But remember the Committees and Commissions often make their decisions at Workshops. Look out for these separate meetings - they're very important and are mostly used to make decisions before it gets voted on at the official meeting later. This makes the official Commission meeting a mere formality and the actual Village Board meeting a rubber stamp.

Don't get too carried away though.

Even if you attend all the meetings and read all the fine print and show up for the inconveniently located and poorly timed workshops just remember the agenda itself was probably set by the stakeholders.

Stakeholders means powerholders. If all you get is lip-service, a smile and some sweet lies - you're not a stakeholder.

For the Park District that means the massive organized leagues mostly, for other decisions it might mean the Glen Ellyn Clinic or whomever is most vested in the decision and knows how to make it happen to suit their interests. It will never mean you.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jombl,

I was on the EDC board 4-5 years ago when the village made a courtesy presentation to us about the Ackerman Park proposal.

I recall being shown a ;large map detailing where the soccer fields / water retention areas were to go. Property lines, road rights-of-ways and five corners buildings were all shown. I do NOT recall any indication of, or references to, a wooded area.

I can't speak for the rest of the EDC, but my assumption was that Ackerman Park was all open space, and that existing open space would be reconfigured to accommodate the new uses.

Had they been honest with us, we would have asked a lot more questions. No one was against the cutting of trees because no one knew trees were going to be cut. --TedE

I'd be willing to bet that the recent land purchases by the Park District on Lenox north of St. Charles and the subsequent boundary changes to Ackerman as it expanded, coupled with the recent voter approved Mega-Dollar bond sales to fund a Mega-Plex Basketball enclosure at that location changed everything.

quote:

Originally posted by Ted E.:
I was on the EDC board 4-5 years ago when the village made a courtesy presentation to us about the Ackerman Park proposal.

I recall being shown a ;large map detailing where the soccer fields / water retention areas were to go. Property lines, road rights-of-ways and five corners buildings were all shown. I do NOT recall any indication of, or references to, a wooded area.

I can't speak for the rest of the EDC, but my assumption was that Ackerman Park was all open space, and that existing open space would be reconfigured to accommodate the new uses.

Had they been honest with us, we would have asked a lot more questions. No one was against the cutting of trees because no one knew trees were going to be cut. --TedE

excellent post TedE.

quote:

Had they been honest with us, we would have asked a lot more questions. No one was against the cutting of trees because no one knew trees were going to be cut. --TedE

I love this line the most. Can I put this on a shirt or something? How about buttons like the Vociferous Little Minority buttons that were made?

I got me a new signature...

This statement reflects the manner in which the "old guard" always has treated those of us who ask too many questions.

quote:

Originally posted by gotrocks:

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:


Where were the petition signers clearing brush? I signed the petition, but I really wonder why people care right now...they obviously didn't over the last few decades that were fraught with neglect.

You signed the petition. How come you weren't out there clearing brush? Why do you care now? Where have you been the last few decades?

For the most part...I do not care. I tried...but I just don't. I simply like signing things. It is a weakness that I have.

As a big supporter of both the village and the park district, I wonder if this could turn out to be a win-win situation for all involved.

Does it enhance life in Glen Ellyn to:

Develop the Five Corners area?

Attract new business that generates additional sales tax revenue?

Have beautiful wooded areas in our boundaries that clean our air, are visually appealing, preserve our history, and serve as a wind-block for one of the breeziest places in town?

Have more soccer fields?

Have adequate water detention throughout the village?

It seems most reasonable people would answer YES to ALL of the above!

So why is this the only alternative? Could the village use the potential $500K from the proposed property sale to purchase another home on Lenox and put the water there? How about one of the parcels along the way? Or underground water storage? (Half a million would seem to go farther than constructing two soccer fields that would still be wet and unusable this spring, for example.)

What about the $15M bond issue we passed for the Park District that was partly to be used for land acquisition? Was the vote truly to support the Park District netting less usable land at Ackerman instead of buying more open space? What if some of that land acquisition money added to the $500k? Could we afford better?

The village receives 1% of the sales tax revenue generated in our borders. So doesn't the new business at the Walgreens outlot has to generate $50M to break even with the $500K expense.

The village owns some nice, flat parcels that are un or under utilized that could be "leased" to the Park District for a couple of premo soccer fields, IMHO. Moving the elite soccer players or PreK/K out of Ackerman may welcomed.

If this were the best, and only, plan, so be it. It does not appear to be. Has anything, ANYTHING else been discussed? Perhaps I am naive enough to think, to KNOW, that we pay good people at the village and the park district who could come up with a better plan in about a day of idea-generation meetings. And our elected officials are smart, caring people as well.

To Ted's point, this was not the plan presented five years ago. Other than the concept, its not even close. Candidate is right, the concept is clever, but the execution does not offer a yes to all of the questions above. And it could. Easily. There is no rush. There is no immediate need. We don't have to settle for anything but an ideal solution. I have faith our village and park district leaders can and will come up with one.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Where were the C4GEP organizing a clean up? Where were the petition signers clearing brush? I signed the petition, but I really wonder why people care right now...they obviously didn't over the last few decades that were fraught with neglect. Where were the tree huggers then?

