Letters

Brookfield Chamber president defends his record
I feel compelled to really explain to readers of this newspaper the true state of the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce two years ago and today. Two years ago I volunteered to be the president of our chamber and my main goal was to increase our membership, not “fix the chamber.”

The chamber’s purpose is to promote our member’s businesses. All chambers try to increase membership because, the more members, the more money, and then the more a chamber can do. At that time, our membership was about 65.

About two years ago I was given a list of businesses and told these are our members. But after reviewing the books, I couldn’t tell who had paid their dues for 2004 and who hadn’t, so it was somewhere around 65 members. I just kept my fingers crossed that everyone would pay their dues for 2005. I’m proud to say we now have 88 members.

I never said I was going to “fix” the chamber. The chamber has a good foundation; it didn’t need to be fixed. Our chamber was founded in 1954 and has a good core of members that volunteer their time and money to make the chamber successful.

There were, however, a couple of things I wanted to change. The bookkeeping was very poor. When C.P. Hall, our treasurer was given “the books” he spent countless hours trying to put together reports for the board of directors about our financial condition.

I’m not sure how Mr. Szachnitowski can say the chamber had a cash balance (“Wish the chamber could ‘teeter’ again,” Letters, Dec. 13). There was never a written financial report provided to any chamber member before I became president. Our meetings were run haphazardly and there was no difference between our business meetings and board meetings. The board meetings were run very unprofessionally.

Starting in January 2005, all members of the board were mailed a packet before the meeting. Their packets included the agenda, financial reports, minutes of the previous board meeting, etc. Two years ago there were nine directors, not 12 as Mr. Szachnitowski stated. We decreased the number of directors to six because we were having a hard time having a quorum at our meetings. Our board meetings are much more productive now.

We decided to close the chamber’s office this year after careful consideration by the board. Starting in January 2005 I started tracking how many visitors we had stop by our office each month. After about 15 months of tracking, we were averaging between two and three visits per month.

Our annual budget is around $10,000 per year and our monthly rent was $400. So we were paying $4,800 a year (48 percent of our budget) for about three visits per month. The board decided this wasn’t the best way to spend our money and it would be put to better use in another way. My personal thought is Mr. Szachnitowski is upset we closed the office, because the rent we were paying went to him, since he owned the building.

I’m not sure what he was referring to in stating that “mistakes were made.” Of course, looking back, there are things I wish I would have done different. Hindsight is always 20/20, but over the last two years I did the best I could.

We have a great chamber with great members and I know this chamber will be around for at least another 50 years. The issue we were facing recently is there wasn’t anyone who was able to be president. It is a lot of work to lead an organization and not many people have the time to do it.

Now that Mr. Campbell has stepped forward and has been elected the next chamber president, the chamber will continue. For me, personally, I’m stepping down because I hope to start taking classes next year to get my teaching certificate. After reviewing my schedule I realized there wasn’t enough time for everything, and I decided that stepping down as chamber president was the best thing to do.

I’m not leaving the mortgage industry anytime soon; I enjoy it too much. But I’ve always had a dream to teach economics at the high school level. I will still be involved with our chamber by serving on the board and helping with our annual car show. I hope this sheds some light for everyone what our chamber was like two years ago and where we are today.

Matthew Joseph, president
Brookfield Chamber of Commerce

How much would TIF affect schools?
It was pretty obvious after the Nov. 21 public TIF meeting that the village trustees have not been given accurate and complete information on this point. When asked for the “best” and “worst” case scenarios regarding figures for school funding over the next 23 years under a TIF, [Philip] McKenna [of Kane, McKenna & Associates Inc.] responded that he couldn’t say, as they haven’t done it yet. How is it possible for the trustees and school boards to go forward without this vital information?

It’s difficult to understand how the schools can plan to handle their increasing enrollment (which, by the way, is expected to continue) without a pretty good idea of the dollar shortfall they would be facing. I don’t know about you, but I certainly couldn’t manage my household if my salary was frozen by a TIF for the next 23 years.

If we are not outraged by this, we are not informed. Let’s get informed; let’s demand to be told the whole story. What are the dollar amounts? What are the risks to the education of our children over the next 23 years?

We have many dedicated teachers, administrators and support staff in our community. Their ability to continue the outstanding strides our schools have made must continue. Riverside residents, especially parents, let’s chime in and be heard. Let’s get answers!

Joanne M. Keefe
Riverside

Extra pension for Steele outrageous
That Bobbie Steele should get an extra pension of $87,000 for being head of Cook County for only four months gets my dander up. In order to get invested in a pension, it should take at least 10 or 15 years of service before a pension is earned.

What did she accomplish in those four months to earn that extra pension? Nothing for my money. This last snow storm, the driveway at the Bemis Wood South was not plowed. This is the first time in 15 years that I have lived in this area that it was not plowed. She was still head of the County she was still in charge when the snow fell, and the blame for that driveway not being plowed is hers.

