Rte. 22 retailers in survival mode
Originally published Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
After months of construction delays, nine business owners along Route 22 in Buffalo Grove decided it was time to take some action.
The group met Monday evening to figure out ways to promote the Woodland Commons shopping center. The business owners said they've been struggling ever since the Illinois Department of Transportation began working to change Route 22 from two to four lanes.
"(The construction's) delayed so much, and we don't know what's going on," said Andrew Cardaras, owner of Michael's Chicago Style Red Hots.
The contractor's most recent deadline is up this month. Now, the road may not be open until spring.
"It's a struggle of survival," said Warren Michaels, owner of the Michael Thomas Salon and Spa. "We're all working very hard to survive in a tough situation."
To try and counteract the shoppers who have left for other more convenient locations, the owners are planning a grand re-opening for Woodland Commons when construction finally does end.
They also tossed around promotional ideas to make the best of their situation.
Joe Brucato, owner of Exposure Tanning, said since the parking lot is so big, it could be used to sell trees or pumpkins during the holidays.
The owners also plan to meet with the village to make sure enough pressure is being put on IDOT to complete the project as soon as possible.
"If I had known the road construction was going to be this lethargic, I would have definitely though twice about buying this business," said Bracato, who purchased Exposure Tanning in January.
Elliott Hartstein, Buffalo Grove village president, said the construction has also directly affected the village, which owns the Arboretum Golf Club along Route 22.
"We certainly are empathetic to the businesses and the people who traverse Route 22," Hartstein said. "What we can do is continue to push IDOT, which we've been doing anyhow."
However, since the village doesn't have control over the state project, Hartstein said it's up to IDOT to press the contractors to finish the project.
"As frustrating as it is, we're fortunate to get the road done," he said.
"We don't want our businesses to be jeopardized; we have a mutual interest."
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Rt. 22 work creates danger zone, some say
Rt. 22 work creates danger zone, some say
Originally published Friday, June 16, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
At first, construction on Route 22 through Buffalo Grove and Long Grove caused the usual mutterings around town.
As with any road project, residents were frustrated with progress.
Aaron Underwood, a Long Grove resident, set up a Web site, www.lgbgroads.com, to log some of those complaints.
Complaints escalated to fears, however, at this week's Long Grove village board meeting as residents talked of the roadwork creating dangerous situations.
Debby Keyes, who lives in the Promontory Ridge subdivision along Hampton Drive, said a right-turn lane into her neighborhood has been permanently eliminated, leaving no room for residents to slow down on the 45 mph speed limit road before they turn.
Keyes and other residents also said it's nearly impossible for them to make a left turn onto Route 22 because construction barriers block their view.
Because that is their only two-way entrance point for the neighborhood, they said, they often have to make that turn blindly.
"We are an accident waiting to happen," she said.
Residents said they also get cut-through traffic trying to get to Route 83 via Port Clinton Road, putting their children in danger of cars driving through their neighborhoods at high speeds.
Pam Newton, Lake County board member and a new resident of the subdivision, suggested setting up a meeting with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Lake County Department of Transportation, the village and the neighborhood to address some of the more dangerous situations.
Village President Maria Rodriguez agreed to set up a meeting as quickly as possible so that any life-threatening situations can be taken care of.
"Some of the short-term actions could be taken right away," she said.
Rodriguez said the village would also try to plan for a later meeting that would look at some of the long-term concerns about Route 22.
Those concerns include a right-turn lane and regulating traffic at the Route 83 intersection so that cut-through traffic is limited.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed we get some quick response," Keyes said.
"This situation has been going on for so many months now; we want to see something positive here this summer," she added.
Originally published Friday, June 16, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
At first, construction on Route 22 through Buffalo Grove and Long Grove caused the usual mutterings around town.
As with any road project, residents were frustrated with progress.
Aaron Underwood, a Long Grove resident, set up a Web site, www.lgbgroads.com, to log some of those complaints.
Complaints escalated to fears, however, at this week's Long Grove village board meeting as residents talked of the roadwork creating dangerous situations.
Debby Keyes, who lives in the Promontory Ridge subdivision along Hampton Drive, said a right-turn lane into her neighborhood has been permanently eliminated, leaving no room for residents to slow down on the 45 mph speed limit road before they turn.
Keyes and other residents also said it's nearly impossible for them to make a left turn onto Route 22 because construction barriers block their view.
Because that is their only two-way entrance point for the neighborhood, they said, they often have to make that turn blindly.
"We are an accident waiting to happen," she said.
Residents said they also get cut-through traffic trying to get to Route 83 via Port Clinton Road, putting their children in danger of cars driving through their neighborhoods at high speeds.
Pam Newton, Lake County board member and a new resident of the subdivision, suggested setting up a meeting with the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Lake County Department of Transportation, the village and the neighborhood to address some of the more dangerous situations.
