quote:

Originally posted by taxpayer:
Once we got conned into voting for the Indoor Soccer Palace ...

Just have to mention yet again that there prior to the referendum there was NO mention of the referendum being needed to build a fieldhouse at Ackerman.

Maybe we should start a new thread in which folks can list which local government entity HASN'T pissed them off lately? Methinks it would make for a short thread...

Gotrocks-Did I miss meeting you at last Sunday's clean-up? I know Pete was there. Maybe we met last August after that storm knocked down all those trees, was that you lending out power generators? Oh, wait, that was Pete. I could go on, but Pete's record of public service speaks for itself.

Please refresh my memory of all the things you have done to help the citizens of GE.

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:
Gotrocks-Did I miss meeting you at last Sunday's clean-up? I know Pete was there. Maybe we met last August after that storm knocked down all those trees, was that you lending out power generators? Oh, wait, that was Pete. I could go on, but Pete's record of public service speaks for itself.

Please refresh my memory of all the things you have done to help the citizens of GE.

Yoss, I think Gotrocks was merely stating a fact, not criticizing Pete in general. In this issue, on this thread, it is relevant to know that Pete voted in favor of the project. Does it make hime a bad person? No. Does he do many wonderful things for this community? Yes. In this particular case, did Pete vote my opinion? Yes.

While it's true regarding Pete's vote on the issue, I didn't care for Snotrocks snide tone.

A news blurb on WBBM 780 ~ 9:15 am: controversy about cutting down 340 trees to make way for soccor fields and water detention in Glen Ellyn

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:
While it's true regarding Pete's vote on the issue, I didn't care for Snotrocks snide tone.

yossarian,

Rob Herbold understood the post correctly. Amy stated that none of the town leaders regard her concerns except the 3 stated individuals. From reading many of her posts I would think that she is a pro-pete person. This time he did not support her view on how things should turn out.

But since you went off on a tangent regarding pete. Those items you listed are good things to do. He’s a good boy scout. But as a village leader it is his, and the rest of the village boards responsibility to make sure that the proper infrastructure, staff and plans are in place to take care of those issues and emergencies. It is not their job to perform the actual work, but it is his and the board’s responsibility to make sure that the resources are there to get the job done. He nor the rest of the board has done their job to properly address the issues that you list. As stated by others in other threads, why should one pay taxes and then have to clean the streets themselves. Cleaning downtown on a Sunday morning isn’t a public service, it’s a public protest. You all are protesting about him not doing the job you elected him to do. How ironic.

By the way, your reply to Ron is a great one for a 3 year old! Go back to banging your tom-tom.

quote:

Originally posted by gotrocks:

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:
While it's true regarding Pete's vote on the issue, I didn't care for Snotrocks snide tone.

yossarian,

Rob Herbold understood the post correctly. Amy stated that none of the town leaders regard her concerns except the 3 stated individuals. From reading many of her posts I would think that she is a pro-pete person. This time he did not support her view on how things should turn out.

But since you went off on a tangent regarding pete. Those items you listed are good things to do. He’s a good boy scout. But as a village leader it is his, and the rest of the village boards responsibility to make sure that the proper infrastructure, staff and plans are in place to take care of those issues and emergencies. It is not their job to perform the actual work, but it is his and the board’s responsibility to make sure that the resources are there to get the job done. He nor the rest of the board has done their job to properly address the issues that you list. As stated by others in other threads, why should one pay taxes and then have to clean the streets themselves. Cleaning downtown on a Sunday morning isn’t a public service, it’s a public protest. You all are protesting about him not doing the job you elected him to do. How ironic.

By the way, your reply to Ron is a great one for a 3 year old! Go back to banging your tom-tom.

I generally agree with this. All of it but the last two sentences that were not quite needed and any statements that can be seen as an attack on PL.

That being said, Pete is the only Trustee I've seen who has publicly engaged the citizens about these glaring shortcomings and is the only one I've seen publicly engage the community in solutions and in helping work through them - whether its part of his duty or not. (To Tim Armstrong's credit - he has done so privately with me and he very well may be doing it with a different circle of citizens.)

And, to preface this - as I think about this more - I don't even think it is really directly a board issue. It is a village manager issue. While there should be plenty of blame thrown onto the board for not hiring a real Village manager for the past year, these shortcomings are issues that should be resolved and addressed at the staff level...not directly at the board level.

But, insofar as the Board took a year to hire a qualified and capable Village Manger - shame on them. Insofar as the botched the last hire totally - shame on them again. That being said, it looks like their recent hire was a good one.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: GE Fan,

quote:

Please refresh my memory of all the things you have done to help the citizens of GE.

Still waiting.

quote:

Originally posted by gotrocks:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Yossarian:
It is not their job to perform the actual work, but it is his and the board’s responsibility to make sure that the resources are there to get the job done. He nor the rest of the board has done their job to properly address the issues that you list. As stated by others in other threads, why should one pay taxes and then have to clean the streets themselves. Cleaning downtown on a Sunday morning isn’t a public service, it’s a public protest. You all are protesting about him not doing the job you elected him to do. How ironic.

