Residents flocking to OTB

I knew it was coming to this.

More and more Buffalo Grove residents are turning to OTB.

Which despite what you may think, with all of the bantering about the problems, residents have decided that OTB is worth it.

So there.

According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the suburban communities that nab people speeding are (drum roll, please):  Bull Valley, Park City, Carol Stream, McCook and Evergreen Park.

Disheartening as it may be, Buffalo Grove was not among the leaders in nailing lead-footers.

There is some good news, however, the Tribune did cite Buffalo Grove for 115 speeding tickets, so all is not lost.

The fact that the village is not among the elite – and who ever thought Park City would be considered elite – could be of some concern.  Maybe.  I used to think that the village reaped in tons of cash from stopping folks for exceeding the speed limit.  After making a contribution to the Buffalo Grove Benevolent Speeding Society myself, I checked into where the money goes and quickly found that a good chunk of it goes to the County, the Courts and, when all is said and done, the Village.

So what’s the reason for the slow down?  Let’s blame the economy because when all else fails, it’s the easiest scapegoat around.  The Trib report did not conclusively specific why some villages are tougher than others – although Bull Run has a number of good hiding places.  I think the reason speeding tickets are down is because so many people are yapping on their cell phones that they actually slow down.  It might be interesting to see how the number of tickets have been issued for improper lane usage have been issued. 

I still think the real cause is OTB – more and more people are embracing the concept of OTB simply because it’s an easy and mindless way to avoid hassles.  OTB has been talked about but no one has been able to quantify its impact.

It is clear, however, that OTB has made a difference in the lives of motorists going through the village.  Unfortunately, it appears cynics are right – OTB has not had a positive impact on the village finances. If anything, we have seen the opposite – OTB has resulted in a decline of village revenues.

So in the sake of safety, more and more residents need to embrace OTB so we can once and for all end the debate.

Why?  Because when it comes to driving, OTB makes sense.

OTB – On the Brake.

Who sets a value for a school?

School board elections generally don’t get a lot of people fired up. The keyword here is generally.


With the candidates filed for the April election, several candidates are on the ballot for Districtc125, which is Adlai Stevenson High School.

Based on recent media account of the discussions at D125 meetings, the upcoming school board elections may not only be “interesting” – it may be imperative for residents who embrace the right of choice and have faith in curriculum decisions made by the school.

Stevenson High School is not perfect – not school or district is. However, the school has traditionally had a good reputation. It’s had some bumps, like when it messed up its journalism program a couple of years ago.

It seems, however, the district is coming under fire because of the books it has available for students to read.

At recent issue is the listing of “The Flamingo Rising,” on the summer reading list has some parents upset because after all, there is a sexual encounter detailed in the book.

Shocking.

One parent, according to the Daily Herald, said he wants the Board to protect what he called the “traditional values” of the community.

Excuse me?

Can someone define traditional values?

According to the report, the resident, John Dreyer “also objected to ‘The Casual Carpool,’ a short story that his youngest son recently was assigned in class. He was critical of a lesbian character's desire to find a sperm donor so she could have a baby.

OK, a show of hands out there – how many people have ever enjoyed every book they read? Probably none. There is going to be something in every book that bothers us.

Dreyer and any other parent who takes offense to sex, gays, lesbians in literature need to do a couple of things.

First of all, employ the school opt out policy. Most school districts have them. A simple solution is to, quite simply, if something is being read, shown, listened to in a class, the student – and parent – have the option to ask the teacher for another assignment. They can opt out, get it?

Secondly, take a look at your cable service, student’s iPod, the daily newspaper or even the public library. You’ll find more sexual content and violence there than you will at Stevenson High School – or any high school for that matter.

Thirdly, why is it that sex bothers you? Where were you when your student read “To Kill A Mockingbird,” or “The Adventures of Huck Finn” or perhaps “House on Mango Street” or “The Women of Brewster Place”?

All the aforementioned books deal with rape, violence and racism. But wait, those books are about minorities, so what do you expect about “those people?”

If Dreyer, or any of the other parents are upset because books like “The Flamingo Rising,” or stories such as “The Casual Carpool,” because it offends their religious beliefs or the doctrines of their house of worship – that’s their prerogative.

The concept of separation of church and state was brought to light by Thomas Jefferson in 1802. The concept hasn’t changed.

For any one parent – or group of parents – to want to impart their religious beliefs or personal morals and values on an entire secular school is off base, especially when alternatives are available.

Stevenson High School, and nearly all other public high schools in the area need to continue to offer a wide variety of literature to their students not to offer shock value to their students, but to give them the opportunity to understand and analyze all types of literature.

Our students today need to be well rounded in their viewpoints and learn how to defend their points of views.

For parents who take exception to what is available in the schools, their options are simple – send their students to private schools or, as noted before, practice the alternatives available to them.

And while they’re at it, they may want to follow the suggestion of a friend of mine who says they may want to remove a book from their personal bookshelves that includes violence, sex and prostitution.

The Bible.

Where does the time go???

Amazing how much has transpired since my last blog.

Imagine, David Stolman is now chairman of the Lake County Board.  I've had the chance to meet several county board chairmen from various county include Robert Depke and George Dunne.

I'm not sure what mold Stolman will fall into -- hopefully not the Todd Stroger mold.  Ouch.

+++++

A new trustee now occupies the dais at the Village Board -- Dr. Eric Smith will fill the vacancy left by the recall of Lisa Stone.  Let's see, that will give him about 10 Board meetings before he returns to being a mere mortal.  But, as we all know, a lot can happen in 10 meetings.

+++++

So why did Beverly Sussman change seats on the dais?

+++++

Perhaps the biggest "recent news" is that a certain local columnist spent nearly 30 column inches bemoaning the fact that her jeans are too tight.

Sorry, it's not the upcoming holidays.  More than likely it's due to ::middle age::: and an over abundance of various food items.  I think they call it a slow news week.

+++++

Kudos to Katie Donnewald for being recognized by the Board for her efforts to raise more than $6,500 for Salute, Inc.

++++

Congrats to Cooper Middle School for its state champion cross country team.

++++

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed the mysterious white truck that cruises through the village on garbage day?  The driver wears a white hard hat (beware of falling garbage???) and stops to pick up various items left out by homeowners.   I think that's called junk collecting.  Odds are there's  an ordinance against that.

More later...

The Boss Bows Out....

I'm not surprised.

That was my first reaction when I read the Facebook post from Village Board President Elliott Hartstein, which read:

"I will not be running in the April 2011 Election for a 4th consecutive term as Buffalo Grove Village President. After 30 years of involvement, I have decided it is time to turn the page to a new chapter in my life and my electoral involvement. I love Buffalo Grove ,and it has been a privilege and an honor to have been able to serve the community over these many years and I thank the community for the opportunity."

The comments, all of which are signed, a welcomed change from the cat-and-mouse game that plays out in other web sites, all said the standard "we're sorry to see you go" and "thanks for doing a great job" - etc. etc. etc.

Elliott Hartstein

Hartstein's announcement did not surprise me at all.  Yes, the last 18 months have been tumultuous, but the reality is, Hartstein has put his heart and soul into the village for more than 30 years.  When I first covered Buffalo Grove, Hartstein had black hair and was never short on things to say.

