Could you please answer my question or get some clarification? I live in District 3, and would just like to know, is Zachary Wilson the gentleman who sued the village on behalf of the historical society and cost us $65,000 in tax money, or is that just a rumor? I really think that should be answered.
Zachary Wilson responded: “I was one of four attorneys who represented two Lombard residents, the Friends of the DuPage Theatre and the Lombard Historical Commission (a body of Lombard’s government), who brought a writ of mandamus against the Lombard Village Board. Section 32.079(E)(3) of the Lombard Village Code required that the board of trustees allow the Lombard Historical Commission six months to find an alternative use or alternative buyer before demolishing a historic site. Four members of the village board voted to ignore this ordinance and press on with the demolition of the theater. The suit was filed, which resulted in a stay of demolition until a decision was made by the court. Village legal counsel Tom Bayer and then-village manager William Lichter provided the board the option of not defending the suit. Had the board not defended the suit, but instead complied with the ordinance and simply delayed the demolition while the commission sought an alternative use or buyer, the issue would have been moot and the cost to Lombard taxpayers would have been nothing. Additionally, had the suit not been defended, further action by the board would have been plausible in less than half the time. The lower court ruled in favor of the defendants. That decision was appealed twice but I was not acting in any legal capacity in either of those appeals. I represented my clients pro bono and therefore did not receive a single penny for my work. I willingly participated in this case because I believe village officials should follow the law.”
Editor’s note: A call to Lombard Village Manager Dave Hulseberg determined that $49,210.15 was spent by the village between February and December 2007.—blm
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This is for the Friends of the DuPage Theatre. Hey, hang it up. Give it up. It’s gone. Get on with your life.
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Hi, this is Lombard calling. Stop whining about Obama and all he’s done. You elected him, now you’re stuck with him. Even Putin told him the communist state wouldn’t work. Big Brother is at work now.
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Hello, Lombard. It looks like, based on the election, the theater supporters have spoken.
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It isn’t even summer yet and already, Ahrens Court is turning into a parking lot all night.
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Hi, Lombard calling. Well, I guess after the village president election, there will be no change for Lombard. Lombard will still be stuck in the thoughts and the views of the 1970s and I guess will not be moving forward as other villages like Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Elmhurst and Villa Park are moving forward. We are still stuck.
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Hello, this is Lombard calling. I just wanted to mention about the new bakery that opened, that it is just fabulous. We are so glad they’re in our town. I’d like to know where the new butcher shop is, because that would be of interest to me also. It makes me feel good that our town is getting stores like this in again. I hope they stay. I also want to say that I live near Four Seasons park, and the park district is doing a marvelous job over there. I’m so glad they’re putting in the new play area for the children, a gazebo, they cut around the trees, and put some mulch in. It’s looking like a really nice park again; a place where people will want to go. Thank you, park district, and thank you, village.
Clancy’s Corner Butcher Shoppe is located at 15 S. Park in Lombard.—JAC
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This is Villa Park calling. I’m just wondering what it would take to get the potholes filled in this village. In between Vermont and Plymouth on North Yale is absolutely ridiculous. This isn’t the city of Chicago, where they have to cover thousands of miles of street. This is Villa Park. I watched their pothole truck go down the street; they almost hit the ceiling bouncing up and down. Why can’t they stop and fill in the potholes between Vermont and Plymouth on North Yale? It’s an absolute nightmare. Please come and fill our potholes in.
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To the caller who called in reprimanding President Mueller for not opening a martini bar in downtown Lombard, you really need to walk through your town before you speak out. A wonderful martini bar named Bon Ton opened a year ago which is right at Elizabeth and St. Charles Road. It amazes me that people feel the need to criticize before even taking note as to what is happening in their own back yard.
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Villa Park calling. It’s out with the old, in with the new. Stupegia and Illian are gone. Now it’s time to run this village like a business. Let’s cut some taxes, let’s get rid of the waste, get some people to start fixing up Ardmore Avenue, North Avenue.
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Well, the Lombard village president election sure was close. Those who voted for so-called change didn’t get it, but I hope Mr. Mueller realizes just how close he came to losing the election by what, close to 200 votes? I hope he gets the message not just that the majority re-elected him, but that a near-majority wanted him out. I hope he begins to do his job for all the voters. To me, the near-loss is a message that many voters are dissatisfied with the status quo. I hope he is paying attention.
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Hi, this is Lombard calling. To the person who called in about the person crying about the mail delivery when their mailbox is blocked, and that it’s their responsibility to make sure that it’s accessible to delivery—you tell me how, when my mailbox is out on the curb, I can stop people I don’t know from parking there. They’re not our vehicles. If you have any suggestions you can let us know.
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Hi, SPEAK OUT, we noted the comment recently regarding the Villa Park Library annex, which seems to be primarily a storage space for tables and chairs. You’d be very surprised if you knew what the administration is paying every month to rent that space. You might call and ask what the library is paying every month to rent that annex. You’d be very shocked.
Sandra Hill, director of the Villa Park Public Library, responded: “The library board has a four-year lease for 3,000 square feet of space located at 317 S. Ardmore (commonly known as the Annex). The annual lease is $30,000, which equates to $10 per square foot. The lease agreement is approximately 23 percent below market rent. The library is leasing the space in order to provide additional services to the community. We have been using the space in three ways. First, the space is used for free programs which are too large to hold in the main building. A recent educational program on rain barrels and composting had 60 individuals in attendance. Our Hot Soup concert, co-sponsored by Kopper Kitchen, Villa Park Parks and Recreation, VP Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Library, had 90 in attendance. Shifting these types of programs to the Annex has enabled us to offer regular, undisrupted service in the main library building. With the additional space in the Annex, the library has also been able to respond to the community’s need for computer classes. With the financial assistance of the Friends of the Library, a computer lab was established for computer classes which began in March in the Annex, and more classes are scheduled this spring. Finally, the library’s technical services department has been relocated to the Annex from the main building. This has opened up meeting space and group study room space in the main building for residents. Contact Carolyn Turner at 630-834-1164, ext. 110, if you’d like to reserve one of the library’s meeting rooms.The library board's decision to extend services and programming into this leased area has allowed us to expand our services and offer more to our community. The board believes this is a worthwhile investment.” —JAC
