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Health & Fitness

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO...

In this season of award nominations, here are a few more for your consideration:

1.  Best Performance:  The 2013 Winnetka Caucus Council volunteers who, despite shenanigans, managed to do their job with diligence and dignity in candidate nominations for Village Trustee, and in successfully defending the 99-year old institution's grassroots democratic process when an objector challenged one of the three caucus-vetted-nominated independent candidates before a Local Election Board in December.  See,
http://winnetka.patch.com/groups/myhometown/p/brand-new-year-same-old-shenanigans

2.  Best Director:  Steve Saunders, Public Works Director/Village Engineer (the Winnetka-Northfield Chamber of Commerce's 2012 Village Employee of the Year) for his Herculean effort on stormwater proposals and projects, while continuing to manage core services such as refuse and recycling disposal, street repair, sewer maintenance, tree trimming, leaf collection, and snow plowing.  A supporting nod goes to our entire Village staff for keeping up with the current Council as it races to enact certain changes before new Council members step up in May.

3.  Best Appearance of Impropriety:  The Trustee in the audience at the Local Election Board hearing, whose own objector's petition three years ago looks eerily similar to the one filed last month, and whose office fax header was on an exhibit that the objector's attorney attempted to introduce into evidence, and who conferred with the objector's attorney during the December 16th attempt to oust one of the caucus-nominated candidates from the ballot.

4.  Best Supporting Appearance of Impropriety:  The current Plan Commission Chair (and former Caucus Council Chair) who testified on behalf of the objector and against the caucus-nominated candidate at last month's Local Election Board hearing.

5.  Worst Performance:  The December 3, 2013 Village Council meeting. See, http://winn-media.com/videos/2013/12/04/12-03-13/.  Following the stormwater report, a resident asked what would happen with all of the debt the Council already issued to pay for the $34.4 million tunnel if it doesn't receive permitting?  Although costly, there is an early call-back provision on bonds already purchased.  But a Trustee's response was most astonishing: the Village is not restricted to using those funds for the tunnel.  If the tunnel falls through, he said, the Council can use the bonds for "other capital projects."  This extraordinary debt, that the Council specifically imposed upon all property owners for specific stormwater improvements, and for which all of us will begin paying this July on our utility bills, will apparently be spent on whatever the Council feels like should state and federal agencies not approve tunnel construction.  Sounding like the Illinois Legislature, this utter disregard for accountability, fiscal responsibility and voter approval is why residents are beginning to rethink home rule status for Village government.

This irresponsible behavior perhaps also explains the Council's rejection that same evening of New Trier High School's application for a 50-foot high safety net at its baseball diamond on Duke Childs field across from the landfill.  While cost-conscious NTHS was looking for the most efficient method to safely keep fly balls from hitting motor vehicles on Willow Road, the Council cross-examined New Trier representatives on dugouts, bat materials and relocating the field, potentially spiking the cost from around $131,000 (additional landscaping included) to several million dollars. ($3.1 million to relocate atop the landfill)

Despite overwhelming public support and the favorable recommendation of both the Plan Commission and Zoning Board of Appeals, even if you agree with the Council's 5 - 1 rejection of the safety net, this is an Oscar-winning worst performance on demeanor alone.  This Council's blatant disrespect of the applicant was appalling and embarrassing to all of us who served our community with dignity and decorum, and have worked hard to maintain cooperative relationships with our neighboring governing taxing bodies, regardless of differences.  See, http://winnetka.suntimes.com/news/schools/baseball-WTK-01022014:article.  

Every Winnetka home's property value benefits from being in the district that sends its school children to New Trier High School whether one's child ultimately attends New Trier, chooses one of the excellent private high schools in the area, or even if there are no children in the household.  Like so many north shore families, we moved to Winnetka to be in the NTHS District 203.  I can say with absolute certainty that New Trier lives up to its national reputation for educational excellence.  Our students are well prepared for college or wherever their life experience takes them after New Trier.  I had the pleasure of meeting Superintendent Dr. Linda Yonke when she participated in Winnetka's first-ever intergovernmental efficiencies forum back in 2010.  This collaborative discussion, which brought together leaders from all of our local taxing bodies, explored shared services with an ultimate goal of containing spiraling property taxes and fees.  We saw New Trier as a partner who shares in common concerns such as costs and safety.  Had certain Council members watched their own performances this past year, perhaps they would have conducted themselves with the professionalism and collaboration expected by this community and exhibited by the applicant.

6.  Best Producer:  Superintendent Yonke and New Trier High School representatives for the countless hours devoted to, and documents generated for, the Village Council in consideration of a safety net, and for being consummate professionals throughout the Council's December 3, 2013 interrogation.

Jessica Tucker, Village President 2009 - 2013, Village Trustee 2004 - 2008 

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