar Ave. in La Grange. Office hours are Mondays-Friday 9am to 5pm. Monetary donations can be mailed to Community Nurse, 23 Calendar Ave., La Grange, IL 60525. For more information, call 708.352.0081.
All battery sizes are needed including AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and button cell.
Books for all ages are also a high need to fill the empty stockings hanging in the workshop. Every child receives an age-appropriate book including soft books for infants, board books for toddlers and early and teen readers.
Also needed:
- Underwear (panties or boxers) in children’s’ sizes 4 thru 20
- long sleeved tops, jeans, sweaters/fleece in children’s’ sizes 4 to 18, especially sizes 14, 16 and 18
- warm pajamas/sleep pants in sizes 4 to 14, adult size S, M, L
- hats, gloves (warm and waterproof)
- action figures & characters (i.e. Dora)
- building toys (Lego’s, K’nex)
- books
- art sets
- craft sets
- sport balls/ all types and sizes: volleyball, soccer, football, baseball
Community Nurse serves more than 2,750 low income and uninsured families from Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Countryside, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, LaGrange, LaGrange Highlands, LaGrange Park, Lyons, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Willowbrook and Willow Springs.
Donations of new items can be brought to CNHA’s clinic at 110 Calendar Ave. in La Grange. Office hours are Mondays-Friday 9am to 5pm. Monetary donations can be mailed to Community Nurse, 23 Calendar Ave., La Grange, IL 60525. For more information, call 708.352.0081.
Friday, October 31, 2008
METRA RUNS EXTRA LINES TODAY!!!
Downtown commuters who want to skip out of work early to meet and greet the trick-or-treaters and take their own children out in costume around town (taking advantage of a beautiful Friday afternoon while they're at it) can take advantage of a special Metra schedule today on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.
So if Dad or Mom has already left for the day by the time you read this, call 'em up or email 'em and let them know: Metra is running extra early and mid-afternoon trains home to the suburbs for Halloween!
For details, call (312) 322-6777 or 836-7000 from any area code, or log on to www.metrarail.com.
So if Dad or Mom has already left for the day by the time you read this, call 'em up or email 'em and let them know: Metra is running extra early and mid-afternoon trains home to the suburbs for Halloween!
For details, call (312) 322-6777 or 836-7000 from any area code, or log on to www.metrarail.com.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
ELECTION DAY IS ALMOST HERE
A host of municipal and township clerks from across Cook County and Lyons Township
recently gathered at Town Hall in Countryside for a primer on the two upcoming election cycles.
The workshop was presented by Cook County Elections Director Jan Kralovec and Illinois State Board of Elections counsel Kenneth Menzel.
The group was hosted by Township Supervisor Pat Rogers, Trustee Russ Hartigan and Clerk Mary Jo Noonan, all of Western Springs.
Hartigan, a Democrat, has made it clear he intends to run for supervisor in April 2009, but only if also-Dem Rogers is elected to a judgeship in Cook County's 4th Subcircuit on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Kralovec, who works under County Clerk David Orr, said the Nov. 4 ballot will feature a statewide advisory referenda calling for a Constitutional Convention for the first time since 1970, federal, state, county and judicial races ... a grand a total of 312 "ballot swipes" in all.
In La Grange, Park District voters will be casting a yes or no on an advisory referenda question asking whether the Park Board should sell 2.82 acres of land in Gordon Park to a private developer, Atlantic Realty Partners, for a mixed use residential/retail development at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue -- site of the still-standing former Rich Port YMCA,
In addition to seven presidential candidates -- from the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, New, Constitution, Independent and Green parties -- there will be a U.S. Senate race between incumbent Rep. Richard Durbin, D-Il. and four opponents; one-third of state Senate seats; all state representatives; the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District as well as the County state's attorney, circuit court clerk, recorder and Board of Review.
There will also be a countywide referenda proposing a right to recall five state constitutional officers and 71 retention judgeships on two full pages of the ballot.
This fall and next year voters can choose between the optical scan or paper ballot, or the touch screen machine to cast their votes.
A recent survey commissioned by the county showed 61 percent of suburban voters overwhelmingly preferred the touch screen method.
"The big word for November is numbers, or volume," said Kralovec, noting this is the sixth election using the new equipment. "The big challenge is that any voters who haven't voted since the last presidential election are going to be surprised they won't be able to vote unless they've re-registered."
This year, Cook County is not in short supply of election judges.
It is employing some 20,000 high school students this fall and there are even some judges they cannot place who will be used as backups in the case of no-shows.
Judges are paid a generous $170 or more for the day.
Menzel said access state election rules and ballot information is available online and in print.
For instance, the Green Party is now an established party "at every level of government" just like the two major parties, in Illinois.
The standard filing deadline for April township and municipal races (listen La Grange Citzens' Council) and referenda will be from Jan. 19 to 26, 2009, with the objection period to follow.
So stay tuned, people, the silly season is not over yet.
recently gathered at Town Hall in Countryside for a primer on the two upcoming election cycles.
The workshop was presented by Cook County Elections Director Jan Kralovec and Illinois State Board of Elections counsel Kenneth Menzel.
The group was hosted by Township Supervisor Pat Rogers, Trustee Russ Hartigan and Clerk Mary Jo Noonan, all of Western Springs.
Hartigan, a Democrat, has made it clear he intends to run for supervisor in April 2009, but only if also-Dem Rogers is elected to a judgeship in Cook County's 4th Subcircuit on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Kralovec, who works under County Clerk David Orr, said the Nov. 4 ballot will feature a statewide advisory referenda calling for a Constitutional Convention for the first time since 1970, federal, state, county and judicial races ... a grand a total of 312 "ballot swipes" in all.
In La Grange, Park District voters will be casting a yes or no on an advisory referenda question asking whether the Park Board should sell 2.82 acres of land in Gordon Park to a private developer, Atlantic Realty Partners, for a mixed use residential/retail development at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue -- site of the still-standing former Rich Port YMCA,
In addition to seven presidential candidates -- from the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, New, Constitution, Independent and Green parties -- there will be a U.S. Senate race between incumbent Rep. Richard Durbin, D-Il. and four opponents; one-third of state Senate seats; all state representatives; the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District as well as the County state's attorney, circuit court clerk, recorder and Board of Review.
There will also be a countywide referenda proposing a right to recall five state constitutional officers and 71 retention judgeships on two full pages of the ballot.
This fall and next year voters can choose between the optical scan or paper ballot, or the touch screen machine to cast their votes.
A recent survey commissioned by the county showed 61 percent of suburban voters overwhelmingly preferred the touch screen method.
"The big word for November is numbers, or volume," said Kralovec, noting this is the sixth election using the new equipment. "The big challenge is that any voters who haven't voted since the last presidential election are going to be surprised they won't be able to vote unless they've re-registered."
This year, Cook County is not in short supply of election judges.
It is employing some 20,000 high school students this fall and there are even some judges they cannot place who will be used as backups in the case of no-shows.
Judges are paid a generous $170 or more for the day.
Menzel said access state election rules and ballot information is available online and in print.
For instance, the Green Party is now an established party "at every level of government" just like the two major parties, in Illinois.
The standard filing deadline for April township and municipal races (listen La Grange Citzens' Council) and referenda will be from Jan. 19 to 26, 2009, with the objection period to follow.
So stay tuned, people, the silly season is not over yet.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
CLOSE CALL, BUT THEATRE TO GET TIF $$$
After much debate Oct. 13, the La Grange Village Board has formally decided to grant $1 million in Tax Increment Financing funds to the owners of the historic downtown theater.
The 4-2 decision, opposed by Trustees Mike Horvath and James Palermo, will be realized by the purchase of a facade easement and an operating agreement attesting the movie house remains until the village's investment has been repaid, regardless of ownership.
The action, supported by Trustees Mark Kuchler, Mark Langan, Thomas Livingston and Village President Liz Asperger in the absence of Trustee Barb Wolf, directs staff to proceed with the drafting of a final agreement for the public/private partnership with La Grange Theatre owners John Rot and David Rizner. Wolf was clearly against TIF funding for the theater, she expressed in an email read by Asperger.
And although Asperger calmly said the board "obviously (has) different opinions" which were "hashed ... out quite thoroughly," Horvath vehemently suggested it was "reckless to move ahead without construction estimates" for the revised $2.7 million project.
Kuchler, who voted for the plan which he actually came up with as a compromise two weeks earlier even though he was not in favor of using TIF money, said having all of the theater owner's financial data is vital to making sure the village is not overspending.
"I don't think we should be spending surplus funds," he said. "I do think saving the theater is a worthy cause, but we have to be careful with taxpayer dollars."
Before the vote was taken, Asperger observed that there were three trustees who did not support using TIF funds but those who did decided to replace the theater subsidy with $1 million in planned improvements to the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue intersection.
The board, which delayed action on another $350,000 initially considered part of the request, agreed to reserve that discussion for the future.
