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Deborah on the issues
Al has asked me to paint the issues in broad strokes. If you would like to catch up on the issues from the last year, it is an easy matter to download one year of minutes from the village web site (or come to our house to read them in hard copy). The following are just one person's opinions, those of Deborah Barry.
ROADS AND DRAINAGE
The best way to get a perspective on the conditions of roads and drainage is to turn off your radio and drive around town. Preferably on the day we have had a heavy rain. It’s a commonsense matter to determine if work is needed. I think roads and drainage are basic needs that a municipality should provide. Maybe your lot and street are fine, but your neighbors are suffering. Bad roads and drainage make this community less attractive to potential home buyers and so reduce home values. If we were simply broke and couldn’t afford repairs, that would hurt. That monies were diverted to service debts on real estate purchases and to developing Vehe, that really hurts. We have a 10-year plan for roads, we just never funded it. We don't need a new plan, we need a new political will.
RED SEAL
When DPN spoke out about Red Seal, there were several issues, all of which were about the village, not about the developer. One, can this village support the services required for an additional 72 homes (plus the just completed 24 at Deer Park Place). We don’t have a residential property tax to tap into (and no, I’m not in favor of such a tax). In addition, the village used unbuidable acreage in its calculation as to how many homes Red Seal could build. That doesn't make sense to me, that changes the whole concept of what's acceptible density. Finally, that unbuildable land came from our village assets; the village had purchased it only a few years before for open space, then sold it “for costs,” instead of for the highest possible price.
COMMUNICATION
Communication is a two-way street. President Gifford has told residents at board meetings to contact him and trustees only through the village administrator. That just doesn’t work for me. I’d like to see trustees’ phones and emails published on the village web site and in the printed newsletters, as well as those of commissioners. Maybe President Gifford will put that into action right away. Direct access shouldn’t be an issue in such a small town as this.
BUDGET
If there is one meeting a year that every resident should attend, it's the budget discussion. The village's priorities are never clearer than when planning the year's spending. There’s still very little money for infrastructure (you know, the things that literally hold us up, like roads and drainage) and one of the other cuts was to the video equipment for filming village meetings. Not to worry, DPN will continue to record public meetings. There has been a lot of talk about how much better off the village will be when the debts for Vehe and the Dahm property are paid off. But in those few years, our expenses will continue to increase. I do have great hopes for revenues from the proposed hotel and if ever Praedium stores are rented out. But the trick is to survive while waiting for prosperty to arrive. I think that requires new minds applied to the challenge. I don't believe we can get out of the present situation with the current balance of yeas and nays on the board.
VEHE
Please see it all for yourself at the open house Saturday, April 14, 12-5.
I think we need a firm line drawn between the village government and the foundation. There should be only one trustee on the foundation board, but only ex officio (no vote). People disagree about the exact dollars spent so far, but it’s at least $3,000,000. I’d call that a “good start.” Now it’s time for the foundation to use its own bank account to stage a true fundraising campaign. If local residents and businesses support the project, the money should pour in.
Right now, the farmhouse is not comfortable or appropriate for our professional staff. The barn renovation leaves us with oddly shaped rooms and very little sunlight on the upper level. The main event room has four large supporting beams that cut the room into little sections; I don’t see how it will work for board meetings much less weddings. The so called "board room" (overlooking the soccer fields) is tucked under the eaves. Even I had to duck to get in. What use is such a space? However, the bathrooms and elevators are quite large and should be very nice. I hope the lower level bathrooms will be open dawn to dusk for the comfort of people hicking and playing sports and biking. That would be terrific.
To justify the ongoing expenses of running the barn, let’s reconfigure the ground floor for decent, well-lit staff offices. The volunteers should take responsibility for showing the upstairs to potential renters and only when they have sufficient bookings and deposits, hire someone to run the barn and be paid out of foundation revenues.
OPEN SPACE
It’s a beautiful thing, as long as open space balances with other interests. Each of us lives on one-acre or better lots (except for our new neighbors in Deer Park Place and Deer Park Estates). We have a dozen (mostly undeveloped) public parks. If this village ever has to finance property acquisition again (take on more debt, that is), then bank the land until both a solid plan for its use (with the input of residents) and the funds to develop it are gathered. There is more to parks than ball games. Please answer the village’s survey on parks in this month's village newsletter.
PROPERTY TAX
First of all, a lot of people in this campaign are taking credit for NOT suggesting we have a property tax in Deer Park. This village cannot impose a property tax without a referendum (see PTELL statute). If we need more taxes to pay our expenses, what about a commercial property transfer tax? Deer Park accrued not one cent when the Motorola building was sold to Continental AG. The village is considering a 160,000 square feet of office condominiums. That’s a lot of offices to be bought and sold over the years. One argument would certainly be that any kind of tax would be regressive and discourage businesses from building or relocating here. But look at Deer Park’s demographics. This is simply one of the most desirable addresses in northern Illinois. Can’t we balance the need of this village for new revenue with the desire of businesses to locate here (and make their profits off of our demographics)?
VOTING
Considering the level of education and income in this community, I am surprised at the low turnouts over the past few elections, somewhere between 20 and 25 percent or so. It’s so easy to vote—absentee, early or at the polls. When so few people vote, does any elected official represent the public will? Or are they ruling without a mandate? DPN has done its best to get information into everyone’s hands. It’s not a perfect process, but it is a process that depends on participation. I see a clear delineation in this election between candidates who think this village is on the right track and those who think the village needs to change how it does business. I hope that the result on April 17 represents a majority of Deer Park voters; for that to happen, you have to turn out to vote.
DECORUM
Deer Park Neighbors in general and individuals have been blamed for the tone of putlic meetings getting worse and meetings going too long. Reviewing minutes over the last 6 years, I see there was always contention and meetings went four hours before DPN was ever thought of. DPN is about community; if you live in a town, you are entitled to a voice. DPN doesn’t tell residents what to say, we only try to help them research issues and speak for themselves. I cannot understand why elected officials would not appreciate hearing what the residents have to say, positive and negative. But it's only natural that people turn out when they have a problem; we should all make the effort to acknowledge what's done well. DPN has offered many compliments, they just don't make news or good gossip.
DPN FORUM
No one is more disappointed than Al and I that we didn’t pull together a forum. We seriously underestimated the difficulty of scheduling among so many candidates. However, we learned a great deal from the two forums put together for Deer Park by much larger organizations. And we put our education efforts into this web site. On the other hand, what if we threw a forum and nobody came? Effectively, this is what happened to the League of Women Voters and the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce. Why put the candidates through another event when they are basically talking to themselves. You miseed great opportunities, and we congratulate all the candidates for their articulate defense of their platforms.
Al and I both want to thank the hundreds of people who receive our emails and the dozens and dozens who regularly respond and thank us. We get it. Some people are just too busy to get involved themselves, but genuinely appreciate our efforts. We will continue! Please visit http://deerparkneighbors.com. It’s all new, and expanding every day.