Now, nearly 30 years late, his hair is gray and well, he is still never short on things to say.  But for the past 30-plus years he's said a lot of thing with passion for the village.  His tenure began long before Town Center, long before the Fiore property was annexed and long before there was Lake Michigan water in the village.

A lot has transpired since then.  But let's not make this a eulogy; Hartstein is a resident who unselfishly gave up a lot of his time for the village -- he is not a career politician.

No doubt there are folks in the village who are rejoicing because the boss is stepping down, which is fine because everyone is entitled to his or her opinion.  My guess is, however, that better than 95 percent of those who are ripping Hartstein for one reason or another, never stepped forward to volunteer a minute of time to the village.

Officiating a basketball game is so much easier from the bleachers than it is from the floor, and if you are wearing the striped shirt, you better have your rule book and mechanics down part because they fans are watching -- just like watch the Village Board.

So what's ahead?  Trustee Jeff Braiman has already announced that he is seeking the top spot and odds are others may toss their hats in the ring.  Buffalo Grove has had some excellence Village Presidents including Verna Clayton and Sid Mathias.  My apologies if I left anyone out, but Clayton and Mathias were mainstays in the chambers for a while and both went on to the state legislature.

My concern is that folks will run for Village President for the sake of running.  The top spot should not (keyword should) not be a showcase for a personal agenda.  There is no inference here, it applies to anyone who runs.  The village is fiscally sound and has a staff second to none.  The proposed 2011 budget is tight, but does not compromise any of the services and quality that go hand-in-hand with the village.

That's not be accident.  Good leadership is a major part of the village's success.  It is not always perfect, but nothing is.  An effective Board President is, in many ways, a reflection of the cohesiveness of the Board.  For the most part, Hartstein was fortunate enough to have solid support.  He had dissension too, but hopefully some positive will emerge from turmoil and the Board -- let alone the village -- can move forward.

The next Village Board president will face a lot of challenges.  Hopefully, those who run will see the broad scope of the challenges and give them the attention and dedication Hartstein has for nearly 30 years.

As for Hartstein, it has been a hell of ride.  For the most part, people will remember him for some of those less than perfect moments as opposed to all of the years of service.  That is just human nature.

But weather you like or dislike some of his positions, try and remember just two words for Hartstein.

Thank you.

Resolving a few issues

Monday's Village Board meeting has come and gone.

Thankfully.

The first meeting after the election had all the anticipation of a Brett Favre interview -- no one knew for sure what was going to transpire and how.

It was a crap shoot as to which would draw more attention -- the reprimand of Village President Elliott Hartstein for his election night mockery of embattled (and now recalled) trustee Lisa Stone or whether Stone would attend the meeting.

In the end, both came off as about as exciting as a Favre interview.

The reprimand of Hartstein was expected and given what transpired on election night, appropriate.  Prior to the introduction of the resolution Hartstein read his statement of apology to the village, the village board and to Stone.

Trustee Steve Trilling read the ordinance and to no surprise, it was adopted 4-0. Stone, who was in attendance, but not on the dais and trustee De Ann Glover, who is recovering from surgery, did not vote.

Discussion surrounding the resolution was limited, with the exception of two residents, one who pointed out that trustees Jeff Berman and Jeff Braiman were not laughing at Hartstein's shenanigans and were in fact "appalled" by what they say.  Resident Frank Sears lashed out at the Board, Hartstein in particular, for the whole episode.

It's the stuff we've heard and read about since election night -- with one twist.

Sears referred to Hartstein's parody a "burlesque."   That does not conjure up the best images.  When I think of burlesque, I think of Sally Rand, Gypsy Rose Lee and Miss Nitro (who I once saw).  Not the village board.  That image is, well, not pleasant.

Aside from the two resident comments, there was, as noted, little discussion.  One thing that sparked my curiosity was the lack of a "request" for the resolution.  Typically, when resolutions are posted as part of the online agenda, the cover screen indicates who requested it and who entered it.  The reprimand was entered by Village Manager Dane Bragg, but not requested by anyone.   Interesting.

As for Stone, yes, she made an appearance.  Once again she chided the board for not televising the IEPA hearing into the  L & L landfill.  The Board did, however, announce at the meeting that CDs of hearing are available from Village Hall, thanks in part to resident Mike Feldman who volunteered his services to video the hearing which, when all was said and done, did not reveal any drastically new information.  The actual hearing took less than 45 minutes.

Stone video portions of the meeting have been uploaded to YouTube (search Trustee Lisa Stone) if you want to view the hearing.  But why "Trustee Lisa Stone"?  She made it clear that it was not "Village Board Trustee Lisa Stone" -- just Trustee Lisa Stone.  She also said she now has an email account by the same name (TrusteeLisaStone@AOL.com) and she will provide information to residents.

But Trustee Lisa Stone?  Once the results of the election results of Nov. 2 are certified she will no longer be a village trustee. It's obvious she is trying to maintain some kind of status as a public figure -- as if she is in a campaign (wink, wink).  She does, however, run the risk (do 'ya think?) of being seen as misrepresenting herself as an active trustee.

I did one thing interesting about her appearance.  It's not that she continued her assault on the Board regarding L & L -- it's just that for someone who has charged the Board with all kinds of wrongdoings, you would think she would take an interest in village business.

Like the proposed budget that was discussed Monday night.

But Stone wasn't around for it -- She left after the reprimand.

Draw your own conclusions.

Reflections on the hearing...

Perhaps the most amazing thing about Tuesday night's Illinois Environmental Protection Agency public hearing into the close of the  now infamous L & L Landfill is that it took less time than approval of the minutes at a Village Board meeting.

I don't think there was anything new revealed -- but that's OK -- because while many, if not all, of the opponents to L & L had stated their positions before, but not to the IEPA, the Village Board.  There was, in essence, 40 minutes of testimony by residents and experts, some of them self-proclaimed, about the fears of maintaining L & L, while others cited the need for development of the site within environmental guidelines.

Each speaker had three minutes to address the panel.  Only one (guess who?) came back up for an encore.

The crowd was pretty much as I anticipated, which could mean one of two things -- people are not interested, or the topic has worn itself down.  No matter what your view is on the topic, it is pretty disappointing that more residents are not concerned about an issue -- any issue.  Why?  Who knows?

You could speculate that folks living away from L & L have the "it's not near me, what do I care" attitude, or some may have said "Oh, it's Lisa Stone's special interest, who cares"  Again, who knows.
Was it worth televising?  Not really.  There were no startling revelations.  Residents interested in what was said can get the complete transcript of record from the IEPA in about 2 1/2 weeks.

Did testimony reveal any new information?  Not really.

Arguments against 'certification of completion of post closure care" focused on the state of the ground water and presence of Phenol at the facility.

Arguments support the certification cited compliance with IEPA, EPA and Lake County guidelines so the site can be commercially developed.

On supporter said development of the site was necessary because of high unemployment and the need to put men and women back to work.  That's an admirable goal, but I don't think you ignore citizen concerns just for jobs.

The fact remains that the IEPA has heard from both sides of aisle and will continue to take comments until one second before midnight on Dec. 9.  Odds are it will not be a popular decision.

