The need for retail development didn't just happen...

The recent discussions about economic development in the village have, to say the least, been enlightening.

                They could serve as transitions from the now vaporized “downtown proposal” to the upcoming village election.

                But they shouldn’t.

                While it’s likely some candidates may focus on the proposal-formerly-known-as-downtown, which would have ruined the golf course and kept the village from getting the PGA tour, the reality is that it is no longer the issue.

                Good-bye, farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, good bye, hasta la vista baby.

                That’s why presentations by Chris Stilling, the recent acquisition to the village manager’s office have been, in many ways, a breath of fresh air.

                One of Stilling’s main functions, if not the main, has been to give Buffalo Grove’s seemingly sagging retail environment a boost.

                And he hasn’t mentioned ‘golf course’ once.

                More than a few weeks ago, I began a series of blogs addressing economic development in the village.  I posed four questions to the village fathers and mother. The first question addressed the developer formerly-known-as-Malk because he was trendy at the time.

                Now however, he’s old news.  As they might say at the bike shop -- Gone with Schwinn.

                So what now?

                The result of Malk taking his plan off the course should not have an impact on future development efforts in the village.

                “It may cause owners/developers to re-evaluate their assets in BG and push forward any of their rehabilitation and/or expansion plans to accommodate the realized needs or desires of Buffalo Grove residents,” Trustee Steve Trilling told me in an email response.  Trilling’s point makes sense, because it appeared, at least in its preliminary and even secondary renderings, that the “instant downtown” had not done that.

                The focus of bringing the mountain to town may lie in re-evaluating and redeveloping existing areas, best known as corridors.  The village’s targets are likely to be the existing Dundee corridor and development of the Milwaukee corridor, especially at Deerfield Parkway and Milwaukee Avenue.

                Whatever does happen, however, developers with ideas may find themselves under scrutiny.

                Trustee Beverly Sussman said she thinks Malk’s picking up and going home “should not have a tremendous impact on other plans for economic development.”  She noted that there are “many corridors to work on for economic development”. 

                Sussman noted too that “somehow, somewhere, something has to be done with the Town Center. I know we don't own it, but something has to be done to that eyesore.”  The keywords are “we don’t own it.”  So what can be done with the retail albatross?  When you consider that its most successful tenants Binny’s, Burger King, Boston Market and Brunswick’s it may make sense to have more tenants that begin with the letter B.

                People call attention to Town Center because it stands out like a sore thumb. But, as Sussman notes, the village does not own it and unless there’s a magical power of eminent domain that would let the village do something with Town Center, any discussion about the village involvement with it is basically a moot point.

                While some folks seem to have put all the development eggs in the CRM proposal, Trustee Jeff Berman points out that “The need for economic development did not begin and does not end with the demise of the CRM downtown proposal. The village definitely needs to continue to work to diversify and improve its revenue profile. A key component is economic development. On that point, there is neither doubt nor real controversy.”

                This, from my standpoint, is why Stilling’s presentations have been a jolt of lightening in the discussion of economic development.

                Economic development is something that falls into the village regular mode of operation.  Waiting for elections where it becomes “an issue” is not in the best interest of the village or is residents who may be led to believe that the results of an election will result in an instant panacea for economic development.

                It’s more involved than just building a retail outlet.  It takes more than a “Field of Dreams” mentality – just because you build it does not mean they will come.

                In fact, notes Village Manager Dane Bragg, redevelopment can be more complicated than starting a project from scratch.  The reason, he says, is that there are existing traffic patterns and infrastructure constrains that come into play.

                During a recent committee of the whole meeting (also known as a workshop meeting), Board members were told that a key to economic development, or in Buffalo Grove’s case, redevelopment, is looking at available square footage, not numbers of vacancies.

                The key here is the flexibility.  Bragg notes, for example that 300,000 square feet of retail space can be split into “more productive space” for a retailer.  The village’s vacancy rate is approximately in the neighborhood of 15 percent.  For comparison sake, Chicago’s is 8.2 percent.  Statistics, however, can be squirrely things.  Fueling Buffalo Grove’s rate is the 63,000 square foot edifice at Lake-Cook and Arlington Heights roads that used to be known as Dominick’s.  Take that out of the equation and the village’s vacancy rate drops to around 10 percent, which may still seem high, but it’s important to factor in the vacant car showrooms along Dundee Road.