As a taxpayer, shouldn’t I have a vote on who gets to become a Cook County commissioner? I am not happy that there are 15 commissioners at $85,000 a year for a part-time job. With the bad financial shape that the county is in, I do not know why we need all of those part-time people. I think that five commissioners would be more than enough people to do whatever is needed.

Ted Schwartz
Brookfield

Reasons to question Riverside’s intentions
Last month the Riverside village administration issued a flier responding to growing citizen concern about the pending TIF. This TIF as proposed by the village comes down to this “We don’t have a specific plan, but trust us.” This is why we don’t trust you.

The flier encouraging residents “to become more informed about the facts” states: “Over 80 percent of the respondents (to a survey) supported the village taking an active role to support the core of the community.” This is true. However the survey did not ask if the village should become actively involved in subsidizing private developers with village tax dollars. Quite a different question.

On the highly contentious subject of eminent domain the flier states: “The village president and the village board have indicated on repeated occasions (sic) that there is no intention of using these powers.”

It goes on to say “there are 13 properties … which may be acquired with TIF dollars. If this occurs the TIF requires that housing relocation expenses are paid if requested by owner.”

Since when have “housing relocation expenses” ever been paid to willing sellers? Morever, the fact that the village has no intention now, does not prevent this board or some subsequent board from changing that intention sometime in the next 23 years. What guarantee do the homeowners included in the TIF distsrict have that this will not happen?

The village flier states: “Redevelopment-yes; High-density development-no … Development … is restricted by the zoning code” and concludes “there are rules that limit height (three stories or 45 feet), design materials, bulk, parking, etc.”

What the flier does not say is that the village administration waived the parking space requirements for Arcade Building and the Village Center in return for a payment of $5,000 dollars per space.

A total of 47 spaces were thus eliminated by this generous gesture, and now the village, or more accurately the village taxpayers, are obligated to provide those spaces which will cost somewhere between $15,000 to $20,000 dollars per space to build.

Moreover, the flier neglects to mention that the zoning code was revised specifically to accomodate the Village Center development. If another developer shows up with another noncompliant plan, what is to stop the board from revising the code again?

Finally, “there is absolutely no residential or commerical development contemplated for Swan Pond, Guthrie Park or the area around the swinging bridge or existing green spaces. This is a contemptuous, utterly false statement.”

Or is it? Notice it does not say “no development,” it says “no residential or commercial development.” The statement goes on to say, “the village cannot by order of the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois contemplate any improvement on park land that is not park related,” which raises the question: What is “park related?”

Suppose the vaguely proposed “river walk” through Swan Pond happens. One trustee has already suggested a souvenir stand for this site, and God alone knows what other kitsch is planned. But, at that point, a parking lot in Guthrie Park for River Walk users is arguably “park related.”

Suppose the demented idea of a hotel on the youth center site, next door to a police and fire station should materialize. Does a new parking lot on Riverside Road, southeast of swinging bridge for village employees who administer the parks and the police and fire personnel who protect and rescue park users not become “park related?” Finally, it sould be noted that the Riverside Public Library is located on what once was park land.

The obviously careful use of misdirection and subtle avoidance of specific, declarative sentences, such as “no construction of any kind will occur in the parks” or “eminent domain will be excluded by the enabling TIF ordinance” gives us all good reason to question the village administration’s intentions and good faith.

John Kolar
Riverside

Riverside Police say thanks for giving
The Riverside Police Department in conjunction with Sarah’s Inn is proud to participate in the Sarah’s Inn Annual Holiday Gift Project. The holiday gift project began Nov. 23 and concluded Dec. 13. Two collection bins were placed in the Riverside Police and Riverside Fire Department lobby for donated toys and clothing. The donated items will be made available for a “holiday toy shop,” were clients can “shop” for gifts free of charge. Previous holiday projects have provided gifts to over 100 children and teens per holiday season.

Sarah’s Inn has been providing domestic violence services to 22 near west suburban communities and the Austin community on the West Side of Chicago for 25 years. The services Sarah’s Inn provides are especially important during the holiday season when abusive partners who control finances, and the emergency financial situation caused by fleeing domestic violence cause many women to struggle to provide holiday gifts for their children. The holiday gift project not only gives women the opportunity to provide gifts for their children, but also gives women the opportunity to make their own decisions.

Because of your overwhelming generosity and positive support, Sarah’s Inn representatives have picked-up car loads of donated toys and clothing for this worthwhile cause. The donated toys and gifts will help make the holiday season much happier for many children and teenagers.

On behalf of Sarah’s Inn, the Riverside Police Department, and the children served by this program please accept our thanks for your support of this worthwhile program.

Lt. John Krull
Riverside Police Department