Reality, what a concept

One of the intriguing things about spending more than 40 years in journalism as both a journalist and journalism educator has been watching the evolution of news and information dissemination from “traditional” methods – print and broadcast – to today’s click of a button delivery via digital sites and social media.

            Getting news and information almost instantaneously is both good news and bad news.  The good news is news consumers, whom we used to call readers and viewers, can be kept up to date about important events.

            The bad news is that it is not unusual for the information to be inaccurate if not flat out wrong.

            The same holds true for social media sites that give citizens – often called citizen journalists – a forum to voice their opinions. Again, a good news / bad news proposition. The good news is that it provides an open forum for citizens. The bad news is that many times forums become little more than a spot for inaccurate rants posted by citizens who do little more than spew venomous and inaccurate barbs.

            Yes, I know, it is their First Amendment right.  Folks are quick to point that out although most people (and research supports this) do not even know the five freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment.

            While the emphasis should probably be more on social than media, “citizen journalists” should carry with them a sense of responsibility. The keyword here is “should”.  That belief is becoming more of a staple for not only professional journalists, but social/citizen journalists as well.

            In their book, The Elements of Journalism authors Tom Rosenstiell and Bill Kovach deconstruct traditional media and the emergence of social and citizen journalism. In the third edition of TEOJ, Rosenstiel and Kovach dedicate an entire chapter to the rights and responsibilities of citizens.  They are emphatic in noting that “citizens, who shape news production by the choices they make, have rights when it comes to the news, but they also have responsibilities—even more so as they become producers and editors themselves.”

            While citizen journalists, and let’s put social media posters in this group, whine about what they perceive to be a lack of credible information, they apparently don’t think twice about trying to build their case with falsities and inaccurate statements.

            Take for example many of the posts that emerge on the Daily Herald sponsored Buffalo Grove group on Facebook.

            Many of the posts are little more than acrid charges at village staff and officials by people who obviously have made no effort to verify information about what they’re posting. Either that or they’re just clueless.  When I read the posts, a favorite quote of mine from the late Daniel Patrick Moynihan comes to mind.  Moynihan once said that “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion; but not to his own facts.”  If the late senator is accessing Facebook from the afterlife, he’s probably rolling his eyes.

            Take for example some of the following posts taken from the site.  These are actual posts because, as Dave Barry would write, I am not making this up.

Post:  What is happening over at the backside of Didiers (sic) Farm? I know technically it is Prairie View but still. We have heard rumors it is sold to a developer. Is it true and what's the timetable? Think it stinks! Just what we need - more houses, people, cars, and roads.

Reality: Sources at Village Hall say “There have been several smaller projects approved in the Prairie View area over the last year and we continue to get more and more inquiries.  It’s a very popular area.  A housing developer is working with the Didier family on the back side of their property.  There has been no public discussion of this yet because even the concept plans for the property is not done.”

Post:  do I understand this correctly: our water bill will go up about $10 per bill in January 2016? ($5.00 per month)??

Reality:  The storm water management fee was approved by the Village Board last year with a January 1, 2016 implementation date.  The funds are to cover the cost to manage the storm sewer system.  There is currently no revenue source to address this infrastructure need.  The impact for a single family home is approximately $5 per month – less for multi-family depending on the size of the development, according to a Village Hall source.

Post:  (McDonald’s) Supposed to be moving across the street with a Thornton gas. Another loss for taxes in bg ---

Reality:  First of all, the McDonald’s site is not in the village; it’s in unincorporated Lake County.   According to my sources at Village Hall, “Thornton’s never approached the Village.  It’s the Village’s understanding that the project is stalled…On Monday there should be a preliminary concept plan for the PJ’s/McDonald’s site for a redevelopment and annexation of the site.  There are no plans currently for McDonald’s to open on Milwaukee Avenue.”

Post:  We had our water meter changed, and now the pressure in the hall bath tub is very very low? Anyone have this problem or have any idea what it could be?? All I know is the guy had to turn our water off and then on again, but the pressure changed the next day.