Village President Maria Rodriguez agreed to set up a meeting as quickly as possible so that any life-threatening situations can be taken care of.
"Some of the short-term actions could be taken right away," she said.
Rodriguez said the village would also try to plan for a later meeting that would look at some of the long-term concerns about Route 22.
Those concerns include a right-turn lane and regulating traffic at the Route 83 intersection so that cut-through traffic is limited.
"We're keeping our fingers crossed we get some quick response," Keyes said.
"This situation has been going on for so many months now; we want to see something positive here this summer," she added.
Sides debate Dist. 15 proposed tax-rate increase
Sides debate Dist. 15 proposed tax-rate increase
Many candidates in school board races join chorus of voices weighing in
Originally published Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
With just days left before voters decide on a tax-rate increase question for Palatine Township Elementary District 15, both sides are making last-minute efforts to get their views across.
And many of the eight candidates in April's election for four open school board seats are using the tax-rate increase as a platform. The referendum will be voted on this Tuesday, during the primary election.
Although most of the candidates agree that District 15 needs the 48-cent tax-rate increase, some question financial decisions the board has made in past years.
"One of my main concerns is, of course, financial accountability," candidate Wendy Rowden said. "I do think that in order to maintain a high quality of education and to have a well-functioning district, you can't spend more than you're taking in."
However, Rowden has also been working with Active Citizens Helping Invest in Educational Values and Excellence, a citizens group urging voters to approve the tax-rate increase.
"I think we definitely need some changes, but I don't want those changes on the backs of my children or anybody's children," she said.
If the increase passes Tuesday, district officials have said they will phase it in by 14 cents for the first year, eventually reaching the 48-cent increase by the end of five years.
The district estimates the tax-rate increase will cost the owner of a $300,000 home about $370 a year. However, Northwest Tax Watch, a local tax watchdog group, estimates an increase of $1,020 for that same homeowner.
If the tax-rate increase fails, officials have laid out a list of $12 million in cuts, which include teacher positions and some extracurricular activities.
Kelly Keenan, a challenger in the school board elections, said she believes the current seven board members have been irresponsible with the money they had to work with.
"There's a staggering deficit gap between revenue growth and expenditure growth," she said. "I'm hesitant to support this referendum because I think we need better leadership in there before we pass it."
She said her major concern lies with teacher salaries, which have been raised by a greater percentage than the district's income growth.
"I'd love to give teachers (more money), but we don't have the money to pay for it," she said.
Those who oppose the tax-rate increase have used www.thechampion.org as a major proponent of their opinion. The Web site includes a database that lists the salaries of all the teachers in the district.
The data shows that many teachers could get a 6 percent increase in their salary next year, but the school's income is tied by law to the consumer price index, which is expected to go up 1.9 percent next year.
Opponents of a tax-rate increase argue that since salary costs make up about 80 percent of the educational fund, the district should negotiate the teachers contract based on the knowledge that their income will increase only by the index.
"One hundred percent of our problem is from the spending," said Tim Millar, also a new candidate for the board. "We have to have a budget that is in line with our revenue."
He believes a tax-rate increase could have been avoided if the district budgeted adequately over the years.
Those opposed to the increase are also quick to point out that retired Superintendent John Conyers received a yearly pension of about $183,000 when he left in 2003.
Dave Sieben, a challenger candidate and co-chair of the citizens group, believes voters should separate their issues with the board from the decision to have a tax-rate increase.
"I get the feeling that there's an undercurrent of animosity toward the school board," he said. "Really, what it comes down to is that it's apparent if the referendum fails that education programs will take a step backward."
He said he recommends that anyone who feels that current board members have done a bad job should vote out those members in April, but support the tax-rate increase in the meantime.
Candidates currently on the school board defend their financial track record and their decision to ask for the tax-rate increase because they feel they've done their best to control spending.
"The district, over the last several years, has more than kept its commitment to keep fiscally responsible," said Laura Crane, a current board member up for re-election.
The district asked for their last tax-rate increase, to go toward the educational fund, in the 1990s.
They were never able to reach that requested tax rate of 2.51 percent because of a mandated tax cap.
"We were never able to get to the tax rate that we were authorized, so we have been as responsible as we could," Crane said.
The district has cut $13 million over the last three years, including administrator positions, which they believe have had the least amount of effect in the classrooms as possible.
"You can always do more belt tightening, but the question is how much is it going to affect the classrooms?" said Edward Yung, also an incumbent.
The incumbents also support the contract they have negotiated with teachers in the past.
"You get what you pay for," Yung said. "If you've got great teachers, how are you going to keep them here?"
Current board members also point out that many of the students in the district come from a non-English speaking background, making it harder for teachers to bring them up to a certain level. The district also has lofty goals of making sure 90 percent of their students meet or exceed state standards.
