R-E-S-P-E-C-T

As I witnessed yet another Village Board meeting and another less-than-stellar performance by Mrs. Quixote, I was at a loss as to who can help get things on track.

I'm not sure when or where it was, but at some point, the sounds of the Queen of Soul came out of a speaker and permeated my cranial cavity.

Aretha Franklin to the rescue.

And all it took was one word.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

That's it.

Why? Because Monday night's meeting demonstrated the ultimate in lack of respect.

And don't blame Village Board President Elliott Hartstein. Yes, he was uncharacteristically
blunt, but as I tell people -- to every action, there is a reaction.

His responses to the behavior and allegations of Trustee Lisa Stone may have been spontaneous, but his message was clear -- Enough is enough.

I'm sure cynics will say the rest of the Board doesn't give Stone respect. Ask yourself -- has she earned it. The answer is, quite simply, no.

Stone's behavior Monday reached a new low. She admitted at the end of the meeting, and this is on the video, that she was not following the rules.

Stone felt it was her part to do and say what she wanted, when she wanted, and about whomever she wanted.

Stone, who see herself as the Messiah who will save the village from evil and corruption, is using village time and money to showcase whatever it is she's trying to do.

The tirade about the minutes and yet another attack on village clerk Jan Sirabian started the evening.

Stone votes against the minutes for reasons she has yet to explain. My guess is is that they do not provide a record of her ramblings. At Monday's meeting she called the minutes the "history of the village."

No they're note. They are little more that a recording of actions taken by the board. Votes. Decisions. Period.

Stone bellowed that it was a state law -- but did not say what was a state law. Yes, the state requires that minutes documenting corporate authority actions be taken, but they do not stipulate that a narrative of every mundane remark be made.

Stone wanted the discussion about the missing tape from an executive session in 1985 when Land and Lakes was discussed be entered into the minutes. It was not, however, an agenda item.

Enter the R word. If only Stoney knew it. Stone's antics during the discussion were, as is now the norm, disrespectful, accusatory and served as little more than an effort to try and showcase herself as Madame Quixote, here to save Buffalo Grove from the evils that plague the village.

Yawn. Been there, heard that, and still not impressed.

Liza wants undivided attention when she speaks, but when someone else has the floor, especially Hartstein, she look as interested as meeting of the Rod Blagojevich fan club. This was evident when Hartstein was giving his report and citing the positive things going on in the village.

You know, things that probably aren't important to some people, things like:

• Special recognition from the Northwest Municipal Conference for the village's clean-air campaign.
• A successful start to the Farmer's market
• Several awards for the Police Department
• The annual Buffalo Grove Invitational Art Festival

Nope, Liza doesn't react to those -- see, there's no glory in those accomplishments, probably because they have been ongoing and were the result of previous village boards -- you know the good old boys -- the same ones who also crafted a village staff that provides great services and has lead the village to not one, but two AAA bond ratings.

Yeah, if you listen to Liza, life sure stinks around here.

It's not perfect -- nothing is, no one is. But you need to respect the efforts of those who have dedicated themselves to making things happen.

But when you try to build things by swinging the hammer and crowbar, nothing gets done.

What it takes is what the village generally has and what Stone needs to practice.

Sing it, Aretha -- R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T / Find out what it means to me / R-E-S-P-E-C-T

A little bit can go a long way. But it seems like we'll never know.