Trilling's departure should send message to trustees -- and residents

Last week’s announcement that longtime Board Member Steve Trilling was stepping down did more than signal an end of more than a decade of service, it should send a message to some members of the Village Board.

That message is simple – use Trilling as an example.

Trilling, who spent seven years on the Plan Commission, two on the Appearance Commission and 15 years as a member of the Village Board, handled each position with outstanding "...class, distinction and honor…" That’s not to diminish the efforts done by others who have, or are serving on the Board, but Trilling did so without a personal agenda and without a need to showcase – something other Board Members, both past and present have not done.

Trilling’s input was well thought out and reflected his expertise as an industrial engineer. His approach to issues that did not connect to engineering were equally well presented.

While the well-deserved accolades for Trilling have taken front and center, it’s important to look at what may lie ahead because one thing is certain – Trilling’s depth and insight will be missed.

With Trilling leaving the Board, that leaves only Trustee Jeff Berman as the most vocal Board Member. Like Trilling, Berman’s remarks reflect considerable, some may say excessive, insight and research. Agree or not, it is apparent that Berman and Trilling know one thing -- the status quo just won’t do.

And it shouldn’t.

Buffalo Grove residents, as should residents of any school board, park board, municipality, county or state, should see transparency from their elected officials. Items that may have significant impact need to be discussed and clarified and not buried in the consent agenda.

Berman aside, discussion by most trustees is limited and generally does not reflect a lot of insight into village operations. You could argue that the village staff is doing its job so well that there’s no reason to raise questions. And while the village is well run, it’s not, as the late Al McGuire would say, all seashell and balloons.

You could also say that things are going so well that there is no need for discussion by trustees. The keyword here is could.

Aside from questions and occasional challenges, mostly from Berman, meetings have turned into a series of supportive comments for the village staff. This is not to dilute the quality of services and operations provided by the village because, in general, they are excellent.

Residents, however, should hear more from their elected officials.

What raises the ire of many residents is snow removal, Buffalo Grove Days parking and anything that impacts their neighborhood. Budget time brings out various wags who show up to insult the work done by the Finance Department and then crawl back into their holes for another year.

Outside of that, it’s the same collection of folks who attend Board meetings who watch the same routine meeting-to-meeting.

Part of the problem, so it seems, is preparation, or lack of, prior to meetings especially Committee of the Whole meetings when items are presented by staff for discussion. While staff does an adequate job presenting highlights via PowerPoint, it’s not unusual for some Board members to ask inane questions that, had they read the materials prior to the meeting, would not need to be asked.

But no, their lack of preparation does little more than give them an opportunity to grandstand and sound engaged in the discussion when in actuality they’re clueless.

Village Clerk Janet Sirabian bemoans the pitiful turnout for village elections. She’s right. The lack of civic engagement at the local level is weak. But it takes two to tango. How can residents be engaged when many board members aren’t?

Regular Village Board meetings don’t foster civic engagement and Committee of the Whole meetings are often exercises in futility.

It’s not unusual for agendas to feature resolutions and presentations on a variety of inane causes. The Village Board does, however, recognize residents for significant accomplishments. Not only do they get recognized, but it gives Board President Beverly Sussman the unique opportunity to present highly coveted plastic buffalo pins.

But what about issues facing the village? Village Manager Dane Bragg regularly updates the Board on issues, especially those emulating from Springfield. But outside of those updates, there’s little said. Some items are tossed onto the consent agenda which is generally rubber stamped. Bragg told me that some items placed on the consent agenda by village staff because they are routine. Others, however, could be of interest to residents, especially those items relating to intergovernmental agreements or mandates, such as the Cook County mandate regarding minimum wage.

But, in general, it doesn’t happen, and if past performance is an indication, things are not likely to change unless some trustees step up.

Trustees Joanne Johnson and Lester Ottenheimer III have provided some insights and challenges in the past, but not to the degree that Trilling did or Berman does. In his first two-years, trustee Dave Weidenfeld has raised some points, but as someone who ran on the “Save Buffalo Grove” ticket two years ago, he has not raised questions that indicate the village needs saving.

And then there’s Trustee Andrew Stein who is probably gloating over the fact that with Trilling’s departure he will move over a seat because he has the second longest tenure on the Board (seating on the dais is based on length of service with the most senior trustee sitting on the right as you face the dais).

The length of tenure, however, doesn’t reflect the nature of impact. Stein, who often, so it seems, takes a cue from Dr. Seuss with an attitude of “…Look at me!, Look at me!, Look at me NOW!” by grandstanding with incessant rambling about the Farmers Market and recitation of successes at Stevenson and Buffalo Grove high schools that does little than take up time and give him face time. For example, at the June meeting Stein wore a Boy Scout uniform as part of the village’s tribute to several Buffalo Grove scouts being honored for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. It’s an impressive accomplishment for the young men, but Stein stole some of the thunder by wearing the uniform. Had he wore shorts he may have been mistaken for someone auditioning for the Sound of Music.

What we need is for all trustees to provide input and questions for staff. This not an indictment of the staff performance, but members of any public body need be involved in decisions that impact constituents and not just rubber stamp staff reports or recommendations.

Trustees, however, are not alone. Sussman too must be more vocal about agenda items and issues facing the village. More than two years ago she ran for Village President touting a need for transparency, which needs to extend beyond the reaches of staff reports. The Board must reflect the proverbial pulse of the community and not just bless and anoint staff actions.

In her campaign, Sussman’s campaign literature and signs touted that “experience is the best teacher.” My guess is she was referring to her experience serving the village. I get that.  However, I still don’t know who or what she is teaching.

If it is civics, then the best experience for residents is to hear dialogue and not just the thump of a rubber stamp.