Reality:  According to folks at Village Hall, “the water meter change would not have any impact on water pressure in the house.”

Post:  We got something in the mail. It's at home - storm retention? something like that. Our water bill is something (sic) like $57 so that's almost a 10% increase. Stealth bombers.

Reality:  Stealth bombers?  Seriously?  According to folks at Village Hall, “The storm water management fee has been discussed since 2012.  It was specifically discussed and detailed in the Village’s strategic plan that was approved by the Village Board in 2012.  It was discussed at Committee of the Whole at least five times and was also discussed twice at Village Board meetings.  This does not include any of the strategic plan updates that I provide to the Village Board where progress on this project was also discussed.”

Post:  maybe we need to form some kind of PAC for economic development NOW. NOW.

Reality:  I didn’t ask for input from Village Hall about this because it’s so ludicrous.  According to one definition, a political action committee is“…an organization that raises money privately to influence elections or legislation, especially at the federal level...”  So what exactly does this poster want to do?

            The closest thing to a PAC is/was the “Save Buffalo Grove” initiative which lobbied hard to keep Buffalo Grove a bedroom committee and fielded a slate of candidates including now Village President Beverly Sussman and Trustee David Weidenfeld.  The group’s existence was anchored by opposition to the proposed edifice by CRM properties.  Aside from Sussman’s and Weidenfeld’s appearance on the Board, the group communicates little, with its last post on Facebook being on April 8.  Some members attend village meetings, but seemed mired in a position of not having a downtown or central business district.  Others continue to preach fear with inaccuracies – like a public statement that Binny’s was going to leave the village if the village didn’t do something.   Binny’s has renewed its lease and reportedly is working to expand its current location.

             The village is not a landlord. A PAC for economic development?  Maybe the poster should further define economic development.  It goes beyond retail. The village has one of the highest rates of nonretail occupancy in Lake County.  Yes, the village is not known for retail shopping – unless you’re into sushi, nail spas or chain drug stores.  If the poster had taken time and checked things out, he/she would find details at Economic Development Information

Post: Our taxes should pay for everything.

Reality:  Yes, Virginia, there is a hole in the ozone layer.

Economic development deserves funding, ideas for the entire village

When the Village Board votes tonight on the 2016 budget, it will approve $100,000 to study economic development along the Lake-Cook Road and Prairie View corridors.

                It’s important to note that these are corridors.  Plural.  More than one.  The expenditure is part of the proposed 2016 budget (2016 Budget) which was discussed at length at the Board’s Nov. 16 meeting, and calls for the study to be completed by Dec. 31, 2016.

                The study represents a concerted effort by the village to address comprehensive economic development, not just one spot in the village.  The Lake-Cook corridor runs from Arlington Heights Road to Milwaukee Avenue.  No single area has been singled out, nor has a developer or proposal been identified.

                The Prairie View corridor is the vicinity of the Prairie View METRA station and does not call for additional annexation of residential areas that may be in unincorporated Vernon Twp.

                Pundits are likely to do one of several things.  The first may be to chide the village for not being transparent.  The budget has been available on the village’s web site (as noted by the link above).  The village also hosted an Economic Development Open House from 5 to 7 last Wednesday.

                Despite its rather unusual timing, village staff, led by Community Development Director Chris Stilling did more than just a “nice job” presenting the village’s progress and plans for economic development.

                But how many of the 30 or so residents who attended did more than listen. How many heard?

                Economic development entails more than attracting retail businesses.  An estimated 20,000 people work in Buffalo Grove each day. They range from attorneys to the ever-popular sushi chefs, warehouse workers, health care workers and educators among others who call Buffalo Grove their professional home.  Stilling estimates that 90 percent of those who work in Buffalo Grove, live elsewhere.  While this represents a potential market segment, appealing to the workforce in Buffalo Grove is not the only target.  In fact, it would be interesting to see how Buffalo Grove’s numbers compare to other communities.

                Addressing the Buffalo Grove-based workforce is one aspect of the Economic Development plan that will be presented to, and hopefully discussed, by the Village Board at its Dec. 21 meeting.  The plan is available at Economic Development Plan.