The 4-2 decision, opposed by Trustees Mike Horvath and James Palermo, will be realized by the purchase of a facade easement and an operating agreement attesting the movie house remains until the village's investment has been repaid, regardless of ownership.
The action, supported by Trustees Mark Kuchler, Mark Langan, Thomas Livingston and Village President Liz Asperger in the absence of Trustee Barb Wolf, directs staff to proceed with the drafting of a final agreement for the public/private partnership with La Grange Theatre owners John Rot and David Rizner. Wolf was clearly against TIF funding for the theater, she expressed in an email read by Asperger.
And although Asperger calmly said the board "obviously (has) different opinions" which were "hashed ... out quite thoroughly," Horvath vehemently suggested it was "reckless to move ahead without construction estimates" for the revised $2.7 million project.
Kuchler, who voted for the plan which he actually came up with as a compromise two weeks earlier even though he was not in favor of using TIF money, said having all of the theater owner's financial data is vital to making sure the village is not overspending.
"I don't think we should be spending surplus funds," he said. "I do think saving the theater is a worthy cause, but we have to be careful with taxpayer dollars."
Before the vote was taken, Asperger observed that there were three trustees who did not support using TIF funds but those who did decided to replace the theater subsidy with $1 million in planned improvements to the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue intersection.
The board, which delayed action on another $350,000 initially considered part of the request, agreed to reserve that discussion for the future.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
CITIZENS' COUNCIL DEBATES PURPOSE
It appears the Citizens' Council of La Grange may have reached a crossroads.
In a lively debate that took up most of the group's latest session Oct. 8, its members -- just two weeks shy of the first application deadline for April 2009 candidate hopefuls -- expressed vastly different opinions over whether their biennial role is to simply recruit, evaluate and recommend the most qualified groups of candidates in the village's three major races as the bylaws portend or whether they also should campaign for and assure the election of those very residents.
Circulating and filing candidate petitions and state-required ethics statements as a unified party, which some privately argued is the start of the political process even more than endorsements themselves -- or "recommendations" as some members maintained is the actual terminology -- assures fewer signatures need to be collected than if they all ran and filed independently and, above all, that the "party" slate secures top ballot placement in every contest.
So said Council President Orlando Coryell, who, while chairing the more than three-hour meeting of slightly more than 50 members, got the debate rolling -- and quite boisterously -- by seeking any input he could muster on the public "perception that the Council secures the election of the candidates it endorses."
And that may be an understatement, since the topic generated almost as much discourse during and after the meeting as a petition filed on behalf of the husband of another surname as District 5 delegate Kathleen Deane to seek the appointment of a ninth member to that district's full eight-member composition -- and not that only six of 12 incumbent officeholders had expressed an interest in running to date.
Moments after the Council unanimously approved District 1 delegate Steve Palmer's suggestion that the first set of interviews and endorsements with either Park or Library applicants be conducted a half-hour earlier, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, to give the body more time to complete the often-exhaustive process, Coryell kicked off the debate over the Council's purpose by stressing that once the endorsement process is done, few delegates show up in January and frequently not until the fall of the next election cycle.
"In the past, we haven't disclosed to candidates that (the recommendation) is the end of our legal responsibility, so do we tell the candidate that?" he asked, noting while Council members do not have to actively campaign for them they routinely do as a technically separate body.
One vocal delegate quickly replied the bylaws are clear campaigning for candidates "is not the function of the Council." And if and when it happens, as some seasoned veterans of the system pointed out has always been the case in years past, suggested, "now we are extremely biased ... exactly the opposite of what we want to be to the community. Our work should stop there."
That same man, who stressed the candidate slating was a recommendation and not something candidates should be allowed to call an endorsement, later reiterated if his purpose is just to interview and recommend candidates as the bylaws state, then he serves "no useful purpose" from January to May.
Coryell clarified the Council "is not formally involved in the election process" -- a fact corroborated by District 10 delegate Vera Catuara in that, after slating, some of the same members "as a group, not as the Citizens' Council" then "form a new political party to help slated candidates" for every election before disbanding until the next election.
However, while it was not disclosed what happens in those January to May meetings of the Council in a time when Coryell said the Council typically diminishes to some 15 members or as few as five or eight -- except, perhaps, party business -- former 8-year Village Board trustee, District 1 delegate and unsuccessful but endorsed 2005 mayoral candidate Ted Hadley defended the body's role and what he said was the reality of its existence.
"We didn't want a party system in this village," he said, noting the Council is there to pick a broad, diverse slate of candidates to build strong boards and then help them get elected. "On the whole, this system has put a pretty good government in place ... (but) if you just sit here (and endorse) and then walk away, then what's the point of endorsing?"
He contended once the Council endorsements are set, it is the Council's duty to make sure the slate(s) it recommends are successful, like it or not.
"That's what happened, that's just the history, that's how it's been," he added.
But Coryell said if that's what some members want, then the volunteers involved now must then "maintain a viable Council" from January to May and beyond -- because "morphing" into a party is clearly not its purpose -- and spend the non-election period "changing the bylaws.
"Instead of having a duty to the citizens of La Grange," he said although did not necessarily advocate, the group can have "a duty to the selected members" instead.
And although membership chairman and District 7 delegate Rob Pierson said "if there's a political party formed (post-slating), it's not us," Catuara also said "since this organization organized, the same group does (the party work) after the Citizens' Council disbands.
"It has been a part of the Citizens' Council (role) since it was formed," she said, noting once slating occurs "we do the paperwork" to get them on the ballot to be elected because many times candidates have no idea how to file petitions. "We make sure what has to be done and we hope they will be elected."
She added if all everyone wants to do is vote, the process is not going to work for the candidates.
"This is almost a necessity," she said. "If we're going to recommend and not (help) ... it seems useless."
District 4 delegate Nancy Weiler said "20 years ago you were told you would support the candidates" after slating occurred.
"I remember putting a sign in my yard for a candidate," she said. "Historically, the Council was expected to go to lengths (to help the slate get elected)."
And though there was disagreement as to what the future should hold, Coryell agreed with Catuara to an extent.
"At our meeting in January, we (typically have) adjourned and the meeting for the party started and we moved into party business -- same room, same people," he said, adding "anyone could then show up" and join although such an announcement has never been made publicly.
"We have lost two-thirds of the time, so we have a one-third success rate with competition races," he noted.
While Council-slated candidacies have routinely spurned independents in the past, few opponents have won. That dynamic changed in 2005, when Hadley was endorsed but resoundingly lost to then-trustee Liz Asperger. Confusion also reigned in 2007, when a candidate falsely ran as an endorsee when he clearly was not.
The petition to add a ninth member to District 5, containing the signatures of 80 registered voters in the district -- as allowed for in the bylaws for anyone who is "dissatisfied" with any district makeup -- was opposed by some delegates who said it appeared there might be a move to "stack the deck" in that district, perhaps for one or more desired candidates.
Catuara, a nearly 20-year delegate whose geographical area in one of the village's furthest corners boasts only herself, said she wondered why District 5 should deserve an additional member when every one of the other 10 districts were lacking a maximum of eight per district and why the petitioner's dissatisfaction was not described.
District 5 includes such notables as Orlando Coryell -- who is also the husband of Library Board member Caroline Coryell and a resident who sued the Park District over its controversial decision to sell public park land for private development -- as well as longtime Park District activist Kate Brogan, Council officer Joan Vander Linde, whose husband is Village Board Trustee James Palermo, and new delegate and Council Qualificatons Committee Co-Chair Katie Justak.
Delegates in other districts include, in District 1, the wife of Village Trustee Mark Kuchler, Deann Kuchler, former Park Board Commissioner and park land sale opponent Kevin Shields; in District 2, former park land sale opponent and La Grange Towers resident Bill Dobias and Qualifications Committee co-chair Ken Levinson; longtime civic activist Jeanine McLaughlin and Pierson's wife, Nancy and in District 11, the wife of former trustee candidate Nicholas Pann, Carolyn Pann.
Spouses, under the bylaws, are allowed to vote for each other at slating time, as was the case with Palermo two years ago.
The only ones expressing an interest in slating for re-election to date are Village Trustees Mike Horvath and Barb Wolfe, Village President Liz Asperger, Library Trustees Becky Spratford and Mary Nelson and Park Commissioner Tim Kelpsas.
Park and Library hopefuls vying for four and three seats, respectively, have until Wednesday, Oct. 22 to submit applications, with slating taking place Nov. 12 and possibly one other night that month. Village candidates vying for five seats including three trustee seats, clerk and president have until Monday, Nov. 3 and will be slated Wednesday, Dec. 10.
It was agreed when interviews take place, each candidate will be given five minutes to speak five minutes to answer structured questions and 10 minutes to answer Council inquiries. The voting of recommended candidates takes place in privately and is announced publicly.
