La Grange Today

Citizens' Council deadline extension fails to attract more village board candidates for endorsements

The La Grange Citizens' Council Dec. 8 will interview only two candidates seeking endorsement for three open seats on the village board, after a third deadline extension failed to attract additional candidates, Council Chairperson Katie Justak said today.

The latest deadline expired at 5 p.m. Sunday, Justak said.

Council members at its Nov. 10 meeting voted to extend the deadline in hopes of being able to slate a candidate for each of the three board vacancies that will be filled by voters in a consolidated election to be held April 5.

The two village board candidates who have submitted applications to the council are incumbent trustee Mark Kuchler and Jeff Nowak, a member of the village plan commission.

Jim Palermo, also an incumbent trustee, said he will seek re-election, but declined to seek endorsement from the council.

Palermo said a policy adopted in September by his employer would restrict his ability to participate as a member of a political slate.

This Wednesday evening, Dec. 1, the council will interview three candidates seeking election to the Park District of La Grange board of commissioners: Incumbents Mary Ellen Penicook and Brad Belcaster, and newcomer Lynn Lacey.

Wednesday's session begins at 7 p.m. in the Village Hall auditorium. The public is invited to attend.

 

Park district will seek state grant for fitness center

The Park District of La Grange will seek a state grant to help finance the construction of a fitness center within its East Ave recreation center complex, district officials announced Thursday night.

The park district's board of commissioners adopted a resolution authorizing its application for funds from the Illinois Park and Recreational Facility Construction Program (PARC).

A PARC grant could supply three-quarters of the estimated $2 million it would take to build a fitness center, Dean Bissias, the park district's executive director said.

PARC was created by the Illinois legislature in Nov. 2009, and is administered by the Department of Natural Resources. It awards grants to local governing bodies to build and improve recreation structures, as well as for the acquisition of open spaces and natural areas, according to the PARC's operating guidelines, which can be found online.

The program gets its $25 million annual budget from the Build Illinois Bond Fund. Twenty percent of the money is earmarked for the Chicago Park District, leaving $20 million to be distributed throughout the rest of the state.

"The odds of us achieving the grant are probably pretty small, but it's worth a shot," Bissias said.

Board Vice President Brad Belcaster said that while commissioners were awaiting the results of a marketing study to determine whether or not a fitness center "made sense," the application was moving forward now in order to meet a Nov. 29 deadline for next year's grants.

The marketing study was authorized after a survey of park district residents earlier this year revealed that 27 percent supported expanding the recreation center, and 37 percent favored the inclusion of a fitness center in any expansion.

Some commissioners are not waiting for the results of the marketing study before making up their minds.

"It is clearly and squarely on my radar to put a fitness center in this building," Tim Kelpsas said.

"I think it's a great project for the state to pick," Board President Mary Ellen Penicook said. "The building is here already, it's internal construction, and there is a clear need in the community."

Setting aside his reservations about stiff competition for PARC funds, Bissias said, "Our proposal fits the grant to a tee."

Belcaster could not resist his own tee shot.

"So really, other than the George W. Bush presidential library, this is the most shovel-ready project in the entire United States," Belcaster quipped, his tongue clearly in cheek.

Only if the shovel has steam to drive it, Penicook said.

"If we don't get the grant, we don't build the fitness center, because we don't have the money," she said.

Which begs a question not addressed in the board's discussion Thursday night. According to PARC guidelines, its grants are paid out only as reimbursements, and only after a project is 100 percent completed. So where will the park district find $2 million in upfront money to build the fitness center?

When faced at last month's park board meeting with a similar predicament regarding its planned first-phase renovation of Gordon Park, commissioners had no ready answer.

The park district already has a grant commitment of $400,000 for the Gordon Park renovation, from another "reimbursement only" DNR fund, known as OSLAD. But commissioners postponed their renovation plans, noting that the upfront costs for that project—also nearly $2 million—would entirely deplete the district's existing cash reserves. 

Park officials still have several months to find another source for that  money before they need to worry about losing the OSLAD grant. (No, OSLAD and PARC grants cannot be combined.) But now that a Cook County judge has given them the green light to sell nearly three acres of Gordon Park for private development, finding a ready, willing and able buyer would provide the cash.

With the PARC grant, however, identifying the upfront money is a far more immediate concern. Under the program's guidelines, the park district must certify in its application "that it has 100% of the funds necessary to complete the pending PARC project within the timeframes specified."

The completed application was not available for review Thursday night. It's still in development, Bissias said.

Gordon Park sale objectors plan to appeal ruling

Attorneys for a group of residents who oppose efforts by the Park District of La Grange to sell a portion of Gordon Park for private development said last week they plan to appeal an Oct. 8 ruling by a Cook County circuit court judge that approved the Park District's sale petition.

To set the stage for an appeal, the La Grange Friends of the Park Nov. 8 filed a post-trial motion asking Judge Susan Fox Gillis to reconsider her ruling, Tom Beyer, one of three attorneys representing the group, said.