Anyone see the news about Chicago this past weekend? They mentioned 10,000 volunteer residents cleaned up the streets alongside Public Works.

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:

quote:

Please refresh my memory of all the things you have done to help the citizens of GE.

Still waiting.

Seeing no need to toot my own horn, I choose not to make public any of the volunteer work I do. But you never know, I might have been working next to you last Sunday.

Knock it off you two! You sound like Amy and Me!

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
Knock it off you two! You sound like Amy and Me!

okie dokie

quote:

Originally posted by GEM:
Knock it off you two! You sound like Amy and Me!

Until you called my landscaping "charming". BTW, it's getting more charming by the day.

(Though I'm still a little ticked about your comment. Since I don't know you, I'm just gonna let it slide this ONE TIME!!! Okay?)

quote:

Originally posted by gotrocks:

quote:

Originally posted by Yossarian:

quote:

Please refresh my memory of all the things you have done to help the citizens of GE.

Still waiting.

Seeing no need to toot my own horn, I choose not to make public any of the volunteer work I do. But you never know, I might have been working next to you last Sunday.

Don't worry I won't out you

quote:

Originally posted by GE Fan:
I generally agree with this. All of it but the last two sentences that were not quite needed and any statements that can be seen as an attack on PL.

That being said, Pete is the only Trustee I've seen who has publicly engaged the citizens about these glaring shortcomings and is the only one I've seen publicly engage the community in solutions and in helping work through them - whether its part of his duty or not. (To Tim Armstrong's credit - he has done so privately with me and he very well may be doing it with a different circle of citizens.)

And, to preface this - as I think about this more - I don't even think it is really directly a board issue. It is a village manager issue. While there should be plenty of blame thrown onto the board for not hiring a real Village manager for the past year, these shortcomings are issues that should be resolved and addressed at the staff level...not directly at the board level.

But, insofar as the Board took a year to hire a qualified and capable Village Manger - shame on them. Insofar as the botched the last hire totally - shame on them again. That being said, it looks like their recent hire was a good one.

Well stated, as always, GE Fan. To the other village board members' and village president's credit, I have witnessed all save one seeking the advice and opinions of others. Same can be said for members of the D41 and Park District Boards. All of these boards are made up of fine residents who are easily approachable.

That said, perhaps it is more important about how boards listen collectively, rather than individually. On all but the smallest matters, it seems that our boards are set up to defend a position rather than listen to ideas that could improve upon it. And to act rather than discuss, analyze, deliberate and come to the best possible solution. This process seems to not take advantage of their collective intelligence, let alone that of others. Perhaps more important, the process is often perceived as an afront to the public. We are so fortunate in Glen Ellyn to have a caring and educated resident base, it would seem logical to incorporate their suggestions, in a streamlined and organized manner, into our plans.

When over 1,000 people sign a petition, they cannot all be wrong, uninformed, or single-issue citizens. Impossible.

People have been told no since they were six months old. It is not being disagreed with or being denied that is the issue, it is the disrespect. The good news is that this situation is not that difficult to fix.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by gotrocks:

But since you went off on a tangent regarding pete. Those items you listed are good things to do. He’s a good boy scout.

I am really hurt. I seemed to have fallen from a Moses to a Boy Scout.

quote:

Originally posted by Candidate:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by gotrocks:

But since you went off on a tangent regarding pete. Those items you listed are good things to do. He’s a good boy scout.

I am really hurt. I seemed to have fallen from a Moses to a Boy Scout.

At least you didn’t vote for it before you voted against it.

I had an interesting phone call this morning with a public official (I will call him/her Pat to preserve his/her identity) who called several people on the park board/village board to express "Pat's" PERSONAL concerns for saving Ackerman Woods. "Pat" made it clear that he/she was not calling because of "Pat's" public office but for "Pat's" own, personal concerns as a resident of GE. Pat shared with me that the reception was incredibly cold and unappreciated. "Pat" was shocked at some of the things one public official would say to another public official, especially, "We have families and have lives. I don't appreciate these phone calls."

I'm thinking maybe they shouldn't serve on one of these boards then!

quote:

Originally posted by 4MP:
That said, perhaps it is more important about how boards listen collectively, rather than individually. On all but the smallest matters, it seems that our boards are set up to defend a position rather than listen to ideas that could improve upon it. ...

I agree wholly. And what strikes me as especially curious is that in their defense, they generally seem unable to present the clear and convincing evidence that supported what they wish to present as a well-thought out decision. Instead, the "defense" primarily seems to be "The decision has been made. You are too late. Get over it."

When I make a decision I am confident about and comfortable with, I am very eager to trot out all of the evidence/factors that caused me to select one approach instead of another. If I anticipate that opposition/disagreement is likely, I am all the more careful to get my arguments in line ahead of time. In doing so I have no delusions that I am going to be able to convince everyone who disagrees with me. But at least I expect to be able to show them that I anticipated potential disagreement, considered multiple options, and based my decision on reliable information and sound reasoning.

Funny how our elected officials seem to feel so differently with respect to the public trust.