In a lively debate that took up most of the group's latest session Oct. 8, its members -- just two weeks shy of the first application deadline for April 2009 candidate hopefuls -- expressed vastly different opinions over whether their biennial role is to simply recruit, evaluate and recommend the most qualified groups of candidates in the village's three major races as the bylaws portend or whether they also should campaign for and assure the election of those very residents.
Circulating and filing candidate petitions and state-required ethics statements as a unified party, which some privately argued is the start of the political process even more than endorsements themselves -- or "recommendations" as some members maintained is the actual terminology -- assures fewer signatures need to be collected than if they all ran and filed independently and, above all, that the "party" slate secures top ballot placement in every contest.
So said Council President Orlando Coryell, who, while chairing the more than three-hour meeting of slightly more than 50 members, got the debate rolling -- and quite boisterously -- by seeking any input he could muster on the public "perception that the Council secures the election of the candidates it endorses."
And that may be an understatement, since the topic generated almost as much discourse during and after the meeting as a petition filed on behalf of the husband of another surname as District 5 delegate Kathleen Deane to seek the appointment of a ninth member to that district's full eight-member composition -- and not that only six of 12 incumbent officeholders had expressed an interest in running to date.
Moments after the Council unanimously approved District 1 delegate Steve Palmer's suggestion that the first set of interviews and endorsements with either Park or Library applicants be conducted a half-hour earlier, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, to give the body more time to complete the often-exhaustive process, Coryell kicked off the debate over the Council's purpose by stressing that once the endorsement process is done, few delegates show up in January and frequently not until the fall of the next election cycle.
"In the past, we haven't disclosed to candidates that (the recommendation) is the end of our legal responsibility, so do we tell the candidate that?" he asked, noting while Council members do not have to actively campaign for them they routinely do as a technically separate body.
One vocal delegate quickly replied the bylaws are clear campaigning for candidates "is not the function of the Council." And if and when it happens, as some seasoned veterans of the system pointed out has always been the case in years past, suggested, "now we are extremely biased ... exactly the opposite of what we want to be to the community. Our work should stop there."
That same man, who stressed the candidate slating was a recommendation and not something candidates should be allowed to call an endorsement, later reiterated if his purpose is just to interview and recommend candidates as the bylaws state, then he serves "no useful purpose" from January to May.
Coryell clarified the Council "is not formally involved in the election process" -- a fact corroborated by District 10 delegate Vera Catuara in that, after slating, some of the same members "as a group, not as the Citizens' Council" then "form a new political party to help slated candidates" for every election before disbanding until the next election.
However, while it was not disclosed what happens in those January to May meetings of the Council in a time when Coryell said the Council typically diminishes to some 15 members or as few as five or eight -- except, perhaps, party business -- former 8-year Village Board trustee, District 1 delegate and unsuccessful but endorsed 2005 mayoral candidate Ted Hadley defended the body's role and what he said was the reality of its existence.
"We didn't want a party system in this village," he said, noting the Council is there to pick a broad, diverse slate of candidates to build strong boards and then help them get elected. "On the whole, this system has put a pretty good government in place ... (but) if you just sit here (and endorse) and then walk away, then what's the point of endorsing?"
He contended once the Council endorsements are set, it is the Council's duty to make sure the slate(s) it recommends are successful, like it or not.
"That's what happened, that's just the history, that's how it's been," he added.
But Coryell said if that's what some members want, then the volunteers involved now must then "maintain a viable Council" from January to May and beyond -- because "morphing" into a party is clearly not its purpose -- and spend the non-election period "changing the bylaws.
"Instead of having a duty to the citizens of La Grange," he said although did not necessarily advocate, the group can have "a duty to the selected members" instead.
And although membership chairman and District 7 delegate Rob Pierson said "if there's a political party formed (post-slating), it's not us," Catuara also said "since this organization organized, the same group does (the party work) after the Citizens' Council disbands.
"It has been a part of the Citizens' Council (role) since it was formed," she said, noting once slating occurs "we do the paperwork" to get them on the ballot to be elected because many times candidates have no idea how to file petitions. "We make sure what has to be done and we hope they will be elected."
She added if all everyone wants to do is vote, the process is not going to work for the candidates.
"This is almost a necessity," she said. "If we're going to recommend and not (help) ... it seems useless."
District 4 delegate Nancy Weiler said "20 years ago you were told you would support the candidates" after slating occurred.
"I remember putting a sign in my yard for a candidate," she said. "Historically, the Council was expected to go to lengths (to help the slate get elected)."
And though there was disagreement as to what the future should hold, Coryell agreed with Catuara to an extent.
"At our meeting in January, we (typically have) adjourned and the meeting for the party started and we moved into party business -- same room, same people," he said, adding "anyone could then show up" and join although such an announcement has never been made publicly.
"We have lost two-thirds of the time, so we have a one-third success rate with competition races," he noted.
While Council-slated candidacies have routinely spurned independents in the past, few opponents have won. That dynamic changed in 2005, when Hadley was endorsed but resoundingly lost to then-trustee Liz Asperger. Confusion also reigned in 2007, when a candidate falsely ran as an endorsee when he clearly was not.
The petition to add a ninth member to District 5, containing the signatures of 80 registered voters in the district -- as allowed for in the bylaws for anyone who is "dissatisfied" with any district makeup -- was opposed by some delegates who said it appeared there might be a move to "stack the deck" in that district, perhaps for one or more desired candidates.
Catuara, a nearly 20-year delegate whose geographical area in one of the village's furthest corners boasts only herself, said she wondered why District 5 should deserve an additional member when every one of the other 10 districts were lacking a maximum of eight per district and why the petitioner's dissatisfaction was not described.
District 5 includes such notables as Orlando Coryell -- who is also the husband of Library Board member Caroline Coryell and a resident who sued the Park District over its controversial decision to sell public park land for private development -- as well as longtime Park District activist Kate Brogan, Council officer Joan Vander Linde, whose husband is Village Board Trustee James Palermo, and new delegate and Council Qualificatons Committee Co-Chair Katie Justak.
Delegates in other districts include, in District 1, the wife of Village Trustee Mark Kuchler, Deann Kuchler, former Park Board Commissioner and park land sale opponent Kevin Shields; in District 2, former park land sale opponent and La Grange Towers resident Bill Dobias and Qualifications Committee co-chair Ken Levinson; longtime civic activist Jeanine McLaughlin and Pierson's wife, Nancy and in District 11, the wife of former trustee candidate Nicholas Pann, Carolyn Pann.
Spouses, under the bylaws, are allowed to vote for each other at slating time, as was the case with Palermo two years ago.
The only ones expressing an interest in slating for re-election to date are Village Trustees Mike Horvath and Barb Wolfe, Village President Liz Asperger, Library Trustees Becky Spratford and Mary Nelson and Park Commissioner Tim Kelpsas.
Park and Library hopefuls vying for four and three seats, respectively, have until Wednesday, Oct. 22 to submit applications, with slating taking place Nov. 12 and possibly one other night that month. Village candidates vying for five seats including three trustee seats, clerk and president have until Monday, Nov. 3 and will be slated Wednesday, Dec. 10.
It was agreed when interviews take place, each candidate will be given five minutes to speak five minutes to answer structured questions and 10 minutes to answer Council inquiries. The voting of recommended candidates takes place in privately and is announced publicly.
Monday, September 29, 2008
THEATRE FUNDING MOVING FORWARD
Well, it appears the lobbying efforts by owners of the LaGrange Theatre to seek some type of village financing to subsidize a nearly $3 million renovation of the 83-year-old movie house may soon become reality.
When that occurs, however, is not yet known. The Village Board is not scheduled to meet again formally until 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13.
The board, after a protracted 3-1/2-hour debate at a Sept. 29 special meeting called specifically for the purpose of discussing funding options, reached consensus on some points, bringing it close to signing off on a final decision -- even though it may only be via a 4-3 split board vote.
A majority of the board, including Village President Elizabeth Asperger, favored using Tax Increment Financing money to meet the request -- to the tune of $1 million to $1.35 million -- with a proposed structure in the agreement calling for a facade easement financed by the village and an operational covenant that assures the property will remain a theater until all or a portion of the village's investment is paid for with revenues of a 50-cent entertainment tax.
It has not yet been determined whether the financing would incorporate a mixture of TIF and General Funds or one or the other, although a majority of TIF money is likely.
Since it was only a workshop, there was no formal or final vote taken by trustees, just an informal poll and a general agreement to direct staff to prepare an intergovernmental agreement based on majority viewpoints and seek approval from the theater owners.
But before any final action is taken, some trustees wanted to see more undisclosed financial statements, credit reports and some evidence of payback worthiness before they decide how much they should give away.
Theater owners John Rot and David Rizner, who also co-own the nearby Horton's Home Furnishings on the same stretch of downtown La Grange Road, had originally asked for village assistance of up to $1.7 million of the estimated $3.1 million project cost. They said they were not seeking a bailout, but a fair shake since they represent such a unique institution.