                The fact that the plan is so readily available would, you would think and hope, alleviate accusations of lack of transparency and, you would hope, foster discussions directly to economic development. 

                Have more METRA trains, and the Weiland Road extension are not part of the Economic Development plan. Of course, two words that emerge with any discussion about economic development are Town Center.

                While the center is in a prime location, the village does not own it.

                The village cannot redesign it.

                The village cannot fill the vacancies.

                The village can, however, work with management of, not only Town Center, but other retail and commercial developments in attracting prospective businesses to the village, but the village is not a landlord.  Period.

                The Economic Development plan identifies, Stilling says, sites to be considered for potential development.  Village Planner Nicole Woods also noted that there are a variety of tools available in the plan, such as Tax Increment Financing.  However, it was made quite clear that no TIF districts have been identified or approved.

                While last week’s turnout was admirable, especially given the early time, most of those attending seem to be content on rhetoric that has been previously heard around the village – as in the last election.

                Beverly Sussman and Dave Weidenfeld were elected via the “Save Buffalo Grove Now” effort on the premise that the village needs to maintain green space, an effort fueled by the proposed effort to develop much of the Buffalo Grove Golf Course by CRM properties. That proposal is gone.  The need for economic development is not.

                Stilling and the rest of the village staff have been working doggedly to get things moving, which appears to be the case.

                However, if you gauge the movement by what activities at public meetings, you may wonder.  Last week’s meeting, while seemingly well attended, included many of the same folks who have voice the same arguments before.  Many of the attendees are longtime village residents who are resistant to change.  A prevailing attitude seems to be that Buffalo Grove is a bedroom community and that’s what it should remain.

                Both Weidenfeld and Sussman attended the meeting and neither contributed to the discussion.  Let’s cut Weidenfeld some slack because he’s still the new kid on the block.  Sort of.

                Sussman, however, touted the need for business development, an economic development website etc.  As a former small business owner, and now Village President, you’d think she would be at the forefront of the movement.

                Apparently not.  Sussman sat toward the back of the meeting last Wednesday and did not say a word on behalf of staff efforts, or her vision for economic and community development.

                And while the dialogue between residents and staff was good, much of what was presented were ideas flowing from the same recipes for leftovers.

                The Village Manager’s office staff, from Village Manager Dane Bragg on down appears to have things in focus.  Perfect?  Nothing is perfect.

                The constant allegations that the village does nothing, and repetitive whining that the village can’t change, has run its course.  The $100,000 earmarked for studying economic development corridors is money well spent.

                Even if it means changes in the village, like development of a downtown.

                Oh wait, I’m sorry.  At least week’s meeting the term “downtown” was replaced with the phrase “focal point.”

                Why?  My guess is to keep Buffalo Grove the same and not rattle the Geritol bottles of those resistant to change.

                Petula Clark would be devastated.

                Just imagine what it would be like if the NFL adopted a similar ideology.

                No longer would Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Tom Brady, John Elway, Brett Favre, Roger Staubach be known as Super Bowl quarterbacks, but as “Focal Points”.

                Call them what you want – the results were the same.

                Not because of what they were called, but because of a game plan.

                The village is moving in that direction.  Staff is working on a game plan that addresses the game as it is played now.

                It’s time to look at next week’s game and not last year’s loss. 

They continue to serve and protect...and probably laugh a little

So many reports, so little time.  Buffalo Grove police respond to calls involving lost animals, naked couples, missing stoves and more.  They serve and protect.  How they do it without laughing is amazing.

System failure? A resident called about a missing computer.  Police checked area.  The computer was found -- on a dark table in the room she had left it in.

Hello, Luca Brasi? Police were called to a grocery store about a customer who was talking loudly with profanities because he wanted to know who was in charge of the fish.