"The results of the district, the results of the children's tests and the results of the children's achievement show we have an extremely high quality staff," current board President Louis Sands said.
He and Nancy Carlson, an incumbent running for re-election, also blame the state Legislature for the way the schools are funded.
"The way funding is set up in Illinois, unfortunately the homeowner has to take that burden," Carlson said.
The board has spent some time lobbying state legislators to change the way Illinois' schools are funded, and Carlson ran her campaign four years ago on the platform that the school would soon need a tax-rate increase.
The board members also blame tax increment finance districts in the towns they cater to, including Palatine and Rolling Meadows, for not increasing their funds.
However, they say one of their major problems is the amount of taxes they're required to return when someone appeals a tax assessment.
"Nobody could have foreseen the amount of money that could come out of current revenues by past mistakes of the tax assessor," Sands said.
Those opposing the tax-rate increase say that the district could have anticipated some of that cost in their budget.
Another major factor in terms of salary is the district's practice to give teachers a 20 percent raise in their last three years as an incentive to retire early.
The idea is to save money by hiring new teachers at lower wages after high-income teachers retire.
But Keenan said studies she has looked at show that teachers don't need that incentive to retire early.
"They're retiring at the same age anyway," she said.
And even though the district residents won't be paying that salary any longer, she said, the taxpayers will eventually have to reach into their pockets to pay into the state's pension funds.
Many candidates in school board races join chorus of voices weighing in
Originally published Sunday, Feb. 20, 2005
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
With just days left before voters decide on a tax-rate increase question for Palatine Township Elementary District 15, both sides are making last-minute efforts to get their views across.
And many of the eight candidates in April's election for four open school board seats are using the tax-rate increase as a platform. The referendum will be voted on this Tuesday, during the primary election.
Although most of the candidates agree that District 15 needs the 48-cent tax-rate increase, some question financial decisions the board has made in past years.
"One of my main concerns is, of course, financial accountability," candidate Wendy Rowden said. "I do think that in order to maintain a high quality of education and to have a well-functioning district, you can't spend more than you're taking in."
However, Rowden has also been working with Active Citizens Helping Invest in Educational Values and Excellence, a citizens group urging voters to approve the tax-rate increase.
"I think we definitely need some changes, but I don't want those changes on the backs of my children or anybody's children," she said.
If the increase passes Tuesday, district officials have said they will phase it in by 14 cents for the first year, eventually reaching the 48-cent increase by the end of five years.
The district estimates the tax-rate increase will cost the owner of a $300,000 home about $370 a year. However, Northwest Tax Watch, a local tax watchdog group, estimates an increase of $1,020 for that same homeowner.
If the tax-rate increase fails, officials have laid out a list of $12 million in cuts, which include teacher positions and some extracurricular activities.
Kelly Keenan, a challenger in the school board elections, said she believes the current seven board members have been irresponsible with the money they had to work with.
"There's a staggering deficit gap between revenue growth and expenditure growth," she said. "I'm hesitant to support this referendum because I think we need better leadership in there before we pass it."
She said her major concern lies with teacher salaries, which have been raised by a greater percentage than the district's income growth.
"I'd love to give teachers (more money), but we don't have the money to pay for it," she said.
Those who oppose the tax-rate increase have used www.thechampion.org as a major proponent of their opinion. The Web site includes a database that lists the salaries of all the teachers in the district.
The data shows that many teachers could get a 6 percent increase in their salary next year, but the school's income is tied by law to the consumer price index, which is expected to go up 1.9 percent next year.
Opponents of a tax-rate increase argue that since salary costs make up about 80 percent of the educational fund, the district should negotiate the teachers contract based on the knowledge that their income will increase only by the index.
"One hundred percent of our problem is from the spending," said Tim Millar, also a new candidate for the board. "We have to have a budget that is in line with our revenue."
He believes a tax-rate increase could have been avoided if the district budgeted adequately over the years.
Those opposed to the increase are also quick to point out that retired Superintendent John Conyers received a yearly pension of about $183,000 when he left in 2003.
Dave Sieben, a challenger candidate and co-chair of the citizens group, believes voters should separate their issues with the board from the decision to have a tax-rate increase.
"I get the feeling that there's an undercurrent of animosity toward the school board," he said. "Really, what it comes down to is that it's apparent if the referendum fails that education programs will take a step backward."
He said he recommends that anyone who feels that current board members have done a bad job should vote out those members in April, but support the tax-rate increase in the meantime.
Candidates currently on the school board defend their financial track record and their decision to ask for the tax-rate increase because they feel they've done their best to control spending.
"The district, over the last several years, has more than kept its commitment to keep fiscally responsible," said Laura Crane, a current board member up for re-election.
The district asked for their last tax-rate increase, to go toward the educational fund, in the 1990s.
They were never able to reach that requested tax rate of 2.51 percent because of a mandated tax cap.