Village staff, through a 10-page working term sheet and a 6-page memorandum not released publicly -- which Asperger said reflected discussions on the topic over the last several weeks --recommended an agreement which would have the owners fund $1.35 million of the total revised project cost and the village contribute $1.35 million with a zero-interest loan paid back using proceeds of the entertainment/amusement tax expected to generate $100,000 annually.
Village Manager Robert Pilipszyn said the parties were "unable to finalize" a village-recommended 20-year operational commitment or an agreement for Rot and Rizner to pay in full if they default on the contract.
Asperger initially called the staff recommendation "thoughtful and very prudent" and one that aims to develop a consensus among board members with vastly differing views related to what kind and how much money would be spent and the scope of the village's commitment. She later acquiesced to the compromise which, in part, would provide some funds to renovate the theater and remaining TIF surplus dollars to fund an ongoing economic development initiative.
However, disagreement over the initial recommendation, whether the funds should be in the form of a grant or loan, how much should be awarded and whether staff should have even done any more than provide data without a proposal to the board fueled the rest of the debate.
Trustee Thomas Livingston said he believed the draft agreement would have moved the board in the right direction and addressed an appropriate balance of funding sources, but Trustee Mark Kuchler strongly criticized staff's over-involvement in the board's policy decision.
"When staff advocates a position, they become advocates of the position," said Kuchler, who got fellow trustees to agree to consider the idea of La Grange purchasing a facade easement from the theater and an operational covenant that the theater would remain in place indefinitely or until the owners or future owners essentially return the village's original $1 million investment.
Trustee Mark Horvath stressed the need for a long-term commitment of the theater to remain in town if public funds are used. But he also cautioned spending TIF surplus money that rightfully should be reimbursed to tax payers.
"Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it," he said. TIF was designed to cure blight. We cured blight, so let's not be in a rush to spend it under the economic development banner."
And Trustee Barbara Wolf said while she doesn't support the use of TIF money,she believes there should be support for using the General Fund, which could be repaid by the new tax.
For a more in-depth story on the meeting, revisit The News blog in a couple of days.
When that occurs, however, is not yet known. The Village Board is not scheduled to meet again formally until 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13.
The board, after a protracted 3-1/2-hour debate at a Sept. 29 special meeting called specifically for the purpose of discussing funding options, reached consensus on some points, bringing it close to signing off on a final decision -- even though it may only be via a 4-3 split board vote.
A majority of the board, including Village President Elizabeth Asperger, favored using Tax Increment Financing money to meet the request -- to the tune of $1 million to $1.35 million -- with a proposed structure in the agreement calling for a facade easement financed by the village and an operational covenant that assures the property will remain a theater until all or a portion of the village's investment is paid for with revenues of a 50-cent entertainment tax.
It has not yet been determined whether the financing would incorporate a mixture of TIF and General Funds or one or the other, although a majority of TIF money is likely.
Since it was only a workshop, there was no formal or final vote taken by trustees, just an informal poll and a general agreement to direct staff to prepare an intergovernmental agreement based on majority viewpoints and seek approval from the theater owners.
But before any final action is taken, some trustees wanted to see more undisclosed financial statements, credit reports and some evidence of payback worthiness before they decide how much they should give away.
Theater owners John Rot and David Rizner, who also co-own the nearby Horton's Home Furnishings on the same stretch of downtown La Grange Road, had originally asked for village assistance of up to $1.7 million of the estimated $3.1 million project cost. They said they were not seeking a bailout, but a fair shake since they represent such a unique institution.
Village staff, through a 10-page working term sheet and a 6-page memorandum not released publicly -- which Asperger said reflected discussions on the topic over the last several weeks --recommended an agreement which would have the owners fund $1.35 million of the total revised project cost and the village contribute $1.35 million with a zero-interest loan paid back using proceeds of the entertainment/amusement tax expected to generate $100,000 annually.
Village Manager Robert Pilipszyn said the parties were "unable to finalize" a village-recommended 20-year operational commitment or an agreement for Rot and Rizner to pay in full if they default on the contract.
Asperger initially called the staff recommendation "thoughtful and very prudent" and one that aims to develop a consensus among board members with vastly differing views related to what kind and how much money would be spent and the scope of the village's commitment. She later acquiesced to the compromise which, in part, would provide some funds to renovate the theater and remaining TIF surplus dollars to fund an ongoing economic development initiative.
However, disagreement over the initial recommendation, whether the funds should be in the form of a grant or loan, how much should be awarded and whether staff should have even done any more than provide data without a proposal to the board fueled the rest of the debate.
Trustee Thomas Livingston said he believed the draft agreement would have moved the board in the right direction and addressed an appropriate balance of funding sources, but Trustee Mark Kuchler strongly criticized staff's over-involvement in the board's policy decision.
"When staff advocates a position, they become advocates of the position," said Kuchler, who got fellow trustees to agree to consider the idea of La Grange purchasing a facade easement from the theater and an operational covenant that the theater would remain in place indefinitely or until the owners or future owners essentially return the village's original $1 million investment.
Trustee Mark Horvath stressed the need for a long-term commitment of the theater to remain in town if public funds are used. But he also cautioned spending TIF surplus money that rightfully should be reimbursed to tax payers.
"Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it," he said. TIF was designed to cure blight. We cured blight, so let's not be in a rush to spend it under the economic development banner."
And Trustee Barbara Wolf said while she doesn't support the use of TIF money,she believes there should be support for using the General Fund, which could be repaid by the new tax.
For a more in-depth story on the meeting, revisit The News blog in a couple of days.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
FIREFIGHTER FUNDRAISER
La Grange Firefighters Local 2338 will hold its rescheduled annual golf outing fundraiser -- originally set for Sept. 16 but cancelled due to heavy rains -- on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at Palos Country Cub on Southwest Highway in Orland Park.
The event will offer golf and dinner for $90 or just dinner for $35 per person, including a two-hour open bar and numerous prize giveaways.
Proceeds will go towards the Illinois Burn Camp Alliance at which the labor union sponsors a child for one entire week at Camp Duncan in Volo; the Park District of La Grange's annual Halloween Walk in downtown La Grange during which it awards one bicycle each to a boy and girl costume contest winner and the La Grange Little League in which it sponsors a team that plays in the summer months at Sedgwick Park, according to Fire Lt. Don Gay.
Further information is available by calling firefighters Gay, Bill Brzgalski or Brian Sible at (708) 579-2338.
The event will offer golf and dinner for $90 or just dinner for $35 per person, including a two-hour open bar and numerous prize giveaways.
Proceeds will go towards the Illinois Burn Camp Alliance at which the labor union sponsors a child for one entire week at Camp Duncan in Volo; the Park District of La Grange's annual Halloween Walk in downtown La Grange during which it awards one bicycle each to a boy and girl costume contest winner and the La Grange Little League in which it sponsors a team that plays in the summer months at Sedgwick Park, according to Fire Lt. Don Gay.
Further information is available by calling firefighters Gay, Bill Brzgalski or Brian Sible at (708) 579-2338.
NO HEARING FOR LAND SWAP: VILLAGE
Contrary opinion from an opponent of the Gordon Park land sale and the discussion of a land swap between the La Grange Village Board and the Park District of La Grange was clarified by Village Manager Robert Pilipszyn late last week.
At the Sept. 22 Town Meeting at Spring Avenue School, resident and attorney Tom Beyer said a public hearing is required for the swap because the wrong Illinois Revised Statute is being used to justify the exchange. If the right one was used, he maintained, a hearing would be mandated. If not, the village could be opening itself up to lawsuits, he contended.
However, Pilipszyn said the village attorney assured him the Illinois Local Property Transfer Act "is the correct and appropriate statute" for purposes of the Park District land exchange because it addresses the transfer of property from from one public entity to another.
The legislative intent of the statute cited by Beyer as the proper statute prescribes a process to exchange land between a municipality and a private party -- but the Park District is a division of local government and not a private party.
"We're acting on authority granted to both of us under the Property Transfer Act ... which does not authorize the transfer of property to a private party, which closes the loop," he said. "The Property Transfer Act doesn't even authorize atransfer of property to a private party, which makes it really clear as to the purpose of that statute."
Thus, he added, it will be helpful for the Park Board to complete the transfer of property before the Tuesday, Nov. 4 referendum to make it abundantly clear as to the ownership of property in the park.
The board plans to swap a village parking lot next to Gordon Park for a vacated portion of Shawmut Avenue within the park
The Park Board voted to put the land sale issue on the ballot after a Cook County Circuit judge ruled the parcel was more than 3 acres and required voter approval.
At the Sept. 22 Town Meeting at Spring Avenue School, resident and attorney Tom Beyer said a public hearing is required for the swap because the wrong Illinois Revised Statute is being used to justify the exchange. If the right one was used, he maintained, a hearing would be mandated. If not, the village could be opening itself up to lawsuits, he contended.
However, Pilipszyn said the village attorney assured him the Illinois Local Property Transfer Act "is the correct and appropriate statute" for purposes of the Park District land exchange because it addresses the transfer of property from from one public entity to another.