What’s love got to do with it? Police were called about a man pulling a woman's hair while in a car.  Police said the couple was in "good spirits" and that the man was touching the female in a "flirtatious manner" and that the person who called mistook their "playfulness" for dismay.  The end of the report noted “nothing further"

Be careful who you meet online.  Police were called about a suspicious person.  It turned out to be a man waiting outside because a girl he met online was inside changing and did not want the man to meet her parents.   She confirmed the story.

Cat on the loose.  Police responded to the call about a stray cat.  When officers brought it back to the police department, it fled.

But was the battery really dead?  Police had a complaint about a car blocking a lane of a street.  Owner said battery died and he was going to have it moved.   Upon investigation police noticed a box of condoms on the front seat and three "apparently used condoms" a short distance from the vehicle.

Beats a Fiddler on the Roof -- Police responded to a report of a naked male on a roof.  When they got there they did not see anyone.  Complainant insisted the man was there.  Police called for BGFD, which sent a ladder truck.  Upon further investigation, police and fire fighters found both the man --- and a woman -- both naked -- on the roof.  Police reports say once the couple was on the ground they admitted to making a "bad choice". 

Icy reception -- Resident said tree trimming crew waved an icicle in his face. They said he was complaining about the noise from their equipment and started using profanities.

Really?  Why?  Resident brought in 29 license plates to the police department to be destroyed.

Suspects narrowed down.  A resident reported a “viscous" fluid on her windshield.  Not sure if it was because her daughter attracts "the wrong element from Elgin" or if it was because she would not let a repair man use her outlet for repairs at a neighbor's house.

Rubbed the wrong way. Two masseuses call saying they were being held against their will.  Hired to give messages.  They and two customers had beer, massages lasted five minutes, not the full time promise.  Customers were mad and yelling.  Two masseuses said they were not prostitutes.

Shouldn’t he have done this ahead of time? Police received a report of a suspicious vehicle. It turned out to be a guy who had just purchased a Porche and was learning to drive stick shift.

There’s a shot and a... - Police were called by a resident after a window was broken.  Turned out   neighbors kid was playing hockey when his shot went wide, went flying and broke the neighbor's window.  So we lose a puck and gain and new window.

The keyword may be intelligence. Police received a report of a resident making noise. The resident told police he was excited about his new job with the CIA.

Sealed with a kiss?  A resident called police because he thinks the cost for seal coating his driveway was too high.  Hint – there’s a way to avoid this -- get an estimate ahead of time.

A dastardly situation.  Police were called because someone was playing soccer on the basketball court.

Is this ‘fare’? A cab driver called police to help him get passenger out of back seat where he feel asleep

Want to bet she is not in their rewards program.  A 26 year old palatine woman checked into a Buffalo Grove hotel.  She went to her room, but the hotel staff soon found out her credit card was declined.  The manager went to tell her, but to his dismay, no one answered.  The saga continues – the manager tried to use his pass key, only to find the door latched.  But wait, there’s more.  The manager detected the smell of cannibals. The manager called police who found the same thing. The difference was they cut the latch. The guest woke up claiming she did not hear the attempts (to no surprise).  She was advised of the situation and told to leave.  Which she did. 

Nice try.  Resident called police about a neighbor speeding. Neighbor told police the car was rented, and is so loud; it appears to be going faster than it is.  Really.

But was her wearing a helmet? A resident called police to report a man who was riding his bike and pulling up his shorts in a manner that "may have exposed his private parts".  The caller was concerned because of the man's proximity to a school.  He did not provide details about the private parts.

It seemed like a good idea at the time.  Resident just wanted this documented: He told police signed up on an online dating site.  Exchanged "questionable” photos with an apparent female.  She then said she was 16.  Next came a text from someone who said he was the girl’s father. Oh, he wanted $700.  Girls profile suddenly vanished.

Did they check Woodstock? A dog named Snoopy was reported missing.

Where’s the Maytag man when we need him?  A resident called police to report that over the past two years he has found laundry lint in his bushes and on her porch.

And he’s the only one? A resident called to complain about the large number of robo calls.

Check references next time.  Police were called because an employee at a local restaurant was caught stealing during her first five days on the job.