Residents can still be heard.

Comments may be sent by email to epa.publichearingcom@illinois.gov.  Make sure your subject line clearly says "Land and Lakes Wheeling Landfill."  Further information is also available Dean Studer, Hearing Office  (#5) at Dean.Studer@illinois.gov or Tammy Mitchell, community relations coordinator at  tammy,Mitchell@illinois.gov.

Email or hard copy submitted before the Dec. 9 deadline will be entered into the record.

What will be determined is scheduled to be announced on Jan. 15.  What happens after that depends on the decision and how people react.  If the certificate is approved, then it's possible, even likely, that development of the site will move forward.  But like the development of any landfill site -- whether in Northbrook, Evanston, Highland Park or Arlington Heights, monitoring should continue.

Those aforementioned cities have handled development of landfill and it seems logical that Buffalo Grove can do the same.

Only time will tell.

Some questions

As the long anticipated and much ballyhooed IEPA hearing about the L & L landfill approaches, there are some questions I have.


No doubt critics and cynics will say I'm pick on poor Lisa Stone.  I'm not.  But as long as she waves the flag of transparency, she needs to provide answers.


For example:


Who?  Put her up to this?  Yes, she originally came to the Board about the compost odor at L & L -- but from there compost became second nature.  Stone's work experience, as indicated in the village's web site, is a "Legal Research Consultant - Retired."  So where does a background come in?  If she was approached by someone in or out of Village Hall, it could help us understand the breadth of the problem.  Are of the people involved current Board members or staff, or does it go back further?


Why? Is she so relentless about this issue?  This is not to downplay the potential hazards of any landfill, but why L & L?  Also, Stone and her family, before moving into the village, lived less than two miles from L & L -- why was she not concerned about it back then?  Also, if she is so concerned about the environmental impact of landfills, why has she not taken the village of Wheeling to task about the shuttered landfill on the east side of Milwaukee Avenue, south of Deerfield Road.  Also, it's likely that and problems with the Wheeling landfill or L & L maybe impact the watershed of the Des Plaines River, but that has yet to be discussed.


Where? Beside village hall, where is this information being acquired?   We've heard and, in some cases seen, emails and documents from the Lake County Health Department, the IEPA and EPA -- but it seems like there is information coming from other sources.  Again, revealing those sources could strengthen the L & L argument by providing more definitive information.


What? With all the alleged contacts being made to every conceivable expert and politician, it might be interesting to know what information is being provided and what the full response is.  Excerpts and fragments  titillate, but do not answer all of the questions. Also, what is she hoping to gain by all of this?  A name from which to campaign?  More accusations of Village Board members?


How?  There's a lot of information being distributed -- besides FOIA requests, how is Stone obtaining the information?  This may also connect to the "who" question.


When?  When will this all end.  It seems as though there has been ample information provided from various sources has not been enough.  The IEPA hearing at Village Hall from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday may shed some light on L & L.


However, if Stone firmly believes in "transparency in government," then the time for her to practice what she preaches is now.


Inquiring minds want to know.

A picture is worth a thousand words

I was amazed when I saw it on the front page.  I never expected the election to end with such an image.


But it was a relief.


Yes, there it was, Mark Kirk and Alexi Ginnaoulias end the campaign over a beer at the famed Billy Goat Tavern.


Coke, no Pepsi, chips, no fries.


Thank you Sam Sianis.


You would think, if not hope, that most campaigns would end on some kind of positive note.  Two candidates who slugged it out realize that the election is over and while one is disappointed, perhaps angered, the has an image as to what lies ahead and moves forward with the issues at hand.


You would think.  You would hope.  


The meeting at the Goat between Kirk and Giannoulias provided a bit of levity to a long and bitter campaign.  Levity can be good. The key word -- can.


There was another front page picture that also surprised, make that shocked me.


Buffalo Grove Village Board President Elliott Hartstein "dressed" like Lisa Stone who was recalled by nearly 70 percent of the voters who voted in Tuesday's election.


Seeing Hartstein donned in a long black wig was like seeing Little Black Sambo at a KKK rally or Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  at a Bar Mitzvah.  In other words, it did not work. Not by a long shot.
To cite the headline in the Daily Herald, "what was he thinking?"


If he thought  he was being funny, save you gas money folks, Hartstein won't be at Zanies this weekend.


The picture was a surprise because Hartstein has been  a dedicated public servant in the village for more than 30 years.  You would think he knows better.  If he's trying to gain support among trans-gender and cross-dressing voters, the effort failed.


After 18 months of attacks by Stone, I was anticipating that Hartstein would be more humble and quite honestly, classy in accepting "victory."  A simple statement wishing Stone well would have sufficed.  But that did not happen -- not by a long shot.


What's needed here is for Hartstein to not just write an apology, which to his credit he did quickly, but to call Stone and personally apologize.  Here's the tricky part -- is her hatred of Hartstein so deep that she would not listen?  Who knows.  My guess is probably not.  


Hartstein's sophomoric antics do not diminish his years of public service.  He is well versed in public issues and has held things together reasonably well during the past 18 months.


His antics do not diminish the vote.  Hartstein's antics are not a political issue. Members of the Board, especially Jeff Berman who has expressed his displeasure on AOL's Patch, are more than just a little upset with Hartstein.


I think it's a safe bet to say that Stone is too.  As well as she should be. Pundits will want this to become a political issue.  It's not.  It's an issue of stupidity.  The reality is, we've all had moments like that and while they may eat at us, we move on.


Again, not to diminish the poor taste of Hartstein's stunt Tuesday night, the Board has to move on and get back to business.  Stone's antics were a distraction, which drove board members and residents crazy.  They wanted her gone and now she is.  Move on. 


It may be easier said than done, but while we'll all remember Hartstein in a wig (anyone remember when Mike Ditka did the same thing) we can't overlook what needs to be done in the village. Once the votes are certified and Stone is officially off the Board, the Stone Age is over.  


There's no reason to discuss her tenure on the Board or how she ridiculed other board members.  Stunts that belittle her, or anyone in the public eye for that matter, are not needed.  You won -- move on.  Be gracious and accepting and move on.


If it does not exist already, I am proposing that Hartstein be given an award for Tuesday night.  I think he should receive the first ever "Michael Dukakis Award for Worse Photo Opp."  It can be presented to the public official whose photo opportunity turns into a photo opposite.


While it's likely the Stone camp won't let this die, this cannot be the focus of the Village Board.  It was Hartstein who decided to mock Stone, not the Board.


The Board meets again Nov. 15.  I'm not sure how Hartstein will be attired -- I just hope to hell he doesn't come dressed as a landfill.

The Time Has Come...

Today, voters around the country will head to the polling places to for the mid-term election. In Illinois, the focus i s on the gubernatorial race between Pat Quinn and Bill Brady while the race between Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias has captivated the most ardent political observers. Unemployment, the spiraling state debt and attracting new businesses to the state have been the focus of the campaign.

Except in Buffalo Grove.

The focus on the election is the potential recall of Village Trustee Lisa Stone.


On Tuesday, voters will have the rare opportunity to, in essence, fire an elected official -- and not a moment too soon.