The legislative intent of the statute cited by Beyer as the proper statute prescribes a process to exchange land between a municipality and a private party -- but the Park District is a division of local government and not a private party.
"We're acting on authority granted to both of us under the Property Transfer Act ... which does not authorize the transfer of property to a private party, which closes the loop," he said. "The Property Transfer Act doesn't even authorize atransfer of property to a private party, which makes it really clear as to the purpose of that statute."
Thus, he added, it will be helpful for the Park Board to complete the transfer of property before the Tuesday, Nov. 4 referendum to make it abundantly clear as to the ownership of property in the park.
The board plans to swap a village parking lot next to Gordon Park for a vacated portion of Shawmut Avenue within the park
The Park Board voted to put the land sale issue on the ballot after a Cook County Circuit judge ruled the parcel was more than 3 acres and required voter approval.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
PARK REFERENDUM NOW HAS TWO SIDES
The gloves are now off in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 referendum which will ask La Grange voters whether or not they approve of the sale of a portion of the 17-acre Gordon Park to a private developer proposing to build a mixed-use residential/retail complex there.
Opponents of the land sale lobbied both the Park Board of Commissioners at its Sept. 18 meeting and the Village Board at its Sept. 22 "town meeting" at Spring Avenue School -- but that is where a proponent of the deal also announced her group's pro-referendum efforts.
Dubbed "Citizens for a Great Gordon Park," organizer Julie Workman, an attorney, said the organization was formed by about 10 La Grange residents who are in support of the referenda calling for the sale of 2.82 acres at the park behind the former Rich Port YMCA at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
If approved, the Park Board would sell two parcels, a 2.5-acre and a .77-acre piece of land on either side of the vacated Shawmut Avenue along the north edge of the existing YMCA building, at public auction, as required by law.
Workman, a nine-year resident and former YMCA fitness instructor who told the board she was speaking on behalf of the new organization, said their big effort is one of simply getting out the vote.
"We are concerned citizens who want to get the word out about the referendum," she said, not revealing other member's names. "We want to make sure they get to the bottom of the ballot ... and make sure people are aware of the issue and vote yes."
She stressed a vote of approval will mean a more than $6 million profit to the Park District for a portion of the park that is "totally underutilized" and will leave another 14.7 acres that, with the new money, will be "completely redone."
That, she and Park Director Dean Bissias said in a separate interview, will include two new ballfields, soccer and lacrosse fields, a splash pad, butterfly garden, handball courts, open land and a new drainage system. The land for sale features two storage buildings, an often vandalized playground, two tennis courts and a soccer field, Bissias said.
"The park will no longer flood every time it rains like it does now," she said, adding improvements will also included four new lighted tennis courts and expanded parking.
"It's going to be the envy of all the residents around here," she said. "We want the truth to get out."
But her words were quickly drowned out by opponents of the sale, particularly former 12-year Park Board member Kevin Shields, who promised the Park Board last week he would fight the proposal "tooth and nail" because it is short-sighted.
"I think the person who encouraged you to vote yes ... is being misled. I think a lot of attention has been given to mislead the residents of the village," he said. "AllI hear is 2.82 acres and it's not the case. It is a total loss of 3.5 acres. It is well-established that taking public land and selling it to wonderful profits cause a developer wants it (is wrong). Where is our village planner in preserving our park land, our open space?"
Four days earlier, he convinced the Park Board to agree to work with the nonprofit Park Patrons Around La Grange foundation to help dismantle and sell the metal storage shed and the bricks from its maintenance building, on land proposed to be sold to Atlantic Realty Partners.
The bricks, he said, originally were the pavers used along Ogden Avenue through the village and are a valuable commodity.
He further said the land sale just doesn't make sense.
He said when School Distgrict 105 wanted to sell its 1.5-acre tot lot several years ago, residents "came to the rescue" to save the land and prevent it from being redeveloped as a new residential subdivision.
He called the Gordon Park parcels on the selling block "a beautiful piece of land" with mature trees.
"It's just absurd. We're below the per capita (formula for park land) and we don't even meet half the acreage ... It's just mind-boggling," Shields said. "To me, it doesn't add up. It's going to be a nightmare. You're not going to be able to (keep) that to be a functional intersection.
"'It's going to be the envy of the residents?" he added. "I don't think so. It's going to be such a hassle to get to that park."
Attorney Tom Beyer of La Grange, who also railed against the sale at last week's Park Board meeting, praised the Village Board for delaying action on a proposed land swap with the Park District and said they were inviting more litigation if they approve it as proposed.
As proposed, the village would possibly exchange its parking lot on the YMCA site for a portion of the vacated Shawmut Avenue, that runs east off La Grange Road then turns into grass.
"The swap is being brought forth under the wrong statute," he said."Instead of using the statute specifically relating to swaps -- which require publishing and a public hearing with a 4/5ths majority vote to pass -- what the Park District has done to date is not acceptable."
The Village Board was scheduled to take action Sept. 22 on an intergovernmental agreement and ordinance defining the land exchange, but Village President Liz Asperger said that was on hold until attorneys work out the finer details of the pact.
Beyer said reasons put forth by the Park Board as to why the land should be sold off are "simply invalid," including the fact there were 11 issues involving police there. "To take down the (storage) sheds and build 282 apartment units and have less parkland for all the people that are going to be there makes no sense at all."
The proposed La Grange Place would also include 26 townhouses built into the existing park hill north of Shawmut, parking beneath the 5-story apartment complex built partially on the land to the south of Shawmut and 33,000 square feet of retail frontage in the apartment building and at the intersection.
Resident Harlan Hirt also told trustees he believed the land swap was proposed to avoid a referendum.
"The swap should not be consummated," he said, after handing over a prepared statement to Asperger. "The village does not need to sweeten the deal ... Table your action until the results of the referendum are known."
After a hourlong closed session at the Sept. 18 Park Board meeting, commissioners approved two proposed real estate contracts with ARP, which include offers on two parcels of the park land officials said they are confident will be higher than an auction will fetch.
An auction is required under the law if voters approve the referendum.
The Park Board also approved its end of an intergovernmental agreement that calls for the exchange of a third parcel of land, a vacated part of Shawmut, for a village parking lot along the east side of Locust Avenue adjacent to the park.
Locust runs through the existing parking lot to the building's east. If redeveloped, the road would exit directly onto Ogden, with a proposed traffic light, instead of on an angle with nothing but a stop sign as is currently the case.
The Park Board agreed Aug. 30 to place a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot after it chose not to appeal a Circuit Court ruling that the amount of land in its original contract with ARP exceeded three acres. Park District lawyers aregued only 2.82 acres were to be sold, but the judge disagreed.
Under state law, the sale of under three acres of park land has to be approved in court and with more than three acres, by the voters.
ARP already reached a settlement with one opponent of the land sale who lives in the adjacent La Grange Towers condominium highrise. ARP said it would set aside 1/2 acre of parkland behind the Towers if it ultimately buys the land in question.
Opponents of the land sale lobbied both the Park Board of Commissioners at its Sept. 18 meeting and the Village Board at its Sept. 22 "town meeting" at Spring Avenue School -- but that is where a proponent of the deal also announced her group's pro-referendum efforts.
Dubbed "Citizens for a Great Gordon Park," organizer Julie Workman, an attorney, said the organization was formed by about 10 La Grange residents who are in support of the referenda calling for the sale of 2.82 acres at the park behind the former Rich Port YMCA at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
If approved, the Park Board would sell two parcels, a 2.5-acre and a .77-acre piece of land on either side of the vacated Shawmut Avenue along the north edge of the existing YMCA building, at public auction, as required by law.
Workman, a nine-year resident and former YMCA fitness instructor who told the board she was speaking on behalf of the new organization, said their big effort is one of simply getting out the vote.
"We are concerned citizens who want to get the word out about the referendum," she said, not revealing other member's names. "We want to make sure they get to the bottom of the ballot ... and make sure people are aware of the issue and vote yes."
She stressed a vote of approval will mean a more than $6 million profit to the Park District for a portion of the park that is "totally underutilized" and will leave another 14.7 acres that, with the new money, will be "completely redone."
That, she and Park Director Dean Bissias said in a separate interview, will include two new ballfields, soccer and lacrosse fields, a splash pad, butterfly garden, handball courts, open land and a new drainage system. The land for sale features two storage buildings, an often vandalized playground, two tennis courts and a soccer field, Bissias said.
"The park will no longer flood every time it rains like it does now," she said, adding improvements will also included four new lighted tennis courts and expanded parking.
"It's going to be the envy of all the residents around here," she said. "We want the truth to get out."
But her words were quickly drowned out by opponents of the sale, particularly former 12-year Park Board member Kevin Shields, who promised the Park Board last week he would fight the proposal "tooth and nail" because it is short-sighted.