"We were never able to get to the tax rate that we were authorized, so we have been as responsible as we could," Crane said.
The district has cut $13 million over the last three years, including administrator positions, which they believe have had the least amount of effect in the classrooms as possible.
"You can always do more belt tightening, but the question is how much is it going to affect the classrooms?" said Edward Yung, also an incumbent.
The incumbents also support the contract they have negotiated with teachers in the past.
"You get what you pay for," Yung said. "If you've got great teachers, how are you going to keep them here?"
Current board members also point out that many of the students in the district come from a non-English speaking background, making it harder for teachers to bring them up to a certain level. The district also has lofty goals of making sure 90 percent of their students meet or exceed state standards.
"The results of the district, the results of the children's tests and the results of the children's achievement show we have an extremely high quality staff," current board President Louis Sands said.
He and Nancy Carlson, an incumbent running for re-election, also blame the state Legislature for the way the schools are funded.
"The way funding is set up in Illinois, unfortunately the homeowner has to take that burden," Carlson said.
The board has spent some time lobbying state legislators to change the way Illinois' schools are funded, and Carlson ran her campaign four years ago on the platform that the school would soon need a tax-rate increase.
The board members also blame tax increment finance districts in the towns they cater to, including Palatine and Rolling Meadows, for not increasing their funds.
However, they say one of their major problems is the amount of taxes they're required to return when someone appeals a tax assessment.
"Nobody could have foreseen the amount of money that could come out of current revenues by past mistakes of the tax assessor," Sands said.
Those opposing the tax-rate increase say that the district could have anticipated some of that cost in their budget.
Another major factor in terms of salary is the district's practice to give teachers a 20 percent raise in their last three years as an incentive to retire early.
The idea is to save money by hiring new teachers at lower wages after high-income teachers retire.
But Keenan said studies she has looked at show that teachers don't need that incentive to retire early.
"They're retiring at the same age anyway," she said.
And even though the district residents won't be paying that salary any longer, she said, the taxpayers will eventually have to reach into their pockets to pay into the state's pension funds.
Residents air smoke ban views
Residents air smoke ban views
Buffalo Grove goes smoke free starting in October
Originally published Wednesday, April 19, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Moonsook Takahashi is relieved that she'll now have some legal backing to tell the young smokers who loiter around her restaurant to move away.
A day after the village of Buffalo Grove passed a smoking ban, Takahashi spoke of the issue inside her husband's Masa's Sushi restaurant, part of the village's Town Center.
"I don't like smoke," she said. "I think it's a very good idea."
She said those who spend time at the nearby eSkape bowling alley often wander over to the restaurant and smoke outside. Starting in October, they must be 20 feet away from any public entrance.
Many restaurant owners agree with Takahashi and supported the village in banning smoking, but some, mostly restaurants with an attached bar, are concerned their business will be adversely affected.
Bill Feldgreber, the owner of eSkape, was the lone voice speaking against a smoking ban at the village's meeting Monday.
He said many other towns with similar ordinances exempt bowling alleys. He said since the rest of the entertainment facility is already smoke-free, the bar area - where he gets much of his income - should allow smokers.
Philip Angelos, owner of Teddy's Kitchen and Tap, agrees with that sentiment.
His restaurant has a cordoned-off section saved just for smokers. That bar area also has special ventilation, he said.
"I'm outraged," he said. "I'd hope that (the separated bar) would be enough for the village."
However, on Tuesday, Trustee Jeff Braiman, the head of an ad hoc committee that studied the ban, said the group considered excluding bars.
"Not everybody who goes to the bar smokes," he said. "Just because of the fact that it's self-contained, people still have the effects of the smoke."
The village heard more support than dissent in its discussions on the ban, Braiman said, and that is reflected in the restaurant community as well.
The Buffalo Restaurant restricted smoking of its own accord at the beginning of the year.
"We felt that we were jeopardizing our health," said Fay Katsogianos, part-owner. "It wasn't an easy decision, but it hasn't affected our business."
Amy Anders and Caryn Hollander, both village residents who visit The Buffalo at least once a week, said they love not having to smell smoke when they sit down to eat.
Hollander said she'd rather not expose her children to a cloud of smoke if she can prevent it.
"It definitely is a perk," she said.
Although the smoking ban was unanimously voted in Monday, it won't go into effect until Oct. 1. Trustee Jeff Berman asked for that extension - from the originally proposed date of July 1 - to allow for other towns to follow suit.
"It's somewhat of a compromise to hopefully placate and understand the businesses," Braiman said.
Facts about the Buffalo Grove smoking ban
- Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public places, including restaurants and places of employment. There is no exemption for nursing homes, bars or open-air restaurants, although those were considered. Hotels, however, may designate 10 percent of their rooms for smokers.
- Smoking also is prohibited within 20 feet of a public entrance, window or ventilation system.