Wonder if this ‘Bugs’ police?  Police were called to a residence because of a stray rabbit. Report says it may be someone's pet because it did not run away.  Rabbit was brought to the police station.  Seriously.

Forget Sweetest Day.   A resident met with police after he complained that his ex-girlfriend kept calling him.  Seems as though she wanted closure after their six-month relationship. It ended after he was arrested for domestic battery. 

Seriously? Police were called to a restaurant due to a fight caused by request for hash browns, 

Maybe the price was too high?  A woman called police because she was planning to show a condo for sale, but there appeared to be the odor of cannabis in the common hallway. 

Not home on the range -- Police are investigating a burglary in which a stove was removed.  The home was vacant at the time.  Police speculate the burglars came in through garage, backed a truck up and loaded stove.

And finally, this has to be a first.  A guy was accused of driving off without paying for his gas. When police contacted him he said it was a mistake and drove back from Woodridge to pay for the $45 worth of gas.

Civics: A hot topic that gets a cold reception

The recent passage of HB 4025, which mandates a civics education course for all high school students, has helped make civics education a hot topic in some circles.

                But not in Buffalo Grove where it’s old news.  Very old news.

                As evidenced by the recent civics forum, an annual event for high school students at Buffalo Grove and Stevenson High Schools, civics education is alive and well in the village.

                The forum, spearheaded by longtime Village Clerk Janet Sirabian, give students the opportunity to research and present both sides of an issue and present their case to the Village Board.

                This year’s topic addressed raising the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21.  Students, as they have during past civics forum, demonstrated excellent research and presentation skills.  Several Village Board members even noted the performance, calling this year’s forum was among the best.

                And this is something which is both encouraging and important. That’s because, as Sirabian noted in her opening remarks, the Forum gives students a chance to experience the civic process, which can make a difference.

                Despite the uniqueness of the program and the opportunities it gives students from both schools, something was missing.

                It was not student energy.

                It was not the need.

                It was not the dedication of the village, especially Sirabian.

                It was overall interest.

                Apparently some residents and some area media outlets think the idea of area high school students engaging the civic process is either uninteresting or not on the list of things worth spending time on.  An online search yielded only one media reference to this year’s forum and maybe two for last year’s.

                But with reporters getting stretched to the limit and more and more media outlets going regional than local, it’s somewhat understandable.  Not acceptable, mind you, but understandable.

                That does not, however explain the pitiful turnout to see the students present the skills needed for an effective civic process. You would think that the Council Chambers would be packed with proud parents.

                You would think that would be the case, right?

                Think again.

                Hardly.  In fact, in checking with some folks who were at the Forum, they said there was only one parent present.

                So what does this tell you?

                It could tell you that the timing of the Civics Forum is just too inconvenient for parents. Unlikely.

                It could tell you that there just isn’t that much “glory” in a civics forum as there may be in, say, a soccer game or football game.

                Nearly 20 students participated in the Forum, so for the sake of argument, the potential was there for 40 parents to attend.  Granted, not all parents can attend, but still, only one parent was able to attend the Forum?

                Do parents think that the civic responsibility is just something high school students need to learn and not practice?  Too bad if they think that way because without fail, there will be some “pressing issue” that will impact them and they’ll want to storm the Bastille without a clue as to how the profess works.

                Granted, student presentations may not as exciting as a dominant defense, award-winning cheerleading formations; but it the challenges facing the student participants in the Civics Forum are no less taxing than those facing a football player, cheerleader, soccer leader, or thespian. That’s not to diminish the efforts of any student in any activity.

                But practicing civic responsibility carries with it something more than a lot of other student activities do. First of all, it requires use of cognitive skills. While it’s not quantifiable student achievement, like allegedly found in standardized tests, it’s an excellent demonstration of pedagogy. 

                Second, the Forum stimulated intergenerational interaction.  In addition to presenting the pros and cons of lowering the age for purchasing tobacco products, they fielded questions from members of the Village Board. This is a challenge for anyone, let alone high school students, most of whom, if not all, were attending their first Village Board meeting. Questions by Board Members were genuine and not gratuitous in an effort to make the students feel important, which is the way it should be because this is how the civics process works.