                There’s no quick solution.  Economic development – and redevelopment – is a pain-staking strategic process.  It can be costly too if economic incentives come into place, and with cuts to municipalities being eyeballed by the Rauner administration, it’s possible that incentives will be harder to offer prospective retailers.

                “We always take a careful look at public financing,” Village President Jeff Braiman says.  “We have always been conservative which is one reason we have a AAA bond rating.”

                This enhances the challenge for attracting retail development.

                Whatever approach the village takes, it needs to be forward thinking.   Chuck Malk and his instant downtown are gone.  Nothing is planned for the golf course.

                The key is to look out the windshield and not the rear-view mirror.

Vavra goes out a winner

This is the time of year when we hear about coaching changes.

                We hear about coaches whose team did not perform.

                We hear about coaches who were not leaders.

                We hear about coaches who had poor judgment.

                What we don’t hear

Terry Vavra addresses well-wishers
 at a reception honoring him
on his retirement

about are those coaches who go out as winners.

                We did on Friday we did.  And it wasn’t the coach of a football, basketball, hockey or baseball team.

                It was the coach, if you will, of a Fire Department.

                Friday was Terry Vavra’s last day as Buffalo Grove Fire Chief, a post he held for seven years.  The retirement, announced Feb. 9 in a corporate-flavored press release on its web site, the village cited Vavra for his service including, notes the press release, “...negotiate two labor agreements, instituted a Battalion Chiefs testing process and served on the Lake County Fire Chiefs Board for the last five years, most recently as President in 2014 …”

                The release includes the gratuitous quotes from Village Manager Dane Bragg (“…Terry has been a steadfast public safety executive showing his capabilities in leading the fire service..” ) and from Village Board President Jeff Braiman (“…“Terry has been a dedicated chief who has served the Village of Buffalo Grove with a commitment to excellence. He has managed his department to treat all citizens with dignity and respect while carrying on their duties in a professional and courteous manner…”). 

Terry Vavra gets a warm send off

                Interestingly, there does not seem to be a Village Hall-based reception or proclamation planned for Vavra as there has been for other retirees.  Read into it what you want.

                What was held was a reception Friday afternoon at the Fire Station on Highland Grove that was sponsored by the Buffalo Grove Fire Department and, not interestingly enough, by the village.

                But my guess is Vavra liked it that way.

                His 35-plus years as a fire fighter (he was with Lisle Woodridge for 28 years before coming to Buffalo Grove) made him more than a chief; he was clearly one of the men and women in the department.

Village Clerk Jan Sirabian shares a moment
with Terry Vavra

                As a coach, he had the respect in the locker room – and in the community.  Bragg cited that in the press release noting that “…“His service to the community and his care for the operation is second to none…” 

                And to the professionals on his staff.  As I scrambled in to the reception, I caught most of Vavra’s comments to the crowd at Friday’s reception.  And one of the most telling things he said, typical of Vavra, was that Buffalo Grove’s fire fighters don’t just “care for people; they care about people.”

                And where does a sentiment like that start?  At the top. With the coach.

                Vavra professionalism was reflected in not only the fire department operated, but how represented the department. Whenever the Fire Department or one of its professionals were honored by the Village Board – which happened many times – Vavra beamed with pride, not because he was the chief, but because of what the men and women in the department had achieved.

                Vavra’s was quiet about his future plans, saying only that (pub aside) he had some things in the fire.

                Which does not surprise me.

                No matter what, odds are he’ll step up and build another winning team.

                Because that’s what good coaches do.

                And Terry Vavra did it well for Buffalo Grove.

Snow makes some chicken out

At first I thought it was a snow creature.

                It sounded like someone was shivering.

                But then I realized what it was.

                It was a frozen chicken so large that Frank Perdue would have been envious.

                It was Chicken Little.

                I could not imagine why he was out in the snow and cold this past weekend, but as always he had an explanation.

                “When I heard about the cold, rain and snow, I wanted to be grateful and not

Chicken Little examines the snow situation

dead, so I got my stuff, put it in the back of the chicken coupe and was ready to flee the coop before the sky fell in.”

                So why didn’t you?

                “Well I tried, but I the coupe couldn’t garner up enough traction to get out of Dodge.”

                I asked him if it was a case of bad tires.

                “Nope, more like bad planning.”

                Ah, so you should have planned to have left earlier.

                “Hardly, unlike Pete Carroll, I stick to my plan.” 