The debate and discussion of Stone's performance have gone on long enough. The village is fortunate that we are not facing the crunch other nearby municipalities are facing -- staff layoffs, budget deficits, and the reopening of collective bargaining agreements with police officers and fire fighters in order to stay solvent.

The village of Buffalo Grove is not facing that kind of crunch.  We have AAA bond ratings with both Moody's and Standard & Poors.

But you wouldn't know that.  For the past 18 months the focus has been on everything that is wrong with the village.  At least according to Lisa Stone.

Buffalo Grove is not perfect -- no municipality is.

But to listen to Stone you'd think Buffalo Grove was run by corrupt, back-stabbing, unprofessionals.

That's not the case.  But you know that.  The village staff is highly respected by other municipalities.

What the village needs to do is address the problems that may arise in the future.  We're not immune to a struggling economy, unemployment or the need to attract business and commerce to the area.

We need to focus on moving forward in the village.  Not on Lisa Stone.

We need to focus on partnerships to generate new initiatives for our children.  Not on Lisa Stone.

We need to focus on the programs to curb crime. Not on Lisa Stone.

We need to focus on how to continue the excellence that has lead to the aforementioned bond ratings.  Not on Lisa Stone.

We need to focus on finding ways to continue supporting our public works, police and fire department employees.  Not on Lisa Stone.

We need to focus on how to continue growing our citizen involvement through commissions, events and committees. Not on Lisa Stone.

This is my 100th blog, the first coming in early July of last year.  Most have, unfortunately, focused on the antics of Stone and her effort to put her agenda ahead of what is needed for the village.  Some people have asked me why I hate Lisa Stone.  I don't hate Lisa Stone.  What I do hate is the way she has handled and presented herself as a Buffalo Grove village official.  And that's what needs to be addressed on Tuesday.  It's about Lisa Stone -- not her husband or family.

Some people have said maybe it's unfair to judge her because she has only has been in office for 18 months.  So has Beverly Sussman. Sussman brought with her an agenda -- one that had the village in mind.  Yet if you listen to Stone, Sussman is part of the "old boys club."  Sussman has, however, raised questions and has not gone along with the Board on every issue and has done so with a thought-provoking, professional demeanor.

Stone has not.

Instead of working for the community, she has been a polarizing force that seeks to tear down and not build up.

So the time has gone for residents to do the ultimate job performance review.

As noted in previous blogs, winning an election does not give you immunity from the wrath of the electorate.  Winning an election puts you at the highest level of public trust and when that trust is breached, it becomes a case of drastic times calling for drastic measures.

That time is here.  The village cannot continue to function with the distractions and unfounded accusations levied by Stone.

On Tuesday residents will have the option of voting yes to recall Stone or no to keep her in office.

The unfortunate reality is that there is only one choice.

It has three letters.

Candidate Holds Press Conference

(c) 2010

Distraught by what continues to transpire in the village, and with Tuesday's election right around the corner,Village Board candidate Chicken Little met with members of the press today to discuss issues facing the village.

Chicken Little
Image from swotti.com

Q.  Mr. Little, do you still plan to run even if recall fails?


A.  Absolutely.  There are a lot of things going on in the village besides Trustee Stone.


Q.  How do you see the recall campaign going so far?


A.  It's a mixed bag.  The recall committee has been aggressive, which does not surprise me.  What has surprised me is the lack of initiative by the Stone supporters.  I am not surprise that Ms. Stone asserts that she has done a good job, but there has not been a lot of overwhelming support for her.  In fact, some of what has appeared has been darn right wrong.


Q.  Can you explain, please?


A.   There was a letter that ran the Countryside and on AOL Patch that, as we say around the coupe, doesn't have all of its eggs in one basket.


Q.  How's that?


A.  The writer claims that evil water from L & L is in the village's reservoir.  Not quite.  The village wells are 1,000 feet deep, making it almost impossible for contaminated water to find its way into the wells, let alone the reservoirs.  Shallow water aquifers are about 400 feet deep.  That's just for starters.  


Q.  What about experts from Lincolnshire who allege that Buffalo Government needs someone like Lisa Stone?


A.  They should open up the history books and check the history of Lincolnshire.  She should also check other landfills in the area.


Q.  Critics of recall have said she was elected and therefore must serve out her term.


A. Being elected to any office does not give a person carte blanche to do what they want for their own ego or agenda. Nor does it give them the right to put them above issues and make make them front-and-center.


Q.  So you're saying that Stone's term on the board has served what purpose?


A.  Quite honestly, I'm not sure.  She can rant about transparency in government and the old boys network and serving the community when in reality she has done little of any.   I'm not saying that she has to agree with the board on everything all of the time, but rather than understand issues she challenges everything.  She gives the appearance that everything in the village is wrong -- from the minutes to the warrants for expenditures.


Q.  What do you see as the impact of  what has transpired during her 18 months of tirades and accusations?


A.  The impact on the community has been negative.  Real estate agents and the business community are concerned that her image of the the village operation and village board will be a detriment to their respective markets.  People outside of the village, whether residents or municipal officials are in virtual disbelief as to what they see.


Q.  So what would you tell critics of  recalling Ms. Stone?


A.  To look at the whole picture and the impact of a renegade official who has said that she will not follow the rules.  Whether you like any of the other board members at this time is immaterial. What's at stake here is the future of the village.  The Board needs to provide village staff with effective input so it can continue to do the job it has been doing.


Q.  So what's the solution?


A.  Residents need to vote on Tuesday.  Residents need to consider what has happened and what is happening and what may happen if this kind of tomfoolery continues.


Q.  So you're saying it's better to take action sooner than later.


A.  Yes.


Q.  And how soon is that?

A.  Tuesday.


Now if there are no more questions, we'll end this press conference.  As we say around the coupe it's time to get crackin'.  Thank you all for attending.  I do have one final comment, however.


Q. And that is?


A.  Remember to vote on Tuesday -- and remember to vote on all issues on both sides of the ballot.


Q.  And your recommendation on the recall issue.


Candidate Little just smiled, winked and said "you figure it out.  But it's time to steady the ship and continue sailing.  It's not always going to be a smooth cruise, but at least the boat won't be taking on water.

One confused chick

It did not come as a surprise.

With the Nov. 2 election just days away, I was not surprised at all when I got a call from Village Board candidate Chicken Little.

"Darn," he said, "folks are getting pumped for the election, aren't they?"  For a chicken, he's very astute. Yes, I told him, a lot has been written and posted about the election, election the big ballot item.  "You mean the retention of the judges," he said wryly.  Not quite, I told him.

While Kirk and Giannoulias and Quinn and Brady battle it out, much of Buffalo Grove, and the surrounding areas are watching the outcome of the effort to recall Village Board trustee Lisa Stone.


"I am amazed at what has been written," he noted.  I agree.  "I noticed that one paper ran an article saying she was defending her record," Little noted, and then asked, "what record."  He's an observant little clucker, isn't he?

The question is a good one, however -- what record?  Granted she raised the question about L & L and when she did not get the answer she want, she raised it again and again and again.  Stone seems to know more than the IEPA and EPA.  If she is interested in the impact landfills have on the area, why hasn't she gone after the village of Wheeling in regard to a shuttered landfill off of Milwaukee Avenue?  "That's easy," Little said, "there no votes there."