                The students understood that.

                Their teachers understood that.

                The Village Board and village staff understood that.

                But it seems as though most of the parents did not understand that.

                Maybe HB4025 came up short.  Maybe it should have done more than mandate a semester-long civics course for high school students.

                Maybe it should have mandated an adult education course. 

A helpful robo call pays off

Jeff Todd had a problem.  It was Asia.

                Not Japan, Korea, China or Thailand.

                It was Asia, his 13-year-old Bengal cat that decided to bolt the house on Sunday and has not been seen since.  It’s possible Asia was watching the Cubs and decided enough was enough.

                The intriguing thing about Todd’s situation is how he got the word out.  Rather than litter utility and light poles with hard-to-read flyers, Todd posted on “lostmykitty.com” – seriously – a web site dedicated to lost cats. And yes, there is a companion site for lost dogs, lostmydoggie.com.

Asia

                One of the features of lostmykitty.com, and I presume lostmydoggie.com, is that it generates robo calls.

                Just like the politicians.  Just like the window cleaning services.  Just like the siding salesmen. Just like --- fill-in-the blank.

                The call lets you know that there’s a car missing in your neighborhood, offers a description, tips on where cats may hide and, of course, a phone number for you to call.

                In this case, people were asked to call 630-244-6726.

                As for Todd, he was frantic, as pet owners often do when the feline or canine bolts.

                Did it work?  Apparently it did -- because late Monday afternoon Todd called me to report that Asia had been found.  Smart cat.  Asia decided to hang out in the back yard of a police officer who lives near Todd.

                So now Asian is home and still has, for the sake of argument, eight lives left.
Which when you think about it, is more than than Cubs have.

Public relations or public safety?

I had not seen Chicken Little recently, but when I did, much to my surprise I found him looking at real estate ads.

          Moving? I asked.

                “Well, he said, I’m always looking at potential housing.”

                Find anything interesting?

                “Always, but my concern are those homes in School District 21.”

                And that’s because of what?

                “Are you crazy?  Kids are risk because of the Village of Buffalo Grove.”

                Why?

                “Because of the budget crazed folks in Bisonville.”

                Seriously?

                “Surely you’ve heard about the issue between the village and the folks in D-21.”

                Ah.  What the fine-feathered fowl is referring to is the recent “issue” involving Buffalo Grove’s funding of crossing guards for School District 21.

                Even though school started more than a month ago, the issue as to how much the district will pay the village to provide crossing guards has resulted in an interesting dialogue that has became a version of “he said/she said”.

                Even after a month.

                The district maintains that it knew nothing of the village’s decision to not pay for crossing guards and thus had to resort to a “robo call” informing parents of that fact on Aug. 19 – the day before the district’s school board August meeting.

                Imagine that – the big, mean, cruel village suddenly pulled the plug on crossing guards at three locations (Arlington Heights Road and Bernard Drive; Raupp Boulevard and Golfview Terrace; and Anthony Road and Cambridge Drive) putting children at risk.

                So the district thought it might be a good idea to circle the wagons and take on Ft. Raupp because after all, the district had no notice that the free ride was over.

                “The last communication we had was dated Aug. 3,” District 21 spokesperson Kara Beach said, adding that the district did not receive any the communication until Aug. 12 via email with a ‘snail mail’ copy arriving Aug. 17.

                While Buffalo Grove Village Manager Dane Bragg confirmed that correspondence received by D-21 on Aug. 12 was in fact dated Aug. 3, the village opted to update it before sending it, so if you want to smack the Village Manager’s office, you could do so for not changing the original date.

                However, what you can’t do is take District 21’s claim that it knew nothing about the village’s decision to cut off crossing guard funding until August seriously.

                Bragg emphatically notes that in a June 3 correspondence he indicated to the district that “…the Village of Buffalo Grove billed District 21 for the 2015-16 school year amount of $12,272 on March 16, and has not received payment. In addition, the Village billed District 21 on February 5, 2014 in the amount of $11,919 for the 2014-15 program and has not received payment. Thus, District 21 is in arrears to the Village in the amount of $24,191 for services rendered.”