                So you were in a rush, but decided to pass on your plans?

                “Nope.  My plan was good, but the village’s wasn’t.”

                Not that it takes a lot, I told him, but I’m confused – how does the village factor into your plans?

                “Simple, I was planning to head south on Sunday, but the snow hit and I couldn’t make it out of my driveway,” he clucked.

                So you’re saying the streets were still snow covered and you couldn’t drive anywhere.

                “Exactly,” he clucked.

                Sounds familiar.  Seems as though the village’s new plan for snow removal had a hiccup, if not an upset stomach.

                The plan, which is in its first year, was designed to make maximum use of equipment and more efficient cycle times based on the routes.  But as Pete Carroll found out on Sunday, as did some folks at Village Hall, even the best plans don’t always materialize.

                Needless to say, Village Hall, despite the efforts of Public Works to keep up with nearly 20 inches of snow, was besieged with phone calls, emails, not to mention postings on social media, by people who were ::ahem:: more than a little upset by what they deemed was an unacceptable plan.

                Heavy snows do that. It’s the tangible items that make folks storm the Bastille.

                “You bet,” Chicken Little said.

                As luck would have it, the Village Board met Monday night and heard from village staff who addressed the situation.  My guess is they felt like Pete Carroll addressing the people in Seattle.

                The Board was told that the plan will be re-examined (probably a good idea) to avoid a similar situation when the village gets dumped on.

                “So what did the governing fathers and mothers have to say?” C.L. asked.

                Most said what you thought they’d say.  The village needs to do a better job by decreasing the time between cycles (the time the plows do streets) and more efficient use equipment.  One trustee, Mike Terson, seemed satisfied that the village had done a decent job, saying he thought the snow removal process went better than the storm in 2011. 

                There was concern by trustees Andy Stein and Beverly Sussman about residual snow left after the plows went by making it difficult for residents to get out of their driveways.  Public Works Director Mike Reynolds indicated that keeping snow away from residents’ driveways is a difficult thing to do, especially given the thousands of driveways there are in the village.

                Resident Leon Gopon said residents should know that different agencies handled the snow removal on some roads and suggested signs indicated what agency maintains what street.  Interestingly enough, that information is available on the village’s web site by simply entering your address under “property search” on the lower left side of the web page.  In addition to information about crime rates, flood plains and construction project, there’s a spot marked “outside agency snow plowing service areas” and with one click, you can find out who handles every street in the village.

                “That’s all fine and dandy” C.L. said, “but I think we need more trucks, snow plows, salt spreaders.”

                That’s a key part of the plan, I told my fine-feathered fowl.  The village uses a variety of equipment from pick-up trucks to one-ton trucks. Reynolds noted that the village had 18 pieces of equipment on the streets at the peak of the storm.

                So while it may not be completely back to the drawing board, a revised plan is more than probably.

                “I have an idea,” C.L. said.

                I had to ask what it was.

                “Well I only have one suggestion for the Board,” he noted.  “Consider getting some 16-ton trucks.”

                Seriously?

                “Well, maybe, but it probably wouldn’t work, especially once they were placed into service.”

                And why is that?

                “Well, they’d be another day older and we’d be deeper in debt.”

                Are you saying there’s a Ford in your future?

                “Only if it’s part of a revised plan,” he said.

                Ford or not, they key will be the effectiveness of the revisions. 

With the CRM plan gone, tomorrow is another day...

Imagine if Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone With the Wind,” was a member of the Buffalo Grove Village Board.  After 2½ years of debate and discussions, many of which were contentious, regarding the now vanished “downtown project”, old Meg might have just rolled her eyes and uttered, “well, tomorrow is another day.”

                And she would be right.

                The instant downtown, proposed by Deerfield-based CRM Properties, is now a  memory. And while the acrimonious debate is seemingly lingering over concerns about the process and the fate of the Buffalo Grove Golf Course, the fact remains that the plan is gone and the village needs to face another day.

                The last several months have been a whirlwind of activity surrounding the CRM project and the end, much like Jay Cutler’s role as the Bears’ starting quarterback, came suddenly, with an unclear future lying ahead. 

                The village, however, is taking steps to enhance, develop and redevelop its retail business climate.  It’s going to be an arduous task for the village staff and the fathers and mother that make up the Village Board.