"I think the person who encouraged you to vote yes ... is being misled. I think a lot of attention has been given to mislead the residents of the village," he said. "AllI hear is 2.82 acres and it's not the case. It is a total loss of 3.5 acres. It is well-established that taking public land and selling it to wonderful profits cause a developer wants it (is wrong). Where is our village planner in preserving our park land, our open space?"
Four days earlier, he convinced the Park Board to agree to work with the nonprofit Park Patrons Around La Grange foundation to help dismantle and sell the metal storage shed and the bricks from its maintenance building, on land proposed to be sold to Atlantic Realty Partners.
The bricks, he said, originally were the pavers used along Ogden Avenue through the village and are a valuable commodity.
He further said the land sale just doesn't make sense.
He said when School Distgrict 105 wanted to sell its 1.5-acre tot lot several years ago, residents "came to the rescue" to save the land and prevent it from being redeveloped as a new residential subdivision.
He called the Gordon Park parcels on the selling block "a beautiful piece of land" with mature trees.
"It's just absurd. We're below the per capita (formula for park land) and we don't even meet half the acreage ... It's just mind-boggling," Shields said. "To me, it doesn't add up. It's going to be a nightmare. You're not going to be able to (keep) that to be a functional intersection.
"'It's going to be the envy of the residents?" he added. "I don't think so. It's going to be such a hassle to get to that park."
Attorney Tom Beyer of La Grange, who also railed against the sale at last week's Park Board meeting, praised the Village Board for delaying action on a proposed land swap with the Park District and said they were inviting more litigation if they approve it as proposed.
As proposed, the village would possibly exchange its parking lot on the YMCA site for a portion of the vacated Shawmut Avenue, that runs east off La Grange Road then turns into grass.
"The swap is being brought forth under the wrong statute," he said."Instead of using the statute specifically relating to swaps -- which require publishing and a public hearing with a 4/5ths majority vote to pass -- what the Park District has done to date is not acceptable."
The Village Board was scheduled to take action Sept. 22 on an intergovernmental agreement and ordinance defining the land exchange, but Village President Liz Asperger said that was on hold until attorneys work out the finer details of the pact.
Beyer said reasons put forth by the Park Board as to why the land should be sold off are "simply invalid," including the fact there were 11 issues involving police there. "To take down the (storage) sheds and build 282 apartment units and have less parkland for all the people that are going to be there makes no sense at all."
The proposed La Grange Place would also include 26 townhouses built into the existing park hill north of Shawmut, parking beneath the 5-story apartment complex built partially on the land to the south of Shawmut and 33,000 square feet of retail frontage in the apartment building and at the intersection.
Resident Harlan Hirt also told trustees he believed the land swap was proposed to avoid a referendum.
"The swap should not be consummated," he said, after handing over a prepared statement to Asperger. "The village does not need to sweeten the deal ... Table your action until the results of the referendum are known."
After a hourlong closed session at the Sept. 18 Park Board meeting, commissioners approved two proposed real estate contracts with ARP, which include offers on two parcels of the park land officials said they are confident will be higher than an auction will fetch.
An auction is required under the law if voters approve the referendum.
The Park Board also approved its end of an intergovernmental agreement that calls for the exchange of a third parcel of land, a vacated part of Shawmut, for a village parking lot along the east side of Locust Avenue adjacent to the park.
Locust runs through the existing parking lot to the building's east. If redeveloped, the road would exit directly onto Ogden, with a proposed traffic light, instead of on an angle with nothing but a stop sign as is currently the case.
The Park Board agreed Aug. 30 to place a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot after it chose not to appeal a Circuit Court ruling that the amount of land in its original contract with ARP exceeded three acres. Park District lawyers aregued only 2.82 acres were to be sold, but the judge disagreed.
Under state law, the sale of under three acres of park land has to be approved in court and with more than three acres, by the voters.
ARP already reached a settlement with one opponent of the land sale who lives in the adjacent La Grange Towers condominium highrise. ARP said it would set aside 1/2 acre of parkland behind the Towers if it ultimately buys the land in question.
Monday, September 15, 2008
CALLING ALL CANDIDATES
In a matter of months, municipal elections will be in full swing, so candidates planning to run for election, or reelection as the case may be, to the La Grange Village Board, Park Board of Commissioners or Library Board better start lining up.
First, we've got to get through that presidential and congressional election in November.
A little more than a week after voters visit the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Citizens' Council of La Grange will begin its biennial process of endorsing candidates for the village's 12 open seats.
The Council, which is comprised of 47 delegates (of a requisite 88 representing 11 geographical districts), met Sept. 10 and will meet again at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 before gathering all candidate data, doing interviews and reference checks before endorsing on Wednesday nights, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.
Incumbents will be notified this week to file applications and data sheets by Monday, Nov. 3. Park and Library board data is due Wednesday, Oct. 15.
The Council's mission is to "identify, interview and endorse highly qualified, community minded residents to run for public office" in the upcoming April 2009 elections. All facets of the process are public, but the actual endorsement vote is typically done in private.
A volunteer group, the Council considers itself "a nonpartisan, broad-based group of committed, informed citizens who evaluate candidates" for various village boards. The group has been around since the 1930s.
Council members, or delegates as they are called, must be registered voters and residents for at least one year. Although delegates represent whichever district in which they reside, there is at least one opening on all but one of the geographical districts.
The Council, according to its president Orlando Coryell, is not a political party but must file as one after its delegates help endorsed candidates collect signatures on their respective nominating petitions. Anyone can run for office independent of Council candidates and all petition documents must be filed no later than Jan. 19.
The group met Sept. 10 and decided not to hold a second meeting in October in a proposed attempt to build the roster of available delegates. However, since endorsement sessions are held on two separate days, it is possible more delegates could sign up (and attend two meetings as required) in time for the December session.
Endorsements for three Park Board and four Library Board candidates will be in November, with the session for Village President, Clerk and three trustees in December. For all offices except library, one must be a minimum one-year resident. A Library trustee only has to have resided in the village for at least one day, said Coryell.
Although the Park District, like schools, vets all of its employees because of required background checks, that is not done by the Council, Coryell said.
The Council decided to distribute flyers to residents, schools and businesses instead of just using email as was done this summer to recruit delegates. However, there is concern over distributing flyers to all 5,000 households in La Grange through the village, since some consider the Council a political organization, Coryell said.
A move by new delegate Ted Hadley to add a meeting in October was rejected by a 34-13 Council vote after board secretary Rob Pierson suggested doing so may invite abuse and cause partisan groups to pack the Council (as it has in the past) until endorsements are finished so they can assure "their" candidate is slated.
Hadley was the Council's endorsed candidate for village president in 2005, but lost to incumbent Liz Asperger. He joined the Council this summer.
Coryell, who is in charge of the meeting schedule, said the Council cannot bar new members who show up for the first time in October from participating in endorsements.
"That's not democracy," he said. "We're an inclusive, not an exclusive group."
Another delegate told the Council she "would like to see a larger representation" from under-represented areas, especially given the fact many recent endorsed candidates have come from one geogrphical area: the village's central historic distrct.
"We need to make this a more diverse council," she said. "It can only be a better community if you do that." There are two African-American delegates and slightly more men than women. However, it is not known which districts are better represented.
Some at the meeting agreed the District 102 caucus -- a separate organization with a similar charge -- has long been padded with special interests, which the Council says it wants to avoid.
There have been years in which voting membership was near the maximum or in the high 60s or 70s, said Coryell, who added one winter was so rough endorsements were only voted on by eight members. A majority of whoever is present determines which candidates are slated.
Although it is not yet known who my or may not run, incumbents whose terms are up in April include Asperger, Village Clerk Robert Milne and Village Board Trustees Mark Langan, Barb Wolf and Mike Horvath; Park Commissioners Tim Kelpsas, Bob Ashby and Chris Walsh Jr. and Library Trustees Mary Nelson, Jane Byczek, Becky Spratford and William Coffee.
First, we've got to get through that presidential and congressional election in November.
A little more than a week after voters visit the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Citizens' Council of La Grange will begin its biennial process of endorsing candidates for the village's 12 open seats.
The Council, which is comprised of 47 delegates (of a requisite 88 representing 11 geographical districts), met Sept. 10 and will meet again at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 before gathering all candidate data, doing interviews and reference checks before endorsing on Wednesday nights, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.
Incumbents will be notified this week to file applications and data sheets by Monday, Nov. 3. Park and Library board data is due Wednesday, Oct. 15.
The Council's mission is to "identify, interview and endorse highly qualified, community minded residents to run for public office" in the upcoming April 2009 elections. All facets of the process are public, but the actual endorsement vote is typically done in private.
A volunteer group, the Council considers itself "a nonpartisan, broad-based group of committed, informed citizens who evaluate candidates" for various village boards. The group has been around since the 1930s.
Council members, or delegates as they are called, must be registered voters and residents for at least one year. Although delegates represent whichever district in which they reside, there is at least one opening on all but one of the geographical districts.