                This email, along with others going back to January 2013, are available on the village’s web site via this link: Crossing Guard Documents.

                So it seems that despite what District 21 would like residents to know, the village’s plan was not a last-minute surprise.

                And while there is a temporary agreement in place, a permanent solution is still being discussed.

                The village is seeking an equitable arrangement as it has with other school districts in the village.

                School District 21 appears to maintain that it wants the village to pay the entire bill.

                But why?

                Is it an issue of public safety or public relations?

                Interestingly enough, on Aug. 25, the Chicago Tribune ran a story, “Little-noticed pension perk for teachers widespread in Illinois”.

                Its focus is the amount area school districts contribute to teachers’ retirement funds.  The article cites one school district which pays “the entire amount of the staff member’s contribution to the Teachers’ Retirement System (TRS).”

                The article, which can be found at http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-pension-contributions-districts-pay-met-20150823-story.html, reports that the perk will cost the district “several millions dollars.”

                The district?  School District 21.

                It seems as though the district may have attempted an end-around move to distract residents from the Tribune’s finding by pleading poverty to the village – and ultimately the community.

                While District 21 is not the only district to fund a teacher’s entire contribution to TRS, it’s obviously a major expense. And where does the money come from?  According to the Tribune, “…the district and its local taxpayers cover the cost of teachers' pension contributions — 9.4 percent of their earnings.”

                The key words that resonate here are “…and its local taxpayers…”  While it’s admirable that D-21 provides for its teachers’ future, the district should be transparent about all of its expenses.

                It seems to me that rather than point the finger for its financial woes at the village, District 21 officials and its Board should take a look at its books.  Not its history, math, science or English books.

                Its financial books.

Maybe Jean Viljean has the answer....

Somehow I never thought Victor Hugo would become a factor in the branding of Buffalo Grove.

                But he has.

                Sort of.

                At last Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting (best known as a COW) the Board heard a presentation from the firm it hired to rebrand the village as part of its economic development effort.

                The presentation by the Decatur-based DCC Interactive Marketing Agency focus mostly on new logo ideas to replace the beloved, if albeit dated buffalo (or bison if you prefer), with something that best reflects the village.

                As Jean Valjean asked in Les Miserables, “Who am I?” The question for Buffalo Grove is “Who are we?”

                If you grab the gist from DCC, we are no longer a village (too small) – just Buffalo Grove.  We also need to flaunt our green space.

                This comes after, according to a staff memo made available in the Board packet, a meeting with the Steering Committee the week before.  One week before.

                The representatives from DCC struggled to justify the top two logo proposals (shown below) saying it reflects the character of Buffalo Grove and where it is going

 Which raises two questions.

What is the character of the village and where is it  going?  If you believe in the rhetoric from May’s election, the village, oops, sorry, Buffalo Grove needs saving and we need to save the golf course because that is the character of the former village.

                Municipal officials, who used to be called village officials, would like to see the business climate enhanced.

                Most residents are probably unaware of these initiatives because as we saw in the May election, they don’t really care.

                The unfortunate reality is that when people think of business in Buffalo Gove, they immediately refer to home of for rent signs on the west side of Lake-Cook and McHenry Roads – Town Center.

                So to make everyone happy, well try, municipal officials, who used to be village officials, are beginning the aforementioned rebranding process, which led to last Monday’s presentation.

                So how and why was DCC selected?  According to (censored) Manager Dane Bragg, “DCC Marketing was selected by a Request for Proposals process for a branding/marketing strategy.  This was completed in the context of the economic development strategic plan and we felt it was an appropriate time to look at the logo while we were developing the other items.  The steering committee for the branding/marketing consists of me, Jenny Maltas, David Weidenfeld, Nicole Woods and Chris Stilling.”

                It’s not clear if Bragg was familiar with the Decatur-based firm from his days as assistant village manager in Decatur, or what the deciding factor was in the firm’s hiring.