                There are a lot of questions.  In regard to the CRM project, I had hoped to get some answers from CRM President Chuck Malik, but scheduling conflicts and then a trip out of town led to his suggestion that I “check with (Village Manager) Dane Bragg for details.”  And before you know it, the petition was withdrawn.  Questions, however, remain.

                Up until a couple of weeks ago, questions centered on what Malk was going to do with his mega plan for a “downtown Buffalo Grove”.  His decision to withdraw his petition surprised residents, village staff and officials for a variety of reasons.

                For the cynical residents, it was a surprise because they assumed the project was a done deal.  For others, it was a surprise because there were so many unanswered questions that it was not clear which direction the plan was going.

                What may have been at the root of the withdrawal was that fact that Malk was eyeing in excess of $100 million from the village, a figure that was not met with open arms.

                “I was more surprised by Malk’s recent financial pro forma that was presented to the Board,” Village Board member Steve Trilling told me in an email response. “It was inconsistent with an earlier representation as to the amount of public funding, if any, that might be necessary.”

                The quick kill to the project may have been Malk’s request for financial support from the village.

                Board member Lester Ottenheimer said what surprised him was the change in financing because in what he called “preliminary discussions”, the village was led to believe that “financing would be different.”  Ottenheimer added that Malk’s decision could have been “because he couldn’t get what he wanted in financing elsewhere.”

Ottenheimer noted that the proposed cost to the village “were so high up it was out of control; He wanted us to finance $100 million. We can’t tie up the village with that kind of debt”.

                Was Trustee Jeff Berman surprised by the decision? “No, not in light of the financial figures CRM recently provided to the Village,” he told me in an email. He noted that “those figures were developed for the current version of the plan, which was created in response to the engineering study that was completed earlier this fall. Mr. Malk told staff that in order to make the project work from his perspective, he required a firm commitment for public financing for the “gap” shown on his spreadsheet of roughly $102 million.”

Berman noted that “just a few months ago, by contrast, he was still touting the possibility that the project could be completed without any TIF, or one of insignificant size.”  Berman said changes in circumstances the plan and numbers and Malk’s perspective led to Berman changing his own perspective.  “Based on the financial forecasts provided by CRM, it is clear to me that the project is financially infeasible. The nature and amount of TIF debt required to make the project “work” is far beyond any rational contemplation.”

                Board member Andrew Stein said he too was “surprised by the amount requested by Mr. Malk.” Stein noted in an email response that in previous discussions with the Board, Malk indicated that “he would try to structure it so that we would not need a TIF. When he did talk about a commitment from the Village, it was closer to the $20 million range.”

                Stein added that he was not was “not surprised that he (Malk) walked away when we told him that we were not interested in a $100 million contribution from the village.”

                The apparent move by Malk, along with the surprise and ensuing concern by the Board, should bring to light that this was not a “done deal” and that village staff and officials kept an eye open on the long-term impact on village finances.  Still, there were some apparent mixed reactions.

                “I don't know if I was so much surprised as I was disappointed,” Trustee Mike Terson told me in an email. “I was looking forward to going through the entire process and seeing how that evolved, as well as how the community would react as they learned more and more about the project.”

                Terson added that he is “not surprised by his decision because it became clear that the entire Board was not on the same page; and, that is a lot of time and money to invest in a process that you don't feel is likely to garnish the needed support to make happen.”

                Beverly Sussman said in an email that she was surprised by Malk’s decision because it happened “so abruptly”, especially given the fact that Malk “worked on this project for approximately 2-1/2 years and presenting two different concept designs plus his original design”.  Sussman noted that what added to her surprise was that fact that Malk “had a great deal vested in this downtown project.”

She added that he could have “tried to scale down the project or negotiate the amount or at least had some meetings with the Village to see if there was anything possible to work on. It's hard to believe that a developer of this size and magnitude would not have come back to the Village with some new proposal or concept.”

                Hard to believe or not, the proposal for a “downtown Buffalo Grove” is gone and when it comes to retail development or redevelopment in the village, tomorrow is another day.

                And frankly my dear, hopefully there will be developers who actually give a damn.

(This is the first in a series focusing on retail development and redevelopment in Buffalo Grove)

In between calls, first responders keep busy -- especially during the holidays

I once heard a comment, from someone who should know better, that fire fighters seemed to have it easy because “they only work, what, an hour a day”.

            Right.

            That’s like saying all police officers do is drive around all day or that all lifeguards do during the summer is sit outside and get tanned.

            Right.