As for waving her independent banner, which is synonymous with annoying, Stone told the Countryside that she is "fighting against a machine."  For someone who grew up in the Chicago area, Stone should know a true machine when she sees one. Residents who volunteer their time to public service are not machine members.  "Yeah, I guess you're right," said Little.  "But is Buffalo Grove perfect," he asked?

Nope. But it's light years ahead of other communities.  I wonder if Stone read where the Police Chief in neighboring Prospect Heights quit because of potential cuts in the department.  "Wow, is Buffalo Grove heading that direction?"  Again, the answer is no.  Buffalo Grove has exemplary police and fire departments, so much so that a police officer in a nearby community is amazed at how hard  they work. "I bet Stone really has a lot to say about that."  Well, not exactly.  When our fire fighters gave up their time to call awareness to breast cancer, Stone did not say a word lauding their effort.  Nor, for that matter, did she wear pink.  "You're kidding, right?" Little asked.  I wish I was.  My guess is she's concerned that Deann Glover was getting too much of the limelight.  After all, Glover has worked tirelessly on breast cancer awareness.

How about when Fire Chief Terry Vavra reported to the Board about the village's ISO rating?  Nope. Nada. Zippo.

"I'm confused," Little said. "What does she support in the village?"  Good question.  I'm not sure what she does because she does not vocalize too many positive points.

Little shook his beak in disbelief. "She says there's a double standard.  Is that right."  I laughed.  Honestly laughed.  "What's so funny?" Little asked.

Well, I told him, at the Sept. 21, 2009 board meeting, she chided the board and then Village Manager Bill Brimm for delivering the Board information on the Thursday before Rosh Hashana.  She said that she did not have time review the packet, even the holiday was over the day before (or two days before depending on your degree of celebration) the meeting.  "You'd think she would have planned ahead and maybe contacted the village ahead of time."  True, but there's no media coverage for planning ahead.

"So where's the double standard?" Little asked.  Good question.  It seems that while Stone wants people to pay attention and respect the holiday she observes, she does not think twice about contacting non Jewish staff on their main holidays.  "How's that?" Little asked.  In an email acquired through the Freedom of Information, Stone did not think twice about emailing a staff member on Easter.  She indicated that she wanted to make sure the email got there by Monday.

"Wow," Little said, that is a double standard.   It's the same as whaling on the Board about how rude they are, or she thinks they are, toward residents who want to speak to the Board, but turns around and files a police report against a resident whom she does not like alleging that she thought he was going to harm her,

But yet, it's Stone who says Board members are desperate to get rid of her.  They don't, she told the Countryside, want someone as "independent"  as she.  As noted in previous posts, Stone seems to confuse independence with annoyance.  But soon the ball will be in the voters' hands.

"So if she recalled, will you still blog? Little asked.

Of course, I told him, there are plenty of things to write about besides the antics of Lisa Stone.

" Are you going to relax at all?" he asked?  Sure will.  Why, I told him, I may just make a nice batch of chicken soup.  "Not funny he said. I suppose you'll be drinking a vodka stone sour while you make it."

Not funny, I told him.

"I know," he said.  "Neither is the current situation with the village, which is why people need to vote on Tuesday.

Right again, I told him.

A Performance Review...

Much has been written and said -- both by the media and in the media by persons commenting to various articles about next week's election and vote on the recall of trustee Lisa Stone.


Included in that debate is if it's "fair" that recall "takes away" the vote of those people who voted for Stone.

If this was the corporate world, a successful election would be like a job interviewed.   You're hired.

For some reason, however, some folks who get elected think they have an edict to do whatever they want for  the length of the term and nothing can happen to them.

Elected officials seem to have that luxury.  Just because they are chosen, doesn't mean they are the chosen.  That would be like an NFL, NHL or NBA coach getting a contract and not having to worry about performance.  Education has its tenure, which in many ways is a flawed system.

So if you take a corporate position, recall is a performance review -- not a contract renewal.  Eager beaver legal experts will be quick to remind you that Illinois is an "at-will" state and people can lose their jobs "at the will" of their employers.

The people of Buffalo Grove employ the Board.  If there is a serious breach in that performance, one which hinders village operation, there should be a recourse available.  In this case it's recall. With the flurry of editorials, letters and comments by readers of various publications, it's no secret that Stone voted in favor of the recall ordinance.

Her defense, as posted on AOL's Patch is that she is up for recall because, she claims to be an "independent" and not part of the "old boys club."  We've been down that road before.

The questions that need answering should include: How well has she done her job?  What has she contributed to the Board at its meetings besides the usual rant about how poorly the village government is run?  Look at the minutes -- yes the minutes that Stone vehemently objects to -- and check the votes of the Board on matters relating to the operation of the village.  My guess is that she voted with the rest of the Board nearly 95 percent of the time.

Her most glaring no votes center around the minutes.  That's because, as noted here before, that she wants a narrative flaunting her comments.  Village Clerk Jan Sirabian is not a reporter -- she's a village clerks who records the actions of the Board -- not a narrative of every comment.  Taxpayer dollars should not be used for campaign literature.

Stone says good government needs dissent, discussion and debate. I'm not sure dissent is the proper word, disagreement may be a better word because through proper debate, disagreements can often be resolved.  She left out one "dis" word --- disrespect.

Her flagrant disrespect for her colleagues on the board, village staff and the rules approved by the Board is one of the keys that people single out when discussing the recall issue.  In the corporate world it would be called insubordination.

When that method of operation becomes the prevailing one, any attempt at productive government is gone.

Her obsession with her own issues has become not only an annoyance, but also a hindrance to the operation of the village.  In the corporate world, they would call this lack of productivity.

These are not the traits a productive employee should demonstrate.  In the corporate world, managers would work with an employee to improve their performance.  Stone's colleagues on the Board have tried that.  Granted, it has been a difficult effort.  Stone does not accept counterpoints to her views very well, or so it seems through her actions at the Board meetings.

Needless to say, the results have not been pretty.  Nothing is perfect.  Corporations, schools, nonprofit organizations -- or government.  Any one person who thinks he or she holds the key to an organization's success through an insubordinate and flawed performance is not working for the good of that organization -- in this case, the village.

There's a difference between independence and arrogance and belligerence.

And when the latter two overshadow the good and welfare of the company, or in this case the community, the "personnel managers" -- in this case the voters -- need to take action.

The performance review is Tuesday.

And what is it that Donald Trump says?

Howard's right on....

To quote Howard Beale in the movie Network  -- We know things are bad, Worse than bad -- they're crazy.

Yes they are.

Howard Beale

The recent onslaught of letters, media coverage and editorials regarding the initiative to recall Village Board Trustee Lisa Stone shows you just how crazy the situation has gotten,   No doubt that Stone is crying foul because letters by residents, some of whom are even in the village board are urging voters to vote yes for Stone's recall on the Nov. 2 ballot.

No doubt cynics will say that some of the letters, written by Village Board Members, may represent an abuse of their position in an effort to sway voters to their side.

To which I say touche.


During the past two Board meetings Stone has stepped down from the dais to speak as a resident and not a trustee.  Her arguments did not change, just her location.  By speaking as a "resident" Stone was able to get more time to once again pontificate her various causes -- OTB, L & L, the 2005 executive session and, of course the old boys club.