- Although the village decided against a ban on smoking outdoors in public, the park district already has its own rules on the books that prohibit lighting up in district-owned parks.
- The ordinance will go into effect Oct. 1 to give other towns in the area a chance to consider their own bans so that Buffalo Grove businesses will not be adversely affected.
- Anyone caught violating the ban can be punished with a fine of $50. Those who own or operate a public space also are punishable by the same amount. Suspension or revocation of a permit or license also is possible.
Buffalo Grove goes smoke free starting in October
Originally published Wednesday, April 19, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Moonsook Takahashi is relieved that she'll now have some legal backing to tell the young smokers who loiter around her restaurant to move away.
A day after the village of Buffalo Grove passed a smoking ban, Takahashi spoke of the issue inside her husband's Masa's Sushi restaurant, part of the village's Town Center.
"I don't like smoke," she said. "I think it's a very good idea."
She said those who spend time at the nearby eSkape bowling alley often wander over to the restaurant and smoke outside. Starting in October, they must be 20 feet away from any public entrance.
Many restaurant owners agree with Takahashi and supported the village in banning smoking, but some, mostly restaurants with an attached bar, are concerned their business will be adversely affected.
Bill Feldgreber, the owner of eSkape, was the lone voice speaking against a smoking ban at the village's meeting Monday.
He said many other towns with similar ordinances exempt bowling alleys. He said since the rest of the entertainment facility is already smoke-free, the bar area - where he gets much of his income - should allow smokers.
Philip Angelos, owner of Teddy's Kitchen and Tap, agrees with that sentiment.
His restaurant has a cordoned-off section saved just for smokers. That bar area also has special ventilation, he said.
"I'm outraged," he said. "I'd hope that (the separated bar) would be enough for the village."
However, on Tuesday, Trustee Jeff Braiman, the head of an ad hoc committee that studied the ban, said the group considered excluding bars.
"Not everybody who goes to the bar smokes," he said. "Just because of the fact that it's self-contained, people still have the effects of the smoke."
The village heard more support than dissent in its discussions on the ban, Braiman said, and that is reflected in the restaurant community as well.
The Buffalo Restaurant restricted smoking of its own accord at the beginning of the year.
"We felt that we were jeopardizing our health," said Fay Katsogianos, part-owner. "It wasn't an easy decision, but it hasn't affected our business."
Amy Anders and Caryn Hollander, both village residents who visit The Buffalo at least once a week, said they love not having to smell smoke when they sit down to eat.
Hollander said she'd rather not expose her children to a cloud of smoke if she can prevent it.
"It definitely is a perk," she said.
Although the smoking ban was unanimously voted in Monday, it won't go into effect until Oct. 1. Trustee Jeff Berman asked for that extension - from the originally proposed date of July 1 - to allow for other towns to follow suit.
"It's somewhat of a compromise to hopefully placate and understand the businesses," Braiman said.
Facts about the Buffalo Grove smoking ban
- Smoking is prohibited in all enclosed public places, including restaurants and places of employment. There is no exemption for nursing homes, bars or open-air restaurants, although those were considered. Hotels, however, may designate 10 percent of their rooms for smokers.
- Smoking also is prohibited within 20 feet of a public entrance, window or ventilation system.
- Although the village decided against a ban on smoking outdoors in public, the park district already has its own rules on the books that prohibit lighting up in district-owned parks.
- The ordinance will go into effect Oct. 1 to give other towns in the area a chance to consider their own bans so that Buffalo Grove businesses will not be adversely affected.
- Anyone caught violating the ban can be punished with a fine of $50. Those who own or operate a public space also are punishable by the same amount. Suspension or revocation of a permit or license also is possible.
Buffalo Grove board OKs ban on smoking
Buffalo Grove board OKs ban on smoking
But concerns linger over effect on business community
Originally published Tuesday, April 18, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
By this fall, the village of Buffalo Grove will officially be smoke-free.
The village board on Monday unanimously agreed to pass a smoking ban in all office buildings and restaurants.
But because neighboring towns don't have a ban, concern lingered Monday over the effect on the business community.
Trustee Jeff Berman proposed starting the ban on Oct. 1 instead of July 1 - which the board agreed to - because that would give other Lake County towns considering a ban time to move forward.
"I continue to believe that the best interests of our village would be served if we were part of a broader regulatory umbrella that helps to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, adverse impacts on all of our interests," he said.
The board also voted on a resolution encouraging state and regional action, which will be sent to state representatives and Cook and Lake county towns along with a letter from Village President Elliott Hartstein.
In his letter, he wrote that a statewide ban would be most effective but "since it does not appear likely that the General Assembly will act, I would urge you to look at the Buffalo Grove ordinance as a model."
The smoking ban has been on the village back burner for a few years but the issue was brought to the forefront after the OMNI youth group took up the cause.
The village's health board researched the topic last May and Trustee Brian Rubin proposed an ordinance in February.