            First responders, including those in the village, do a lot when they’re not responding to calls.  In addition to professional development and usual maintenance of skills and equipment, police officers and fire fighters spend a lot of time providing community education.

            An obvious busy time of the year is the holiday season.

            The Fire Department’s “Keep the Wreath Red” program, which reminds residents who celebrate Christmas to follow some of the basic safety tips.

• ·                     Needles on fresh trees should be green and hard to pull back from the branches, and the needles should not break if the tree has been freshly cut. The trunk should be sticky to the touch.
• ·                     Do not place your tree close to a heat source, including a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, causing it to be more easily ignited by heat, flame or sparks.
• ·                     Never put tree branches or needles in a fireplace or wood-burning stove. When the tree becomes dry, discard it promptly.
• ·                     Inspect holiday lights each year for frayed wires, bare spots, gaps in the insulation, broken or cracked sockets, and excessive kinking or wear before putting them up. Use only lighting listed by an approved testing laboratory.
• ·                     Do not link more than three light strands, unless the directions indicate it is safe. Connect strings of lights to an extension cord before plugging the cord into the outlet
• ·                     All decorations should be nonflammable or flame-retardant and placed away from heat vents.
• ·                     Ensure that trees and other holiday decorations do not block an exit way. In the event of a fire, time is of the essence. A blocked entry/exit way puts you and your family at risk
• ·                     Wrapping paper in the fireplace can result in a very large fire, throwing off dangerous sparks and embers that may result in a chimney fire.
• ·                     If you do use lit candles, make sure they are in stable holders and place them where they cannot be easily knocked down. Never leave the house with candles burning.

            Now if you’re not among the residents who celebrate Christmas, don’t get your holiday spirit in a snit or put Rob Sherman in your speed dial.

            Some of these tips, especially those that relate to candles can apply to you.

            Remember, the fire and police departments serve all residents all of the time.

            And it takes a lot more than an hour a day.

It's official -- Downtown plan is down and out

Unknowingly, T.S. Eliot summed up the saga of CRM Properties’ dream to create a downtown for Buffalo Grove when he wrote ““This is the way the world ends; Not with a bang but a whimper.”

                The announcement today that the Deerfield-based developer is withdrawing is plan to develop the Buffalo Grove Golf Course into a downtown that encompassed retail, residential, dining and entertainment venues combined with a municipal campus should not come as a total surprise.

                The grandiose plan with all its seashells and balloons lacked one major thing for residents and apparently, village officials.  Answers.

                In the release, the village said “In discussions with staff, CRM Properties Group President Charles Malk cited higher costs than initially projected for the proposed plan, and an inability to resolve related financial hurdles. The most recent cost estimates forecasted a significant funding gap; Mr. Malk indicated that without a Village commitment for public financing, the project would not be financially feasible. The nature and magnitude of the newly requested financial contributions were neither expected nor contemplated by the Village.”

                So what’s it all mean?  Apparently Malk wanted the village to bankroll a major portion of the project and the village said, “no thanks.”

                If nothing else, this should dispel some of the accusations that the Board was full-steam ahead, storm the Bastille and let’s build one for the Gipper.

                It wasn’t.

                Nor is it a “victory” for any neighborhood or group.

                In a carefully worded statement, Village President Jeff Braiman pointed out that “The Village has reviewed the latest financial parameters, and while we appreciate Mr. Malk’s interest in Buffalo Grove and the time he and his team took to explore such a large investment in our community, the current concept does not make financial sense for Buffalo Grove. As I have said from the beginning, this would be a long and important process with a number of decision points along the way. I want to thank all of those who participated.”

                It’s the obligatory “thanks, but surely you can’t be serious” statement.  It’s like every new Cubs manager saying they’re here to win.

                While numbers have not been released, it apparently was a concern for Village Manager Dane Bragg, with whom I met Monday to discuss economic development in the village.  When discussing the now faded downtown, Bragg said “the preliminary financial gap would be difficult to overcome” and that he was not sure the project Malk perceived it was “feasible."  Again, no exact figures were discussed.

                However, in a follow-up exchange with Bragg, he indicated the cost front loaded by the village would be prohibitive.  Bragg noted that “His (Malk’s) conception of the project, for example, the office product is a major issue – Malk anticipates(d)  that this element alone could create a gap of some $40 million in the project pro forma – mainly because the market rents don’t appear to support the equity raise required for new office building construction.”