Letters to various print and on-line media by trustees Jeff Berman, Jeff Braiman and Board President Elliott Hartstein should not be viewed as abuse of the dais.  They are writing as residents and each has made it quite clear that their views are their own and do not reflect any position associated with the Village Board.

The big difference is their viewpoints are not costing the village money, nor are they delaying village business.  Whether you agree or disagree with the letters, keep in mind that they, like Stone, are entitled to their "citizen" opinions.

If you think their opinions are off base, then you have not been to a Village Board meeting, nor have you watched them on public access.  To no surprise, there are video excerpts of Village Board meetings available.  Like these:  From the Board meetings

It's shenanigans like this that have many Buffalo Grove residents citing another, and more famous, Howard Beale quote -- "I'm as mad as Hell and I'm not gonna take this any more."

Can you blame them?

A new beginning...

The routine has gotten out of hand and has become too predicable.

I am, of course, talking about the way Village Board President Elliott Hartstein begins each Village Board Meeting.

Without fail, trustee, oops, I mean President Hartstein always starts the meeting by saying "I'd like to call this meeting of the Buffalo Grove Village Board to order; will you all please rise for the pledge."

Functional, but boring -- and besides, it does not capture the essence of the meetings.  I know, I've read the minutes.

If Hartstein really wanted to start the meetings with a little flair -- one which would truly reflect the nature of the meetings, he should start the meetings by saying:

There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man.

It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition. And, it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call the Twilight Zone. 

If you are looking for truth in government, transparency, accuracy -- this says it all.

And Monday night was no different.  It was a meeting that included discussions on landfills, OTB hearings, minutes, visitors from other villages and, of course, information about trustee visits to the rest room.

Welcome to the Twilight Zone.

Whether it's the upcoming full moon (Friday night, folks), a hole in the ozone or the upcoming election -- Monday's Village Board meeting was truly strange.

Why? Take a guess.  As Yogi Berra would say, it was Deja vu all over again.

Now I'm sure someone will post a comment saying I'm too repetitive about the Board meetings.

Well, I guess I am -- but with good reason -- the Village Board meetings have gotten that way.  That's not the result of any "old boys" -- or to be politically correct -- "old persons" club -- but because certain people see the first and third Mondays of the month as the day when they want to air out their dirty laundry.

It's an old and tired antic.

Lisa Stone's accusations every thing is wrong with the Board and the village have gotten old -- and way too predictable -- and  annoying.

Let's see item III -- approval of the minutes -- that means Stoney will once again rip into Village Clerk Jan Sirabian because the minutes don't reflect what's happening -- translation -- Sirabian does not put in all of Stone's rants about everybody and everything -- see, it would make campaign literature.

But wait, folks, Monday was a special night -- we had not, one, but two sets of minutes to vote on.  Stone, of course voted no to the minutes from Oct. 4 meeting, but the agenda also called for approval of the minutes from the Sept. 27 Finance Committee meeting, which Stone was upset about.

But rather than go it alone, Rob Sherman, who has suddenly become interested in the meeting minutes, addressed the board challenging the minutes.  In fact, Sherman said he contacted the Attorney General's office and that it was mortified that the minutes were not more specific.

Interesting, Village Attorney William Raysa also contacted the Attorney General's office and was told that the minutes were OK.

So who you going to believe?  No doubt Sherman contacted the Attorney General's office, but his interpretation may be off.  After all, according to his web site,  Sirabian lost village board meetings.   I think he meant minutes and no, she did not, what is missing is a tape of an executive session.  Attention to details.  Sherman also said the Attorney General "condemns" the minutes.  From the nature of his and Raysa's reports, there may be an air of concern, but not condemnation.

The highlight, if you want to call it that, was Stone's charges that during the recess at the Oct. 4 meeting, several trustees had the nerve to stand together and talk and when she came out the rest room they dispersed.

Let's see, a public meeting, a recess in a public place, and members of a board talking -- it seems as though there are allegations of a violation to the Open Meetings  Act.  Right.  Given the information presented by Miz Stone, it seems as though the Board should have realized its grievous behavior and accompanied her to the rest room. On second thought...

And for who knows how many times someone came to address the board from outside the village. Why?  another expert who seemingly has nothing better to do than support Stone.  Let's see, they've come from Lincolnshire, Westchester, Vernon Hills and who knows, maybe ALF will show up from Melmac to discuss the ozone layer.  Seems to me an alien would fit right in.

For the second meeting in a row Stone stepped down from dais to address the board as a resident and not trustee.  Last time I checked, trustees had to be residents, so aside from a stunt to gain more Ch. 6 time, all that Stone accomplishes is delaying the residents who wanted to speak to the board.  But it's not about the residents, is it?

So our trip to the Twilight Zone is becoming a regular routine -- complete with the usual acrimonious remarks directed toward just about everyone in the dais.

As usual, she wants everyone to be quiet when she speaks, but thinks nothing of interrupting anyone else when they speak. When Hartstein tried to keep her in  order, she said "President Hartstein, you're too much."

Hartstein too much?  What's too much is Stone's incessant accusations against anyone who disagrees with her.  What's too much is the use of village time for personal agendas and campaigns.  What's too much is the lack of respect for village staff and volunteers. What's too much is the time being spent in "the Twilight Zone."

In the meantime, Hartstein needs to not only work on his opening, but his closing as well.,  In place of the placid "is there a motion to adjourn.." -- he could easily say..

Obscure metaphysical explanation to cover a phenomenon, reasons dredged out of the shadows to explain away that which cannot be explained. Call it parallel planes or just insanity. Whatever it is, you just found it in the Twilight Zone.

This could be interesting

Well it's almost showtime.

Yes boys and girls, once again the men and women of the Buffalo Grove Village Board will meet to discuss operations of the Village and to, more than likely, hear Trustee Lisa Stone pontificate on the hole in the ozone layer, which has apparently impacted her colleagues on the Board etc. etc. etc.

Let's not forget that the Nov. 2 election is just a bit more than two weeks away, so every bit of time in front of the camera is valuable.

Included, as always, on the agenda are the highly popular "Reports for Trustees" during which time most trustees report on board-related activities that they have been involved with as part of the role as trustee.

Trustee Beverly Sussman's report will include information about a "Why I Love Buffalo Grove" Contest.  The idea was brought to light a little more than a year ago when Board President Elliott Hartstein reported to the Board how he met a young resident, Rachel Becker, at the 2009 Buffalo Grove Days during which she suggested the village have such a contest.

Great idea.  Rachel seems appreciative of the village, polite, and articulate, which puts her way ahead of some trustees.

So what happened to the idea?  Another resident caught the Sept. 8, 2009 on video and also thought it was a good idea and put together a proposal for a comprehensive contest for the village.  The intent, according to the original proposal, was to foster as many relationships as possible in the village.  For example, the village could work with the school districts, Historical Society, business community, park district and other organizations.

The intent, according to the author, is to, in a perfect world, have participants develop a project that is grade appropriate and encourage them to do school-based, or school-quality research.  The developer noted that it would be great if  participants worked with their teacher so perhaps, the project would benefit the participant if he/she was working in conjunction with the learning standards established by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

The developer is an educator and also happens to be a blogger.