The village organized a committee to look at a possible ban which met four times over the past month. The 18-member group made up of trustees, residents and business owners ironed out many of the details. Ultimately all places of business, restaurants and bars were included. Hotels will be allowed to have 10 percent of their rooms designated for smoking.
The group also decided to restrict smoking within 20 feet of any public entrance.
The committee received public input via a forum in March and online comments.
Trustee Jeff Braiman, who headed up the committee, said about 90 percent of the 400 responses were in support of the ban. The sentiment was, "we need to do something," he said.
But concerns linger over effect on business community
Originally published Tuesday, April 18, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
By this fall, the village of Buffalo Grove will officially be smoke-free.
The village board on Monday unanimously agreed to pass a smoking ban in all office buildings and restaurants.
But because neighboring towns don't have a ban, concern lingered Monday over the effect on the business community.
Trustee Jeff Berman proposed starting the ban on Oct. 1 instead of July 1 - which the board agreed to - because that would give other Lake County towns considering a ban time to move forward.
"I continue to believe that the best interests of our village would be served if we were part of a broader regulatory umbrella that helps to avoid, to the greatest extent possible, adverse impacts on all of our interests," he said.
The board also voted on a resolution encouraging state and regional action, which will be sent to state representatives and Cook and Lake county towns along with a letter from Village President Elliott Hartstein.
In his letter, he wrote that a statewide ban would be most effective but "since it does not appear likely that the General Assembly will act, I would urge you to look at the Buffalo Grove ordinance as a model."
The smoking ban has been on the village back burner for a few years but the issue was brought to the forefront after the OMNI youth group took up the cause.
The village's health board researched the topic last May and Trustee Brian Rubin proposed an ordinance in February.
The village organized a committee to look at a possible ban which met four times over the past month. The 18-member group made up of trustees, residents and business owners ironed out many of the details. Ultimately all places of business, restaurants and bars were included. Hotels will be allowed to have 10 percent of their rooms designated for smoking.
The group also decided to restrict smoking within 20 feet of any public entrance.
The committee received public input via a forum in March and online comments.
Trustee Jeff Braiman, who headed up the committee, said about 90 percent of the 400 responses were in support of the ban. The sentiment was, "we need to do something," he said.
Change sends Metra outcry to next stop
Change sends Metra outcry to next stop
Originally published Friday, Sept. 15, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
An hour of her time so Buffalo Grove riders can shave five minutes off their commutes doesn't seem like a fair trade to Michele Gregory.
But that may be the reality for Gregory and other suburb-to-suburb commuters who use the North Central Line to get to work and back again.
Gregory travels from Mundelein to Itasca each day, using River Grove as the transfer point between the North Central Line and the Milwaukee District West line.
Until Monday, her trip home took 90 minutes. Now, it takes 2 1/2 hours.
On Monday, Metra tweaked the North Central schedule to offer express service. To create the express trains, one commuter train in the morning and one in the evening was eliminated - each split into two trains that make alternate stops along the route.
But none of the express trains stops in River Grove.
"That stop is touted as a transfer option," complained Robert Rosenkranz, a Round Lake Beach resident who also changes trains at River Grove. "How they can eliminate that, I'm not sure."
For Gregory, it meant that on her way home, she sat at the River Grove station an hour and 20 minutes waiting for her train north. She boarded the train in Itasca at 4:39 p.m. and got off in Mundelein at 7:07 p.m.
"One of the reasons we agreed to move to Mundelein when we got married is that I would still be able to get to work without driving," she said. "The first thing I did was check the Metra schedule."
Robert Gilb moved from North Carolina to Lake Villa to work at Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago.
"It was based on my ability to get to work in a reasonable amount of time," he said.
As it is, Gilb leaves work at 4:30 p.m. to catch the 4:46 p.m. train from River Grove to Antioch. If he works late or is caught in traffic, he has to cool his heels and wait for the 6:20 p.m. train.
Eric Strong of Grayslake said he has to keep his fingers crossed on a daily basis that his bus won't be late so he can just make the train.
Metra officials have said the new schedule released Monday is likely not the final one. But even if a new timetable is released in the next month, there is no guarantee that the River Grove stop will be added back during the 5 p.m. rush hour.
"We're severely limited based on the amount of the freight traffic on the line as to what we can do there," said Meg Reile, a spokeswoman for Metra.
The service was changed in the first place after the double-tracking of the line in January. Although more trains were added to the North Central line, Buffalo Grove residents said the timings became even more inconvenient.
Buffalo Grove village Trustee Jeff Berman, a regular commuter to downtown Chicago, pushed for changes to the schedule with the backing of the village, state Rep. Sidney Mathias and Congressman Mark Kirk.
Even the new schedule, Berman said, still doesn't address many of Buffalo Grove riders' concerns. The problems of the River Grove commuters appear to be symptomatic of the general dissatisfaction with the schedule.