                Bragg noted that there were some amenities that may be “nice to have” versus “need to have,” or may not be required upfront., but by adding in the office gap, plus basic site prep for pad ready property and the replacement of Village facilities, he said the financing could have exceeded $75 million, with a great deal of that amount front-loaded by the Village.”

                In an email to me, Bragg noted that “while the Village is willing to consider options, that sort of front-loaded debt creates risk and opportunity cost that the Village is not likely to accept.”

                And that is not what Malk wanted to hear, so the project is a thing of the past.

                What is not a thing of the past, however, is the need for continued economic growth in the village.  This will entail more presentations by more developers, and it’s possible that they won’t please all of the people in all of the neighborhoods.

                But nothing is a done deal -- and if nothing else, like it or not, the system works.

What does the future hold for "the project"?

Last Monday’s Village Board meeting helped fire up the “way-back machine” thanks to the proposed business development by CRM Properties.

         You know the project -- The downtown.  To some people, the destruction of the golf course, which will, as the late George Carlin would say, “infect your mind, curve your spine and lose the war for the allies.”  There were more than seven words said about the project.

         In fact, there were a lot of comments made about the project, the developer, the golf course, village officials, and village staff.

         You just can’t beat fun at the old Village Board meeting.

         Emotions, needless to say, can run high.  Very high.

         The keyword here is emotions.  The project, as presented to the village, is massive and seemingly “uncharacteristic” for the village.  It is, however, just a proposal and while many people may want the village to unilaterally scrap it, this, like any proposal, needs scrutiny by the village before a final decision is rendered.

           So what have I taken away from not only Monday’s Board meeting, but previous ones where the proposal has been discussed? A few things.

• It seems as though every person who addressed the Board started “My name is (name) and I have lived in Buffalo Grove for (number) years.  I get it.  Longtime residents take stock and pride in the community, especially the way it was when they moved in.  The reality is that things change and the nature of Buffalo Grove has changed.  That does not mean, however, that a development the nature of what is being proposed fits the village.  Radical change is not always the best change, but at least a starting point for discussion.

• The Few Good Men syndrome.  Much of what is being said at meetings is based on the proverbial fear factor.  Like the exchange between Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in the move “A Few Good Men,” people want answers, they want the truth and sometimes they can’t handle the truth.

• The truth is the village can’t rent stores out.  Nor can it dictate what store opens where.  While it’s no secret that Town Center is little more than a collection of large “for lease” signs, the village cannot just bulldoze the property.  The village can market itself to prospective tenants, but it cannot, as noted, become a landlord.

• If the village wants to enhance business occupancies, it needs to look at every opportunity – no matter how absurd it may seem – that comes along.  Both the village staff and the Village Board owe it, I think, to the entire community to look at any possibilities that may enhance the business climate in Buffalo Grove.

• What we’re ending up here is a Buffalo Grove version of the aforementioned “A Few Good Men” during which Col. Nathan Jessep and Lt. Daniel Kaffee have a fiery exchange about wanting answers and being entitled to the truth.  While we don’t know where they lived, or for how long, what they want, even in a military court room, is what everyone does – answers and the truth – which is why the village people are going through the process. Many of the answers need to come from CRM.  I have been working to arrange a meeting with them to discuss their plans and the sources of information that CRM thinks makes the plan workable for Buffalo Grove.

• Location, location, location.  To no surprise, most of the opposition comes from residents whose homes have strong proximity to the proposed “downtown”.  Who can blame them? Whenever a proposal impacts nearby neighborhoods, those residents are the most vocal.  For example, during the 1980s, the most vocal people against the conversion of what was then Palwaukee Airport from a privately owned airport to a publicly owned airport were the nearby residents.  The misinformation about the project was rampant.  The difference is most of the people who complained purchased homes in or near a flight path of the busiest general aviation airport in the state unlike residents of Manchester Green and nearby areas who purchased their homes adjacent to open space.

• The Jim Croce syndrome.  The late singer, in his song “Recently” noted that “… the future is tomorrow 'cause the past is gone…” -- which is a factor to be strongly considered.  The village is not the same as it was five, 10, 15, 20, 30 or 40 years ago.  Conversely, the village will not be the same five, 10, 15, 20, 30 or 40 years from now – that’s the reality of it.  Change for the village will impact everyone in one way, shape or form. 

         The challenge will be to facilitate change while working within the parameters traditionally associated with the village.  The entire village.