The Council, according to its president Orlando Coryell, is not a political party but must file as one after its delegates help endorsed candidates collect signatures on their respective nominating petitions. Anyone can run for office independent of Council candidates and all petition documents must be filed no later than Jan. 19.
The group met Sept. 10 and decided not to hold a second meeting in October in a proposed attempt to build the roster of available delegates. However, since endorsement sessions are held on two separate days, it is possible more delegates could sign up (and attend two meetings as required) in time for the December session.
Endorsements for three Park Board and four Library Board candidates will be in November, with the session for Village President, Clerk and three trustees in December. For all offices except library, one must be a minimum one-year resident. A Library trustee only has to have resided in the village for at least one day, said Coryell.
Although the Park District, like schools, vets all of its employees because of required background checks, that is not done by the Council, Coryell said.
The Council decided to distribute flyers to residents, schools and businesses instead of just using email as was done this summer to recruit delegates. However, there is concern over distributing flyers to all 5,000 households in La Grange through the village, since some consider the Council a political organization, Coryell said.
A move by new delegate Ted Hadley to add a meeting in October was rejected by a 34-13 Council vote after board secretary Rob Pierson suggested doing so may invite abuse and cause partisan groups to pack the Council (as it has in the past) until endorsements are finished so they can assure "their" candidate is slated.
Hadley was the Council's endorsed candidate for village president in 2005, but lost to incumbent Liz Asperger. He joined the Council this summer.
Coryell, who is in charge of the meeting schedule, said the Council cannot bar new members who show up for the first time in October from participating in endorsements.
"That's not democracy," he said. "We're an inclusive, not an exclusive group."
Another delegate told the Council she "would like to see a larger representation" from under-represented areas, especially given the fact many recent endorsed candidates have come from one geogrphical area: the village's central historic distrct.
"We need to make this a more diverse council," she said. "It can only be a better community if you do that." There are two African-American delegates and slightly more men than women. However, it is not known which districts are better represented.
Some at the meeting agreed the District 102 caucus -- a separate organization with a similar charge -- has long been padded with special interests, which the Council says it wants to avoid.
There have been years in which voting membership was near the maximum or in the high 60s or 70s, said Coryell, who added one winter was so rough endorsements were only voted on by eight members. A majority of whoever is present determines which candidates are slated.
Although it is not yet known who my or may not run, incumbents whose terms are up in April include Asperger, Village Clerk Robert Milne and Village Board Trustees Mark Langan, Barb Wolf and Mike Horvath; Park Commissioners Tim Kelpsas, Bob Ashby and Chris Walsh Jr. and Library Trustees Mary Nelson, Jane Byczek, Becky Spratford and William Coffee.
UNDERWATER PEOPLE
There's always that one nitwit who decides his car is invincible and won't be mechanically affected as he drives through the virtual lake La Grange folks call the Ogden Avenue viaduct.
Oh well, maybe he was just trying to prove something. Or file a juicy insurance claim. Those are the kinds of things we'll never know. But they're usually fun to watch, that is unless someone gets hurt.
The torrential downpour that lasted virtually all weekend caused many flooded streets, yards and homes in the area -- and it was so bad at 47th Street and East Avenue where La Grange meets Brookfield and McCook, the intersection was closed to traffic.
That made for some creative detours, depending on where drivers were headed.
The newly painted black viaduct that runs over Ogden just west of where motorists turn onto Burlington Avenue was also under water for quite a while this past weekend.
La Grange firefighters found themselves helping their brethren deal with severe flooding woes in nearby Stone Park. They were assisted in their efforts by the Elmhurst Fire Department.
No word yet on whether the rains will cause the cancellation of the 15th Annual Golf Outing helping to fill the coffers of the La Grange Firefighters' Local 2338 Benefit Fund this Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Palos Country Club on Southwest Highway in Orland Park.
If they end up taking to the links, the water traps on the course may be more plentiful than usual.
Anyone who'd like to play ($90 for golf and dinner, 35 bucks for dinner only), with a shotgun start at 9:45 a.m., a 2-hour open bar before dinner and numerous raffles can call Bill Bryzgalski Don Gay or Brian Sible at the Fire Department, (708)579-2338.
Oh well, maybe he was just trying to prove something. Or file a juicy insurance claim. Those are the kinds of things we'll never know. But they're usually fun to watch, that is unless someone gets hurt.
The torrential downpour that lasted virtually all weekend caused many flooded streets, yards and homes in the area -- and it was so bad at 47th Street and East Avenue where La Grange meets Brookfield and McCook, the intersection was closed to traffic.
That made for some creative detours, depending on where drivers were headed.
The newly painted black viaduct that runs over Ogden just west of where motorists turn onto Burlington Avenue was also under water for quite a while this past weekend.
La Grange firefighters found themselves helping their brethren deal with severe flooding woes in nearby Stone Park. They were assisted in their efforts by the Elmhurst Fire Department.
No word yet on whether the rains will cause the cancellation of the 15th Annual Golf Outing helping to fill the coffers of the La Grange Firefighters' Local 2338 Benefit Fund this Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Palos Country Club on Southwest Highway in Orland Park.
If they end up taking to the links, the water traps on the course may be more plentiful than usual.
Anyone who'd like to play ($90 for golf and dinner, 35 bucks for dinner only), with a shotgun start at 9:45 a.m., a 2-hour open bar before dinner and numerous raffles can call Bill Bryzgalski Don Gay or Brian Sible at the Fire Department, (708)579-2338.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
GOOD SAMARITAN MAKES JACK'S DAY
I always say it's the little things that really count. But sometimes it's the little mistakes that reveal bigger things -- or stories as is the case for folks like me -- and this time I'm glad I mis-heard an important little someone's name.
After all, I may not have ever known about last week's bigger story.
First off, let me apologize to Jack Kunkle of La Grange. Things were so noisy at the start of last week's "Lounging in La Grange" Adirondack chair auction downtown that I thought I heard his father, John Kunkle, say he was about to spend $2,500 on a chair for his son of another name.
But that's where the new story begins, when Dad was in line waiting to buy the chair -- and a miraculous gesture took place. So here it goes:
"I went up to buy the chair and the lady behind the counter said 'It's already taken care of' and, as it turns out, somebody had already paid for it for me," said Mr. Kunkle. "I have no idea who it was. I was floored, I was overwhelmed. That's all I know is I'd been told it's been taken care of."
Wow. I mean, he knew a few friends and neighbors have been aware of his family's unfortunate predicament, ever since his son Jack, now a 7th grader at Park Jr. High in La Grange Park, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor eight months ago.
A lot of people at school and in the neighborhood knew about the 'jackkunk' link on the website, www.carepages.com which chronicles Jack's plight and treatment plans -- and some also knew about the La Grange Business Association auction Sept. 4.
"I really just went for the sole purpose of bidding on the Chicago Cubs chair and hopefully winning it," said Mr. Kunkle. "When I did, I was in a zone. I walked up to pay for it, figuring I'd stick it in the car and go home. But then this. It was just unbelievable."
He put a post on his website that night and let his and his wife's curiosity go unanswered.
"There's a side of us that says we're dying to know, but another part of us that's just gracious and feeling it was a fantastic gift," he said, adding, "Whoever did it wanted to be anonymous and that makes us feel good."
The chair, he said, is at home being enjoyed by Jack, and will likely be kept in the basement this winter. That's where Jack, his friends, his sisters -- eighth grader Emily and Lyons Township High School junior Leigh -- and their friends hang out.
"They're fantastic and his friends are the best group of friends," he added.
The Long and Winding Road...
Jack, said his father, had been really sick after the holidays earlier this year and on the morning of Friday, Jan. 18 , he woke up with an unbelievably bad headache, vomiting.
So his folks called the doctor, who suggested they have him checked out at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital. That's where a neurosurgeon told them Jack had a brain tumor, attached to his brain stem toward the rear of his head.
Three days later, Jack was operated on and after surgery, he didn't come home for a month. He spent two weeks in the hospital and another two at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
He then underwent six weeks of radiation and is now going through chemotherapy -- which will continue until February.
"The MRIs show the surgery was successful and killed all but a little bit and radiation got the rest of it," said his father. "He's doing good. It's a horrible toll, but he has such a fantastic attitude, which helps us all through it."
Jack swims at the La Grange Field Club and with the community swim team The Lions.
He also has been active in the Theatre of Western Springs' children's program and has
earned a bit part in a Park Theatre production of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" this November.
"(We like him doing) anything where he can be a kid again," said Dad.
Best Seat in the House...
The Cubbie blue and red chair, which spent the summer in front of Palmer Place, finds a place in the backyard of the Kunkle home just about every day.
"He loves it," Dad said of the chair. "But every night we bring it in."
And, every day, they count their blessings.
"It's unbelievable, it really is," he said. "We are all still so overwhelmed by it. What a gift."
After all, I may not have ever known about last week's bigger story.