"The problem is that Metra hasn't really addressed any of the issues with the schedule," Berman said.
For example, the last train out of Buffalo Grove in the morning is at 7:27 a.m., which is too early for many commuters who have to drop children off at school, Berman said.
Plus, that train often sits in Franklin Park for 10 or so minutes because of cross traffic, Berman said.
Metra, meanwhile, said it's tough to change the schedule because Canadian National owns the line.
"We're not as free as we are at other points in the system to make adjustments," Reile said.
Metra has no immediate plans to have an express train stop at River Grove, Reile said.
"When we looked at the changes we were able to make, the benefit was to a greater number of riders," Reile said. "We had to look at what trains we could make to serve the greatest number of people."
That doesn't leave too many options for Gregory, whose husband will pick her up from work now so she isn't arriving home at 7:15 p.m.
"If they want to get more cars off the road, this isn't helping because this is going to cause one more car to get on the road," she said.
Originally published Friday, Sept. 15, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
An hour of her time so Buffalo Grove riders can shave five minutes off their commutes doesn't seem like a fair trade to Michele Gregory.
But that may be the reality for Gregory and other suburb-to-suburb commuters who use the North Central Line to get to work and back again.
Gregory travels from Mundelein to Itasca each day, using River Grove as the transfer point between the North Central Line and the Milwaukee District West line.
Until Monday, her trip home took 90 minutes. Now, it takes 2 1/2 hours.
On Monday, Metra tweaked the North Central schedule to offer express service. To create the express trains, one commuter train in the morning and one in the evening was eliminated - each split into two trains that make alternate stops along the route.
But none of the express trains stops in River Grove.
"That stop is touted as a transfer option," complained Robert Rosenkranz, a Round Lake Beach resident who also changes trains at River Grove. "How they can eliminate that, I'm not sure."
For Gregory, it meant that on her way home, she sat at the River Grove station an hour and 20 minutes waiting for her train north. She boarded the train in Itasca at 4:39 p.m. and got off in Mundelein at 7:07 p.m.
"One of the reasons we agreed to move to Mundelein when we got married is that I would still be able to get to work without driving," she said. "The first thing I did was check the Metra schedule."
Robert Gilb moved from North Carolina to Lake Villa to work at Shriners Hospital for Children in Chicago.
"It was based on my ability to get to work in a reasonable amount of time," he said.
As it is, Gilb leaves work at 4:30 p.m. to catch the 4:46 p.m. train from River Grove to Antioch. If he works late or is caught in traffic, he has to cool his heels and wait for the 6:20 p.m. train.
Eric Strong of Grayslake said he has to keep his fingers crossed on a daily basis that his bus won't be late so he can just make the train.
Metra officials have said the new schedule released Monday is likely not the final one. But even if a new timetable is released in the next month, there is no guarantee that the River Grove stop will be added back during the 5 p.m. rush hour.
"We're severely limited based on the amount of the freight traffic on the line as to what we can do there," said Meg Reile, a spokeswoman for Metra.
The service was changed in the first place after the double-tracking of the line in January. Although more trains were added to the North Central line, Buffalo Grove residents said the timings became even more inconvenient.
Buffalo Grove village Trustee Jeff Berman, a regular commuter to downtown Chicago, pushed for changes to the schedule with the backing of the village, state Rep. Sidney Mathias and Congressman Mark Kirk.
Even the new schedule, Berman said, still doesn't address many of Buffalo Grove riders' concerns. The problems of the River Grove commuters appear to be symptomatic of the general dissatisfaction with the schedule.
"The problem is that Metra hasn't really addressed any of the issues with the schedule," Berman said.
For example, the last train out of Buffalo Grove in the morning is at 7:27 a.m., which is too early for many commuters who have to drop children off at school, Berman said.
Plus, that train often sits in Franklin Park for 10 or so minutes because of cross traffic, Berman said.
Metra, meanwhile, said it's tough to change the schedule because Canadian National owns the line.
"We're not as free as we are at other points in the system to make adjustments," Reile said.
Metra has no immediate plans to have an express train stop at River Grove, Reile said.
"When we looked at the changes we were able to make, the benefit was to a greater number of riders," Reile said. "We had to look at what trains we could make to serve the greatest number of people."
That doesn't leave too many options for Gregory, whose husband will pick her up from work now so she isn't arriving home at 7:15 p.m.
"If they want to get more cars off the road, this isn't helping because this is going to cause one more car to get on the road," she said.
Squeaky wheels win one
Squeaky wheels win one
Metra tweaks N. Central times to address commuter complaints
Originally published Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Starting Monday, Metra will add the express trains to the North Central Line that commuters have been asking for since an expansion of the service earlier this year.
At a news conference Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, a Highland Park Republican, announced Metra will split one of its morning inbound trains and one evening outbound train to make two express trains going each way during the week.