I developed the plan.

So why blog about it?  A cheesy effort to be self-serving?  A way to win the hearts of school children?  A hint that I may run for the Board (ah, no...)?

No.  It's a preemptive strike, if you will, at critics who may think this was done to boost my visibility to the board or to discredit Stone.

It was done because I think it's a good idea.  Period.

There are no hidden agendas, not motives or any plans other than the obvious.

A little background ---  I submitted the original concept to Hartstein and former Village Manager Bill Brimm who suggested I run it past Sussman as she is a former school teacher.  In April, I met with Brimm, Sussman, and Trustee Jeff Braiman to discuss the idea.  One other trustee was dying to get into the meeting and did so by asking a lame question of Brimm and then asked what the meeting was about.  She was told -- an essay contest.  I don't think she believed Brimm (this is news?) and sauntered away.

Since that time I have exchanged emails with Sussman, Hartstein and Deputy Village Manager Ghida Neukirch about the plan and was delighted when I received an email from Neukirch informing me that the proposal would be discussed by the Board at the Oct. 18 meeting.

So, as Mr. Portokalos would say, there you go.

There is nothing else to it.  True most of my blogs have focused on the upheaval at Board meetings brought on by Miz Quixote.

But it is important to note that there are (myself excluded at this point) residents who want to do things for the village on a volunteer basis.

Not everything needs to focus on one trustee who has a limited personal agenda.

So not only am I pleased the Board will discuss it Monday night, but I'll get to meet Rachel as well.

As I said, she seems to love the village, is polite, and articulate -- maybe she'll want to run for the Board.  If nothing else, they'd have to finish early so she can get home before curfew.

And who knows, there may be an opening soon.

Minute argument over minutes....

There seems to be a lot of concern about the quality of the minutes.  Trustee Lisa Stone has voted against the minutes almost from the time she joined the Board.

But why?  She claims she wants the minutes to reflect more of what is said at the meeting.  Translation -- she wants her comments front and center.

At the Oct. 4 meeting, she once again ripped Village Clerk Jan Sirabian for not doing the job the way she thinks it should be done.

You'd think Sirabian would know.  After all, she has been village clerk for 32 years.

Stone cited public comments and concern about the minutes, especially those from the Sept. 27  Finance Committee meeting.

Public comments?  How about those of Rob Sherman on his web site who calls for Sirabian's retirement from the position.  In fact, Sherman said he'd be willing to run for the post, but, according to his web site,

It's a lousy, boring job.  I don't want to be Buffalo Grove Village Clerk, but we need a change.

and


I hope I don't have to be the next Buffalo Grove Village Clerk, but it could be a lot of fun to sit in on those Executive Sessions and find out what's really going on behind those closed doors.


Sherman thinks someone who has been in the post as long as Sirabian has lost the competitive edge, thinks someone in office that long begins to lose things and thinks they own the office.

News flash -- Jan Sirabian isn't perfect -- no one is -- including Mr. Sherman.  Perhaps Ms. Sirabian has made some miscues, but Mr. Sherman has made his as well.

It may be a lousy, boring job, but Sirabian has done it well.

Are Buffalo Grove's minutes that bad because they don't give Ms. Stone her due?  Minutes are to reflect decisions as a matter of record.

But rather than do a point-by-point breakdown comparing minutes, let me paraphrase an old saying -- "A link is worth a thousand words."

Take a look.  You'll find that the work being done in Buffalo Grove is just fine.  As it has been for more than 30 years.

http://www.cityhpil.com/pdf/ccMinutes/ccminutes091310.pdf

http://www.vah.com/assets/1/agendas_and_minutes/92010bt.pdf

http://www.northbrook.il.us/Government/BoardsCommissions/Minutes/Board/Board_08-31-10.pdf

http://www.vernonhills.org/UserFiles/File/Minutes_2007/09212010%20Board%20Minutes.pdf

http://ci.sheboygan.wi.us/Clerks/CommitteeMeetings/Minutes/CommonCouncil/2010/09-07-2010.pdf

The Board needs to get Hawkish....

The declaration by Village Board President Elliott Hartstein that a timer be used to keep the Village Board meetings moving along is a unique idea.


But it's only a start.


The board meetings have taken on a flair of another significant Monday night event -- Monday Night Football. If the Board wanted to attract more viewers, it should adapt to the market and make their meetings more like Monday night football.

Howard Cosell

It's too bad it can;t be done like MNF was done in its hay day with Howard, Frank and Dandy Don. Can you imagine Howard Cosell   engaging Lisa Stone? 


But we'll never know.  The reality is the Board has adopted some rules designed to keep the meetings going.  Time limits are not unusual -- many village boards, school boards, park board, etc. have time restrictions.  Given the nature of things with the Buffalo Grove Village Board, most people think they are designed to silence trustee Lisa Stone.  The bottom line is the rule applies to all trustees.


The enforcement of the time limits by appointing a time keeper (village staff member Art Malinowski) puts a new twist on Village Board meetings -- time management.  Several times during the meeting Stone was heard prompting Melanowski when to start her time and reminding Village Board President Elliott Hartstein how much time she had at any given time.  


The focus on time management  reminded me of a football game, which made me think that the Village Board meetings have become a governmental version of Monday Night Football.  


What's next?  Referees?  Video replays? Cheerleaders?  

Hawk Harrelson

How about announcers?  Since the aforementioned Howard Cosell is in the big broadcast booth in the sky, my suggestion is to have Melanowski joined in the booth by White Sox announcer Ken "the Hawk" Harrelson.


Why not?  He's used to disagreements -- just look at Kenny Williams and Ozzie Guillen -- that's similar to Hartstein and Stone.  He's used to incessant rants. He's used to bizarreness.  


And to make things easier, he would not have to learn any new lingo.  For example these classic "Harrelsonisms":

• At the start of a meeting:  "Time to cinch it up and hunker down"  or "Sit Back, Relax, and Strap it Down!" 
• When the exchanges between trustees gets acrimonious:   "Mercy!"
• When Hartstein tries to keep Stone in order:  "Zone 'em in, Reel 'em in, and light her up"
• When the Board tries to regain focus after a Stone tirade:  "But the damage is done"
• When someone tries to correct Stone:  "That's trouble" 
• When Stone tries to insist that she's right:  "Lookin' for it, got it, couldn't do nothing with it" 
• When trustee Steve Trilling sets the record straight:  "Give 'em a thrill"
• When Stone takes on Village Clerk Jan Sirabian: "That's trouble"
• At the end of yet another long, drawn out meeting (with one slight modification):  "And this one...is OVA!!"

So what might he say after the Nov. 2 election -- especially if Stone is recalled?  It could be...with some minor editing...

• She gone. 

or, 

• You can put her off the booooooooooooooaaaaaaard...YEEEEEEEEEEEEEES!" 

Silence on the lam

Trustee Lisa Stone revealed at  Monday's Village Board meeting that it's not only what she says that is offensive, arrogant, disrespectful and otherwise demeaning -- it's what she does not say.

In fact, her silence is perhaps most insulting to the people she should care about  -- but does not.  The men and women who work for the village.