Click here to read a PDF copy of the Friends' post-trial motion,

Beyer said he does not expect Gillis to vacate her judgment. But giving a judge an opportunity to reverse or amend her ruling is preferred by the Illinois Appellate Court, he said.

The 15-page post-trial motion cites five reasons the Friends believe Judge Gillis erred in granting the Park District's request to sell 2.82 acres of Gordon Park. Mostly, it is a reiteration of arguments made by the Friends' attorneys that were rejected by the judge during the course of the 18-month hearing, which resulted in a four-day trial in early October.

"There's nothing earth-shatteringly different [in the post-trial motion] from what we already argued," Beyer said.

Beyer said the decision to pursue an appeal in the case was made at a meeting in late September that was attended by several of the nearly two dozen residents who comprise the Friends.

Beyer said Judge Gillis has scheduled a hearing on the post-trial motion for Dec. 3.

As of Wednesday, the Park District had not yet filed a response, he said.

Related story:

• Park District Board: Appeal of Gordon Park Ruling Disappointing, But Not Unexpected — La Grange Patch

Adamczyk joins library board as interim trustee

The La Grange Public Library board of trustees Wednesday night appointed a former library trustee, Rick Adamczyk, to fill the remaining six months of the term vacated last month by Rose Taylor, who resigned from the board after moving her residency to Indian Head Park.

Rick Adamczyk will serve the remaining six months of a library board term vacated by Rose Taylor.
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A 34-year resident of the village, Adamczyk previously served as a library trustee from 1999 t0 2007, when he decided not to seek re-relection. Taylor subsquently replaced Adamczyk, winning the seat in that year's general election.

Adamczyk said he "didn't hesitate" when Library Board President Becky Spratford asked him if he was interested in accepting the interim appointment, which expires next May. But he added that he will not be a candidate in the April 5 general election.

Spratford said Adamczyk was the first choice among a number of former trustees the board considered approaching, as his service was the most recent.

The board also sought someone who was not a candidate for election in April, so that the appointment would be not construed as an endorsement, she said.

In rejoining the board, Adamczyk ensures that the board will continue to operate with a full complement of seven trustees, but he will be not be required to participate in any of its committees.

Adamczyk said that whatever his duties might be, they will be certainly be less demanding than his previous stint on the board.

A painting contractor by profession, Adamczyk chaired the committee that oversaw construction of the library's current building. Holding three or four meetings a week was typical for that committee, he said.

While Adamczyk had left the board by the time the new facility opened in Nov. 2007, his contribution was acknowleged by the inclusion of his name on building's dedication plaque.

Related stories:

• Rose Taylor resigns from La Grange library board
• Citizens' Council slates three for library board

Sustainable agriculture focus of free library event

Interested in learning about community sustainable agriculture?

The La Grange Public Library and Go Green La Grange this Sunday, Nov. 14, will host a program featuring Jody and Beth Osmond of Cedar Valley Sustainable Farm in Ottawa.

The Osmonds will explain how farming methods they employ emphasize responsible stewardship of natural resources while producing local, healthy and environmentally friendly foods.

Attendees also will learn how to make educated choices dining and shopping choices.

The free program begins at 2 p.m. at the library, 10 W Cossitt Ave. Registration is encouraged but not required.

For more information, call the library at 708-352-0576.

Citizens' Council still seeking village board candidates

The La Grange Citizens' Council Wednesday night re-opened its call for applications from candidates seeking the council's endorsement in the race to fill three seats next April on the village board of trustees.

In what amounts to a third extension of its original Oct. 13 deadline, the council voted to accept applications from village board candidates until Nov. 28.

Council Chairperson Katie Justak said the decision was made in the hope that at least three qualified candidates would appear before the council for interviews scheduled for Dec. 8. As of Oct. 31, the council had received only two applications—from incumbent trustee Mark Kuchler and Jeff Nowak, a member of the village plan commission.

Justak said another unnamed candidate had been disqualified because their application was received two days after the Oct. 31 deadline. She said that person would be invited to resubmit before the new deadline.

Council members also decided not to re-open the call for applications from candidates seeking election to the Park District of La Grange board of commissioners. On Dec. 1, the council will interview three park district candidates and likely slate two of them.

On Wednesday night, the council slated three candidates for seats on the La Grange Public Library board of trustees after interviewing four hopefuls.

Citizens' Council slates three for library board

Three candidates seeking election to three open seats on the La Grange Public Library board of trustees were endorsed Wednesday night by the La Grange Citizens' Council, following interviews conducted in the Village Hall auditorium.

The candidates slated by the council are:

• Caroline Coryell, an incumbent trustee who has served on the library board since 1985. She also is a retired La Grange shopowner.
• Bridgette O'Connor, a newcomer to local politics. Employed as a control oversight associate and certified fraud examiner for an undisclosed entity, she has resided in La Grange for the past two years.
• John Reardon, another first-time office-seeker. A retired self-employed professional engineer, he has lived in La Grange for 11 years.