                In response to an email regarding the last Monday’s presentation, Board President Beverly Sussman responded that she asked Bragg to respond to me and that she would send me comments.  None have been received.

                So the question remains – what is the image of the village and what is the message it is trying to convey?

                In an effort to save the village money, I have taken the liberty to develop some logos (shown here) based on the presentation by DCC. 

I have done others, but these best reflect the typographical image along with a little more tweaking to reflect the (fill in the blank) character.

                As for the question – who are we?

                Beats me.

                Ask Jean Viljean.

More than a law needed to increase civic engagement

The passage of House Bill 4025, which mandates a one-semester civics class for high school students, just needs the signature of Gov. Bruce Rauner to become law.  That, and along with HB 800 which sets the start-up date for the  2016-2017 school year, will do more than give students a way to meet the state’s social science requirement; it will hopefully light a fire on the need for civic engagement.

            Not just for students, but for everyone.

            I’ve addressed civic engagement several times, most recently after the spring election which saw pitifully low voter turnout on both sides of Lake-Cook Road.  Part of that is due to the fact that many people are content with their local politics as long as the streets get plowed, the water works and Police and Fire Departments are good.

            Having attended more Village Board meetings than I can recall, it’s amazing, if not disappointing, that the only time people attend meetings is to chime in on a conflict, complain, or watch their child get a certificate from the village.

            Budget planning? No interest.  Economic development? Mild interest, but if it’s not a proposed edifice in their backyard, most residents could care less.

            So what’s a way to spur civic engagement?  In its May 2014 report, the Illinois State Board of Education’s task force on civic education touted the need for news literacy.  This was music to my ears because of my association with the Center for News Literacy at New York’s Stony Brook University and as an educator who incorporates the fundamentals of news literacy into my curriculum.

            It’s not a journalism class.  Instead news literacy instruction addresses critical thinking skills needed by news consumers, who used to be called readers or viewers, to judge the reliability and credibility of news reports, whether they come via print, television or the Internet.

            Makes sense, right?  And if you tune into the local news, you can find out what generally is going on the Chicago area.  Maybe you get the Tribune or Sun-Times and get an idea what’s happening in metro Chicago.

            But what about Buffalo Grove?  There was, at one point four newspapers covered the village on a regular basis.  Now, news coverage is limited to meeting coverage by the Daily Herald, sporadic coverage by the Des Plaines Journal-Topics and an occasional article in Trib Local.

            And then there’s the Buffalo Grove Countryside.  Now owned by the Tribune Company, the Countryside runs news of Buffalo Grove in Trib Local and just for fun, runs it in the Countryside.  Aside from that, it’s limited to an occasional letter and columns by soccer moms.  And it’s not getting any better.  In fact, two weeks ago the cover of the ‘Buffalo Grove’ Countryside was about businesses – in Mt. Prospect.

            Web editions don’t provide much more as there’s only so much one reporter can do. The lead story on the Countryside’s web site is about a Vernon Hills crime.  The crossing guard is between School District 21 and the village is posted, but has not been updated.

            So what lies ahead?  Apparently not much.

            In the long run, the losers are citizens who may want to be interested their village, but lack an independent media to offer them a forum for news and information.  The Herald, despite being covered by a part-time reporter, provides additional support as needed.  The Herald also maintains an active social media presence through its Buffalo Grove page on Facebook, which may not be a news delivery site, but at least it’s a forum where residents can get an idea as to what may be happening in the village.

            When it comes to citizen engagement, residents need know what’s going on.  The ball is clearly in their court.

            Social media?  The reality is getting reliable information from social media is a challenge because you don’t know how reliable the information is and who or what is behind it.

            And while hyper local media outlets are making inroads in the city, specifically DNAInfo, they have not done so in the suburbs.   AOL’s Patch made a valiant effort, but poor management and the desire by AOL to leave hyperlocal journalism led to the demise of that initiative.

           So what’s left? Not much.

            Which is really too bad.

Especially when it comes to civic engagement.