First off, let me apologize to Jack Kunkle of La Grange. Things were so noisy at the start of last week's "Lounging in La Grange" Adirondack chair auction downtown that I thought I heard his father, John Kunkle, say he was about to spend $2,500 on a chair for his son of another name.
But that's where the new story begins, when Dad was in line waiting to buy the chair -- and a miraculous gesture took place. So here it goes:
"I went up to buy the chair and the lady behind the counter said 'It's already taken care of' and, as it turns out, somebody had already paid for it for me," said Mr. Kunkle. "I have no idea who it was. I was floored, I was overwhelmed. That's all I know is I'd been told it's been taken care of."
Wow. I mean, he knew a few friends and neighbors have been aware of his family's unfortunate predicament, ever since his son Jack, now a 7th grader at Park Jr. High in La Grange Park, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor eight months ago.
A lot of people at school and in the neighborhood knew about the 'jackkunk' link on the website, www.carepages.com which chronicles Jack's plight and treatment plans -- and some also knew about the La Grange Business Association auction Sept. 4.
"I really just went for the sole purpose of bidding on the Chicago Cubs chair and hopefully winning it," said Mr. Kunkle. "When I did, I was in a zone. I walked up to pay for it, figuring I'd stick it in the car and go home. But then this. It was just unbelievable."
He put a post on his website that night and let his and his wife's curiosity go unanswered.
"There's a side of us that says we're dying to know, but another part of us that's just gracious and feeling it was a fantastic gift," he said, adding, "Whoever did it wanted to be anonymous and that makes us feel good."
The chair, he said, is at home being enjoyed by Jack, and will likely be kept in the basement this winter. That's where Jack, his friends, his sisters -- eighth grader Emily and Lyons Township High School junior Leigh -- and their friends hang out.
"They're fantastic and his friends are the best group of friends," he added.
The Long and Winding Road...
Jack, said his father, had been really sick after the holidays earlier this year and on the morning of Friday, Jan. 18 , he woke up with an unbelievably bad headache, vomiting.
So his folks called the doctor, who suggested they have him checked out at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital. That's where a neurosurgeon told them Jack had a brain tumor, attached to his brain stem toward the rear of his head.
Three days later, Jack was operated on and after surgery, he didn't come home for a month. He spent two weeks in the hospital and another two at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
He then underwent six weeks of radiation and is now going through chemotherapy -- which will continue until February.
"The MRIs show the surgery was successful and killed all but a little bit and radiation got the rest of it," said his father. "He's doing good. It's a horrible toll, but he has such a fantastic attitude, which helps us all through it."
Jack swims at the La Grange Field Club and with the community swim team The Lions.
He also has been active in the Theatre of Western Springs' children's program and has
earned a bit part in a Park Theatre production of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" this November.
"(We like him doing) anything where he can be a kid again," said Dad.
Best Seat in the House...
The Cubbie blue and red chair, which spent the summer in front of Palmer Place, finds a place in the backyard of the Kunkle home just about every day.
"He loves it," Dad said of the chair. "But every night we bring it in."
And, every day, they count their blessings.
"It's unbelievable, it really is," he said. "We are all still so overwhelmed by it. What a gift."
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
GORDON PARK FATE LEFT TO RESIDENTS
On Saturday the Park District of La Grange voted in favor of allowing residents decide the fate of Gordon Park, a referendum question will appear on the November ballot.
Developers want a portion of the park be sold in order to enhance their plans for the former site of the Rich Port YMCA, at the northeast corner of La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
Developers want a portion of the park be sold in order to enhance their plans for the former site of the Rich Port YMCA, at the northeast corner of La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
HOT OFF THE PRESSES... LA GRANGE THEATRE RESTORATION
Hot off the presses ... is the Village Board's tentative informal 4-3 decision Aug. 25 to agree that giving the owners of La Grange Theatre up to $1.725 million in surplus tax increment finance district funds is an appropriate policy decision worth exploring.
We, of course, want to know what you think.
A minority opinion called for a possible post-TIF district policy, when the district expires next year, to explore other funding sources like community fund-raisers and, possibly, loans.
Others said the facade and marquee restorations were more important than anything in the $3.13 million project and that maybe the money should be considered a loan instead of a grant.
As promised, the property owners would agree to put up $1 million more and the La Grange Business Association pledged $50,000 toward marquee work on the project, which includes rehab of all four auditoriums, more and newly placed restrooms, new equipment and utility systems, and a new indoor/outdoor retro lobby and concession stand.
Trustee Mark Kuchler summed it up best, even though those in favor of the onetime gift to John Rot and David Rizner seemed more convincing in their positions, when he said he was not in favor of giving up $1.725 million for the rehab and restoration of the movie house.
"The level (of funding) is an issue ... (but I don't need the best looking lobby or community room cause we already have (one in) the library, Park District, here," he said. "I don't want to tell you how to do your business, but when you're here asking for $1.7 million, I guess that allows me."
Trustee Mike Horvath also chimed in, noting this is not a TIF-eligible project.
"This one borders on crossing the line (as far as TIF abuse)," he said, later adding, "It's troubling to me that government entities are always moving in to save the day. I don't see that as a role in a big way of a municipality. There's nothing that meets the TIF standard."
Horvath, who also suggested "a community effort" be started if it is such an asset, said the theater owners need to "get more creative" and asked whether La Grange is "a ending institution or venture capital opportunists."
Village President Liz Asperger, however, likened the funding to the $5 million of property the village purchased to spur economic development on the Triangle property, investment in the parking deck or the $1 million in planned intersection upgrades at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
"This is our role as a government body, to take a long-term view of this and ask 'Is there some risk? Yes. Is there a potential reward? Yes, more than some.'" she said. "This is affordable family entertainment, the theater acts as an anchor. It's an economic engine and provides in part that sense of place, that sense of pride. (And) it's an appropriate TIF project."
Trustee Mark Langan also defended the one-time grant, calling the village a bridge between the business community and its residents.
"This is an opportunity for us to do something unique," he said. "We've got to do something to keep economic development going ... and this is an economic decision."
So the question remains: Is this a municipality's role, to save and preserve an historic building that is privately owned? How much is enough and how much is too much?
Also, is the theater renovation something community residents should try to raise money to do?
We agree with the board majority that it's a community asset and one that needs to be preserved. After all, the village restores its historic train stations -- the Stone Avenue work is coming up -- and the old Town Hall where it works and hosts meetings.
But we know some of you don't agree. Please us know how you feel.
We, of course, want to know what you think.
A minority opinion called for a possible post-TIF district policy, when the district expires next year, to explore other funding sources like community fund-raisers and, possibly, loans.
Others said the facade and marquee restorations were more important than anything in the $3.13 million project and that maybe the money should be considered a loan instead of a grant.
As promised, the property owners would agree to put up $1 million more and the La Grange Business Association pledged $50,000 toward marquee work on the project, which includes rehab of all four auditoriums, more and newly placed restrooms, new equipment and utility systems, and a new indoor/outdoor retro lobby and concession stand.
Trustee Mark Kuchler summed it up best, even though those in favor of the onetime gift to John Rot and David Rizner seemed more convincing in their positions, when he said he was not in favor of giving up $1.725 million for the rehab and restoration of the movie house.
"The level (of funding) is an issue ... (but I don't need the best looking lobby or community room cause we already have (one in) the library, Park District, here," he said. "I don't want to tell you how to do your business, but when you're here asking for $1.7 million, I guess that allows me."
Trustee Mike Horvath also chimed in, noting this is not a TIF-eligible project.
"This one borders on crossing the line (as far as TIF abuse)," he said, later adding, "It's troubling to me that government entities are always moving in to save the day. I don't see that as a role in a big way of a municipality. There's nothing that meets the TIF standard."
Horvath, who also suggested "a community effort" be started if it is such an asset, said the theater owners need to "get more creative" and asked whether La Grange is "a ending institution or venture capital opportunists."
Village President Liz Asperger, however, likened the funding to the $5 million of property the village purchased to spur economic development on the Triangle property, investment in the parking deck or the $1 million in planned intersection upgrades at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.
"This is our role as a government body, to take a long-term view of this and ask 'Is there some risk? Yes. Is there a potential reward? Yes, more than some.'" she said. "This is affordable family entertainment, the theater acts as an anchor. It's an economic engine and provides in part that sense of place, that sense of pride. (And) it's an appropriate TIF project."
Trustee Mark Langan also defended the one-time grant, calling the village a bridge between the business community and its residents.
"This is an opportunity for us to do something unique," he said. "We've got to do something to keep economic development going ... and this is an economic decision."
So the question remains: Is this a municipality's role, to save and preserve an historic building that is privately owned? How much is enough and how much is too much?
Also, is the theater renovation something community residents should try to raise money to do?
We agree with the board majority that it's a community asset and one that needs to be preserved. After all, the village restores its historic train stations -- the Stone Avenue work is coming up -- and the old Town Hall where it works and hosts meetings.
But we know some of you don't agree. Please us know how you feel.
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