A fourth candidate, David Paulus, also was interviewed by the council, but did not make the cut. Also a newcomer to local politics, he is an associate creative director at SPM Marketing in La Grange, and has resided in the village for 10 years.

La Grange Today will publish more details about the candidates and their interviews next week.

Citizens' Council could again extend deadline for candidates seeking endorsement in village board race

The Citizens' Council of La Grange could decide to once again extend its deadline for candidates seeking endorsement in the race to fill three vacancies on the La Grange village board of trustees in next April's general election, Katie Justak, the council's chairperson, said Wednesday night.

Despite having already twice extended the deadline for candidates in all three local races, most recently until Oct. 31, Justak said the council has received applications from only two village board candidates: Incumbent trustee Mark Kuchler and Jeff Nowak, who currently holds an appointed seat on the village plan commission.

A third announced candidate, Jim Palermo, also an incumbent trustee, last week said he would not seek the council's endorsement, citing a policy recently adopted by his employer that would restrict his involvement as a member of any political party or slate.

Justak said that council members could consider another extension for village board candidates at its Nov. 10 meeting, at which they also will interview four candidates seeking endorsement for three seats on the library board.

Two of the library board candidates submitted their applications shortly before the Oct. 31 extended deadline, Justak said.

Interviews and endorsements of candidates for the Park District of La Grange board of commissioners are scheduled for Dec. 1. Those of candidates for the village board of trustees will be held Dec. 8.

The council has received applications from three park board candidates, Justak said. They are incumbents Mary Ellen Penicook and Brad Belcaster, and newcomer Lynn Lacey. The council is expected to make endorsements for two open seats on the park board.

Justak said the deadline extensions were made in an effort to fulfill the council's bylaws, which require that "[E]very effort shall be made to obtain at least two (2) qualified nominees for each office to be voted upon by the Council."

While that target was not met in either of the past two local elections—held in 2009 and 2007—the council in those years was able to attract and endorse at least enough candidates to equal or exceed the number of open seats.

Extending the deadline a third time for current village board candidates might help the council repeat those feats, but Justak said the council will not give its endorsement "just to fill a seat."

"Candidates must convince the council that they are qualified and will be good public servants," she said.

Justak said she unsuccessfully tried to persuade Palermo to reconsider his decision not to seek the council's endorsement in his bid for a second four-year term as village trustee. Palermo sought and won its endorsement in the 2007 race.

The non-partisan council "is not and cannot be a political party," Justak said. "We're not a caucus."

Instead, Justak compared an endorsement from the council as equivalent to one from a local newspaper's editorial board.

"We are a group of citizens recommending a group of candidates to our fellow residents," she said.

While the council intends to publish an informational brochure announcing its endorsements and detailing the candidates' backgrounds and qualifications, it will not organize any election campaign on their behalf, Justak said.

But she did acknowledge that council members in the past typically have formed independent political parties in order to promote and campaign on behalf of a slate of candidates endorsed by the council.

However, in 2009, candidates endorsed by the council formed their own party without direct assistance from council members.

Citizens' Council will interview four candidates Nov. 10 seeking endorsement in library board election

Four candidates seeking endorsement from the Citizens' Council of La Grange in their bids to win election to three open seats on La Grange Public Library board of trustees will be interviewed by council members Nov. 10 in a meeting that begins at 7 p.m. in the Village Hall auditorium.

The four candidates include one incumbent, Caroline Coryell, and three newcomers: Bridgette O'Connor, David Paulus and John Reardon, according to a press release issued Tuesday by Katie Justak, the council's chairperson.

Justak tonight said that each of the candidates had submitted applications detailing their backgrounds and qualifications, but that the council did not have permission to divulge any information beyond the candidates' names.

However, the public is invited to attend the portion of the meeting in which the interviews are conducted, Justak said. Council members get first crack asking questions of the candidates, then members of the public get their turn.

Following the interviews, council members will meet in closed session to discuss and decide upon any endorsements.

The open library board seats will be filled by the voting public in a general election to be held April 5, 2011.

The Citizens' Council twice extended its application deadline, most recently until Oct. 31, in order to attract a field of candidates greater than the number of open seats on the library board, Justak said.

She said the council has received applications from three candidates seeking endorsement for two open seats on the Park District of La Grange board of commisioners, but only two applications from candidates for the La Grange village board of trustees, which has three open seats.

Justak said it is possible that council members at the Nov. 10 meeting could decide to once again extend the application deadline for village board candidates, as interviews for those endorsements will not occur until the council's following meeting on Dec. 8.

Interviews and endorsements of candidates for the Park District of La Grange board of commissioners will take place Dec. 8.

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Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported that members of the public attending the candidate interviews would not be allowed to ask questions. Also, the dates of the December meetings have been corrected. We apologize for the errors.