Thanks for the memory?”of Shanel’s
I just have to write you about this article (“Remembering Popsicles at Shanell’s corner store,” JoAnne Kosey, June 21). My name is Jim Shanel and I was raised, with a sister named Emily Shanel, in that corner store. At this time I am 80 years old, and my sister is 84. She was from the Class of 1940 of Riverside-Brookfield High School. I was Class of 1944. We both left that wonderful little store to venture into the big world outside of Riverside, Illinois.
The store was sold in 1951 to Mr. Ernie; I also don’t remember their last name. My father, Emil, retired, to Stickney, with my mother, Mary. They purchased the store in 1928. As you can see, I was 2 years old. The Shanel family owned the store for 23 great years. A.F. Ames School, Central School and RB was our education. Many vacant lots for homes to be built. I guess I’m getting away from the story of “the little store.”
It was my job to rack, sweep and clean that beautiful sawdust every night at 6 p.m. I am glad to see that somebody still remembers my designs in the sawdust.
My mother and father enjoyed the children around the store. My sister met her husband, Clarence Most, outside of the store as he delivered newspapers.
In closing I will drop a few last names I remember from the neighborhood. Excuse my spelling: Barcik, Hulgren, Tuttle, Scott, Ruble, Summercamp, Bell, Damore, Delasky, Sullivan, Patton, Fencl, Carlson, Descher, Shuss, Otting, Bussima and Bartik.
If I forgot someone and you would like contact me, try jshanel2
Please thank Ms. Kosey for doing the article. It turned me on to the past
Jim Shanel
Fort Myers, Fla.
PEP to blame for Code Dept.
In last weeks article regarding the Brookfield Village Code Department (“Changes put Brookfield Building department in flux,” News, June 28), President Garvey blamed the poor performance of the Code Department on the VIP Party. The PEP Party has been in office for more than 15 months, and it is time they take responsibility for the poor state that Brookfield Village Hall is in.
When the VIP party held the majority of the board, we made sure our departments were adequately staffed with workers. We had one full time inspector and two part-time. The part-time inspector was certified and had construction experience, the other focused on blight issues around the village. Our adjudication court was active as people fixed problems or were fined for inaction. Many other situations were brought up to code after a simple note from our inspector. People got permits and inspections within reasonable time and the village was looking better all the time.
When PEP came in they laid off both qualified part-timers and placed a heavy load on the one remaining inspector (who has now left). Since that time residents and business owners have repeatedly endured delays in construction jobs. Calls to the village manager and his assistant go unanswered for weeks as people have to put their improvements on hold.
Zoning meetings were called without the code department properly preparing; as a result one meeting lasted only minutes, but the taxpayers still had to pick up the tab for the lawyer and the stenographer for their time only to be called back again.
Now we find that the assistant village manger, at a salary of over $93,000 (compare that to $65,000 paid to the assistant manager in Lyons) is unable to fulfill the duties of our code director. As a result, the taxpayers will now pay for more administrative staff in the form of a planner instead of an “on the job” code inspector that should focus on inspections so people can get on with their work.
Another point expounded in the article is concern that the code department will become a political football. Members of the VIP party are very familiar with the workings of our village. We brought about many improvements and momentous change to this village after years of PEP inaction.
We can now see how taxpayer dollars are being wasted. Not only are those your dollars but ours too, and yes, we will protest. We are just pointing out the way money is been wasted and exposing the methodology of Ketchmark, Garvey and the PEP administration.
This letter may begin a volley of letters back and forth between party members but the essence of this is to inform the citizens of how their money is being spent, the poor service they are getting for their tax dollars and holding the PEP party accountable.
Linda Stevanovich
Brookfield
Linda Stevanovich is a Brookfield village trustee.
Is Brookfield spending money to save money?
Well, now we know. It sort of sets you in an uneasy mode when we are somewhat spoon-fed our pabulum when it comes to hiring more and more officials with new titles to collectively help run Brookfield.
President Michael Garvey hired just the one he was looking for in Manager Riccardo Ginex for $107,000 a year. He was the former manager of Downers Grove, which boasts a population of 140,000 residents and an area of 54 square miles. In perspective, Brookfield has a population of 19,000 residents and an area of three square miles. I thought that we were all set.
So now the CEO of Brookfield hires Keith Sbiral at $93,000 a year, also formerly of Downers Grove, to help run our small town. His title was director of planning and community development. I thought that we were all set.
Now Mr. Ginex is so overworked writing the checks for the village purchases he has asked for a resolution for him and the staff to use credit cards.
So now he has given Mr. Sbiral another hat to wear?”treasurer?”even though he has no experience in that field. He is sorely needed to check, recheck and check again that purchases made with the newly doled out credit cards.
How much expertise are we hiring? I certainly hope that this wasn’t a tomfoolery thing to do. A few of the trustees have questioned that new position.
Recently, there have been articles in the newspapers about the complexity of a village budget. Why have the quarterly reports usually given to the trustees been stopped? Will the reports be annual, or what?
Now there is a newly hired intern, which was budgeted for $40,000, so he can carefully fold in the 2020 Master Plan with the village code ordinances.
Could the “silent man” President Michael Garvey have messed up the budget by his silence to inform the residents of Brookfield who put him in office? It appears we are spending more money in order to save money. But at what cost to the residents of Brookfield?
Mr. Garvey is fast getting the reputation of passing the buck. An explanation is appreciated.
Jane Harps
Brookfield