Do you really believe this, my friend? Don't get me wrong, I respect and admire the volunteers that spend their time cleaning up Central Business District and other areas. But when the taxpayers buy a parcel of land and pay others for its stewardship, should we really be expected to keep it clean as well? There seem to be plenty of able-bodied high school and college types riding around in the Cushmans up at Ackerman. I assume we pay them. Couldn't they have this area looking good in about a week and really spiffy over the course of a summer? Should residents really have to do the work?

excellent points as always 4MP!

It is simple, these woods need to be saved. The public wants them to be saved. But there seems to be a pattern taking place that we the public do not like whether you are for or against this project. This is just a repeat of the Downtown Strategic planning fiasco all over again. It is a broken record. And it is yet another black on on this current edition of our village government.

2009 cannot come fast enough.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MP:
The village receives 1% of the sales tax revenue generated in our borders. So doesn't the new business at the Walgreens outlot has to generate $50M to break even with the $500K expense.

The developer has yet to even rent the existing spaces even now years after construction. It's not like he's aiming terribly high, cut-rate booze and AAA Auto Club instead of the Starbucks he promised and sold the place on.

I guess I disagree with the base economics that drove the purchase or the need, but I'd have a hard time opposing your roadmap 4MP, it's a reasonable way forward and truly does seek to strike a balance that's in the best interests of the whole community.

We can only hope that those in charge pause to seek a wider and more popular consensus.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MP:

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Where were the C4GEP organizing a clean up? Where were the petition signers clearing brush? I signed the petition, but I really wonder why people care right now...they obviously didn't over the last few decades that were fraught with neglect. Where were the tree huggers then?

Do you really believe this, my friend? Don't get me wrong, I respect and admire the volunteers that spend their time cleaning up Central Business District and other areas. But when the taxpayers buy a parcel of land and pay others for its stewardship, should we really be expected to keep it clean as well? There seem to be plenty of able-bodied high school and college types riding around in the Cushmans up at Ackerman. I assume we pay them. Couldn't they have this area looking good in about a week and really spiffy over the course of a summer? Should residents really have to do the work?

Love you like a brother 4MP...an older brother, IIRC. But we live in a time when we need to expect little from our local government. Case in point. Do you recall the storm of last August? How many elected officials had their boots on the ground? Rumor has it that Vicky gave the staff the weekend off...even I find that hard to believe...but she was nowhere to be found. The storm may have occurred on a weekend that she was to be in Citrus Shores, Alabama...or wherever she runs off to all too often. IIRC, only Pete Ladesic was out and about lending a hand. So....no...I don't find anything all that unusual about the concept of citizens doing work that was once done by municipalities. Seems to be the norm in upscale Glen Ellyn.

Indeed, 2009 cannot come soon enough for this battered little burg. With any luck we will witness the crashing and burning of the CBP. Let's get this dump back on track.

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
...
Indeed, 2009 cannot come soon enough for this battered little burg. With any luck we will witness the crashing and burning of the CBP. Let's get this dump back on track.

+1

We moved to this quaint little village from a town I don't even like to mention it was so bad. We thought we would be happy here. I guess that new car smell is starting to wear off after only 3.5 years.

Originally posted by Clamato:
IIRC, only Pete Ladesic was out and about lending a hand.

He is an extraordinary gent...

quote:

Originally posted by 4MP:
Originally posted by Clamato:
IIRC, only Pete Ladesic was out and about lending a hand.

He is an extraordinary gent...

If this is a poll - I agree. Quick - Someone call and ask him if his ears are burning.

Or would it be his eyes, since we aren't speaking??

quote:

Originally posted by 4MP:

quote:

Originally posted by Clamato:
Where were the C4GEP organizing a clean up? Where were the petition signers clearing brush? I signed the petition, but I really wonder why people care right now...they obviously didn't over the last few decades that were fraught with neglect. Where were the tree huggers then?

Do you really believe this, my friend? Don't get me wrong, I respect and admire the volunteers that spend their time cleaning up Central Business District and other areas. But when the taxpayers buy a parcel of land and pay others for its stewardship, should we really be expected to keep it clean as well? There seem to be plenty of able-bodied high school and college types riding around in the Cushmans up at Ackerman. I assume we pay them. Couldn't they have this area looking good in about a week and really spiffy over the course of a summer? Should residents really have to do the work?

I was thinking about this too....if someone throws trash on my parkway (which happens all the time on Western), can I just leave it there? I don't think so. The Park District is partly to blame for the pathetic trash in the woods.

quote:

Originally posted by jombl:
But remember the Committees and Commissions often make their decisions at Workshops. Look out for these separate meetings - they're very important and are mostly used to make decisions before it gets voted on at the official meeting later. This makes the official Commission meeting a mere formality and the actual Village Board meeting a rubber stamp.

Jombl:

Just an FYI - the commissions do not have workshops. All business in front of the commission is discussed at the commission meetings.

Now you can go back to your rally cries.

GE Fan