The four trains will make alternating stops to and from Chicago to offer a quicker commute.
One train in the morning, for example, will leave Antioch at 6:45 a.m. It will stop in Round Lake Beach, Prairie Crossing, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights and O'Hare and end at Chicago's Union Station at 8:11 a.m.
The second express will leave Lake Villa at 6:44 a.m. and stop in Grayslake, Mundelein, Prairie View, Wheeling and O'Hare before getting to Chicago at 8:03 a.m.
The other nine inbound and outbound trains largely will keep their current schedules.
Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano said the 6:28 a.m. inbound train and the 5 p.m. outbound train were chosen for the split because they account for a large number of commuters.
Kirk said that for Buffalo Grove residents, an inbound express train saves 9 minutes and the outbound train saves 5 minutes.
"It's almost 80 hours a year saved in commuting time," he said.
Buffalo Grove has a vested interest in improving the North Central Line commute because increased use of the train line will mean an increase in economic development for the village.
"This is clearly an asset for our community," Village President Elliott Harstein said of the express lines.
But Buffalo Grove Trustee Jeff Berman said that while the express trains are a step in the right direction, he would like to see more changes from Metra.
"We need to make sure that this is not the end of the process," he said. "We all benefit when we get cars off the road."
Berman has been an outspoken critic of the double-tracking expansion of the line since the new schedule made its debut in January.
Other Buffalo Grove residents have also made their voices heard through two forums held by Kirk and state Rep. Sid Mathias, a Buffalo Grove Republican.
Residents have said the changes in the schedule have made the trains less convenient and have actually increased commutes.
Berman said Metra originally promised 22 trains but delivered only 19, since he doesn't consider one of the trains on the line an addition because it doesn't travel through most of the towns on the line.
Riders also have continued their complaints of trains not running on schedule, which adds to their commute times.
"I will not stop advocating on behalf of the commuters," Berman said. "This is a good start; I look forward to the next step."
Metra and Canadian National Railroad officials said additional trains could be added; an announcement on that could come at the end of October.
"We want to look especially at the 5:31 train, a critical train," Kirk said, since many commuters also make their way home around that time.
Metra tweaks N. Central times to address commuter complaints
Originally published Wednesday, Sept. 6, 2006
By Nadia Malik
Daily Herald Staff Writer
Starting Monday, Metra will add the express trains to the North Central Line that commuters have been asking for since an expansion of the service earlier this year.
At a news conference Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Mark Kirk, a Highland Park Republican, announced Metra will split one of its morning inbound trains and one evening outbound train to make two express trains going each way during the week.
The four trains will make alternating stops to and from Chicago to offer a quicker commute.
One train in the morning, for example, will leave Antioch at 6:45 a.m. It will stop in Round Lake Beach, Prairie Crossing, Vernon Hills, Buffalo Grove, Prospect Heights and O'Hare and end at Chicago's Union Station at 8:11 a.m.
The second express will leave Lake Villa at 6:44 a.m. and stop in Grayslake, Mundelein, Prairie View, Wheeling and O'Hare before getting to Chicago at 8:03 a.m.
The other nine inbound and outbound trains largely will keep their current schedules.
Metra Executive Director Phil Pagano said the 6:28 a.m. inbound train and the 5 p.m. outbound train were chosen for the split because they account for a large number of commuters.
Kirk said that for Buffalo Grove residents, an inbound express train saves 9 minutes and the outbound train saves 5 minutes.
"It's almost 80 hours a year saved in commuting time," he said.
Buffalo Grove has a vested interest in improving the North Central Line commute because increased use of the train line will mean an increase in economic development for the village.
"This is clearly an asset for our community," Village President Elliott Harstein said of the express lines.
But Buffalo Grove Trustee Jeff Berman said that while the express trains are a step in the right direction, he would like to see more changes from Metra.
"We need to make sure that this is not the end of the process," he said. "We all benefit when we get cars off the road."
Berman has been an outspoken critic of the double-tracking expansion of the line since the new schedule made its debut in January.
Other Buffalo Grove residents have also made their voices heard through two forums held by Kirk and state Rep. Sid Mathias, a Buffalo Grove Republican.
Residents have said the changes in the schedule have made the trains less convenient and have actually increased commutes.
Berman said Metra originally promised 22 trains but delivered only 19, since he doesn't consider one of the trains on the line an addition because it doesn't travel through most of the towns on the line.
Riders also have continued their complaints of trains not running on schedule, which adds to their commute times.
"I will not stop advocating on behalf of the commuters," Berman said. "This is a good start; I look forward to the next step."
Metra and Canadian National Railroad officials said additional trains could be added; an announcement on that could come at the end of October.
"We want to look especially at the 5:31 train, a critical train," Kirk said, since many commuters also make their way home around that time.
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