Case in point.  Fire Chief Terry Vavra addressed the Board regarding the "ISO Rating" -- the insurance rating of the village's fire department, he detailed the success the village has had.  Buffalo Grove continues to have an ISO rating of 2 -- which is excellent. Only five departments in the state have an ISO rating of 1, so an rating of 2 is pretty damn good.

It's not, as Vavra pointed out, just a departmental rating--  three categories factor into the final rating -- the fire department, the water operation, and communications operations.  The village did exceptionally well -- Out of 50 possible points, the fire department scored 36.12 points; the water score was 39.12 out of 40 and the communications rating was an equally impressive 9.8 out of 10.

Nice numbers.  If you wondering why the fire department did not score higher, Vavra says proximity was a factor -- which means if the village had more fire stations it would likely improve out score, but not guarantee an ISO rating of 1.

Perhaps the most telling remark Vavra made was that it was "not the fire department that got the rating, it was the village."  Great job, chief.

The village -- as in the staff working together to keep the excellence associated with the village in tact.  Granted, it's not perfect, but comments by several trustees expressed interest in what it would take to improve the rating to a 1 and improve things for the entire village.

What we did not hear were any comments from Stone.  No questions, no praise, no interest.  Nothing. Nada. Zippo.

Ask yourself why.  The answer, as shown by what transpired at the meeting is simple -- there was nothing "in it" for her.  It seems as though Stone cannot stand when someone else -- staff, residents, colleagues on the board makes a positive contribution to the community.

That may be why she rips the B.G. Days Committee (aside the fact that she doesn't like many of the members), or the efforts of the Fire Department's "Pink  Heals" effort, or the efforts of the schools to put on drug awareness program (she was, however, quick to rip their efforts to promote them).

The silence is, in this case, not deafening.  It's as loud as can be.  It's loud enough to tell everyone that Stone is only interested in her agenda and if you don't bow down and embrace it, she unleashes her venomous verbiage.

She continues to say that the "whole community" wants to know why the board didn't do what she wanted them to do.

Whole community following Lisa Stone? Watch the video and maybe you'll find out why the "Whole Community" is not following Lisa Stone.

You may wonder why Village President Elliott Hartstein has become curt.  To every action, there's a reaction and Stone's actions have done little, correction, nothing, to foster any positive reactions by other board members.

What her actions have done is given the village a black eye.

What her actions have done is made a mockery of municipal government.

What her actions have done has raised the ire of the community.   Whether it's the whole community or not remains to be seen.

We'll know by Nov. 2.

And Lisa Stone won't have anything constructive to say.  Which wouldn't be the first time.

Daily Oral Language -- Part II

No one likes disappointment.

So I had to feel sorry for Gus Portokalos when he found out that two words being bantered around at Village Board meetings did not, in fact, come from Greek.

"You know, I thought the word community came from the work meaning common, as in what we all had together," he said.  But no.  It's from the Latin.

The meaning, however, doesn't change.  Check it out and you'll find that a key component in the definition is unified or common.


So when Lisa Stone rants on about how the "community wants to know" or how the "I think the community needs to know" she should consider the meaning -- unified.   It's amazing to me how she carries on about the needs of the community, yet she does little to work on behalf of the entire community.  Nor, as a matter of fact, does she check the pulse of the community.  It's as though she is a community of one.  This has been evident in how she works with her colleagues on the Board who, as she was, elected by the community.  Stone portrays herself as knowing the pulse of the community.

Listening to her at the last Board meeting, which was Sept. 13, you'd think the community is unified over the Land and Lakes landfill and the executive session from 2005. How does she know?  Has she surveyed the community?  Of course not.  She is so bent on her personal attacks on village staff and colleagues that she sees little in the benefits of a unified effort.


"So, it's one word, what other word do you want to know," Portokalos  asked.  "Citizen," I said.  "Ach, I believe the word citizen comes from the Greek..."  Sorry, I informed him, it does not.

But it's one of Stoney's favorite words.  You know, how she's heard from citizens about just about everything, well, everything that's on her personal agenda.  Like the Invisible Children group, which contacted her. They wanted to have a fund raiser at the Village Rotary Green.  No one knew about it until the Recall Committee had a rally there -- then, and only then, did Stone bring it to the Board.

Was this working in the best interest of the citizens?  Was it a way to work for the community?

Nope.

Portokalos shook his head.  "You know, I don't think the word stone comes from the Greek, so, there you go."

Gus, I told him, it's not me who has to go.

The Daily Oral Language

It took a while -- a long while -- but I finally finished reviewing the video of the Sept. 13 meeting.

Once again, the reality, make that the unfortunate reality, is that there is more material than I can fit in one blog.

As I perused my notes taken from the video, I realized there were some key words that emerged.  So taking a cue from the world of English teaching, let's embark on a vocabulary lesson -- or our Daily Oral Language.

The first word (why do I feel like Fred Rogers) boys and girls is "unbelievable."  Can you say that boys and girls?  I thought you could.

Now, do you know what it means?  Why yes, something that is not to be believed.  Which something that Lisa Stone said regarding her perceptions of how she was being treated.  But  is that what's unbelievable?

The late Nat King Cole

When I heard this, I resorted back to an old Nat King Cole song, "Unforgettable" --- and quickly found the melody to be compatible with Unbelievable.
 
So hum along...

• Unbelievable -- How  she can miss so many facts.  For example, that Lake County gave approval to the BG Days parade on Bernard.  Thanks to Trustee Steve Trilling who pointed out that Bernard is in Cook County and that it was a village controlled street.  What made that so much more unbelievable  is that it was Stone who wanted a stop sign installed on Bernard-- by the village.  

• Unbelievable -- How she can ridicule Board President Elliott Hartstein about how he treats her, but does not follow the same decorum she wants.

• Unbelievable -- How she thinks nothing of confusing the facts.  The tapes of the infamous 2005 executive session were not destroyed.  They were lost, something that Village Clerk Jan Sirabian admitted to several months ago.  While it is bothersome that they are missing, the accusation that they were willing destroyed is not the case.

• Unbelievable -- That she wants undue attention when she speaks, but thinks nothing of interrupting anyone else.

• Unbelievable -- That she challenges Village Attorney William Raysa, but yet does not reveal her sources.  She says she's not an attorney and portends to know more than the attorneys on the Board, but wait, where does she get her legal background?  Maybe someone at home?

• Unbelievable -- That she focuses on an odor from compost site from an office building that backs up to the facility.  The reality is compost can smell.

• Unbelievable -- That she challenges village finances, but doesn't think twice about absorbing staff time for her personal vendettas.

• Unbelievable --  that the village, which she insinuates is not well run, has AAA bond ratings from Standard and Poors and Moody's.

• Unbelievable - -How Hartstein has maintained, or tried to, professional decorum at the meetings, albeit terse and blunt at times. But can you blame him?  One political type who has followed the BG Board said he would have thrown the gavel at Stone by now and that Hartstein has been far too patient with Stone.

• Unbelievable -- that she claims village residents are intimidated to speak at a Board meeting, but yet if someone is vociferous in remarks to her, she cries scared and files a police report and then requests a police presence at the next meeting.

• Unbelievable -- That it appears people who voted for her have seemingly been mislead.