The quarry flood control operations explained by some of the DuPage County Board members sounds very speculative and suspect. The explanations given by a few of the DuPage County Board members, i.e. dates, times when the floodgates were supposedly open, and the volumes of water pouring into the multi-million-dollar quarry paid for by the taxpayers have very little validity or significance to those of us with flooded houses. An official document or series of documents monitoring the water intake of the quarry should by substantiated by the U.S. Corps of Engineers and available for public scrutiny. No certificates of training or educational degrees were provided by the county board members who reported their interpretation and hearsay about the quarry’s intake of flood water. I think the efficient operation of the quarry should have saved hundreds of thousands of property owners from flooding.

* * *

This is Villa Park calling about Cruise Nights both in Villa Park and Lombard. Villa Park, you are talking to the wrong person. You had better talk to Cullerton in your village. It was shot down a long time ago. They do not want to do it. The chamber of commerce got a bad feeling about this, too. As far as Lombard, the businesses along St. Charles do make money. Without this in the summertime, I think they do pretty bad, because I know. There are three words: Get a life.

* * *

This is Lombard. It never ceases to amaze me why Democrats are so opposed to lower tax rates. John Kerry made the best argument for lower taxes by buying a $7 million yacht in Australia, a lower tax than the U.S.; registering in Delaware, lower tax than his home state of Massachusetts, which has a higher tax. A lower tax state gets the revenues at the expense of the higher tax state. Naturally people try to avoid higher taxes and are much more willing to pay a lower tax rate.

* * *

Lombard calling. The brick sidewalks downtown are beautiful, but my question is, who is supposed to weed them? Is that the merchant’s problem, or does the village take care of that or what?

Director of Community Development William Heniff explained: “As with all parkways in the village (areas not improved with streets or sidewalks), Section 97.010 (B) of the village code states that it is the duty of each owner of or person residing on property abutting on a parkway area to maintain the grass on the parkway. Section 92.31 identifies weeds or grasses of over 8 inches in height as a nuisance, regardless of whether it is on public or private property. Just as one keeps [the] parkway in front of [his or her] own residence neat and tidy by pulling weeds that grow in creases, commercial properties throughout the village, including the downtown, are also encouraged to do the same. Such minimal activities also foster civic pride of ownership in the downtown as well.”—JAC

* * *

This is Lombard calling to let everybody know that the best deal going in this town is Glass Courts. I recently was a guest in an area country club that is at least $15,000 a year to join, and their pool was not any better than Glass Courts. The staff at Glass Courts is so nice and friendly, the locker rooms are always clean and if you haven’t looked into it, I highly recommend it.

* * *

There was a rumor that Congress will be sending seniors a $250 check. Stop. Don’t send it. Use the $250 check times 40 million seniors and put it on the debt, then, stop spending. Listen up, senators and representatives—stop spending. Cut taxes. Act like responsible representatives. I’m a senior. I’m not rich; I could use the money, but I don’t want my grandkids paying for irresponsible behavior. Keep your $250.

* * *

Villa Park calling. I was sitting in my garage thinking about the village’s tax revenue problems. This is what you do: Forget about the condos that are never going up on that empty lot by the train station. Instead, put the OTB that’s never going up on North Avenue there. Give them a tax break after they pay to have Ardmore Bridge fixed. That takes care of that one. Before you know it, you’ll have a restaurant, an overpriced ice cream shop and a coffee shop. Then the money will start flowing in for streets. Do South Myrtle first; it was my idea. Now the cons: I’ll answer my own. It will be an eyesore. It can’t look any worse. There will be crime. Have you ever walked around there? If anything, crime will go down. I read somewhere criminals don’t like witnesses. No one will go there. You’ll have people getting off the train, going in there for an hour, getting back on the train and telling their spouses they had to take a later train. Build it and they will come. You’re welcome.

* * *

Lombard calling. I can’t believe we’re going to go through all the trouble and money to redo Main Street and the village is going to let ComEd put those ugly poles up again? Can’t the utilities be buried or at least get better looking poles? It doesn’t make any sense. Really ugly.

* * *

I agree with the person who called in to criticize the Taste of Lombard about the drunks, the trash and the noise and fireworks. It’s time for the silent majority to speak up and criticize and rally against this. It’s a mess for Lombard. Village police should spend their time on the streets stopping the illegal fireworks instead of walking around the Taste that most of the neighbors don’t want.

* * *

To the caller who complained about the crowds at the Taste of Lombard, you don’t move to Wrigley Field and then complain about the traffic and crowds from the Chicago Cubs. You don’t move to a location near Madison Meadow and complain about the Taste of Lombard. It’s been going on for years and years. I do agree with you about the fireworks people shoot off on the Fourth of July, but that’s not isolated to just around Madison Meadow. It happens throughout Lombard. That’s very obnoxious but I don’t think anybody’s going to be able to do anything about it.

* * *

This is Lombard calling regarding Sunset Knoll off the newly paved parking lot that remains unfinished and potentially dangerous due to the uneven ground. That walkway is the only entrance available for families to access Field 26 for fall baseball games and it hasn’t been fixed all summer. One of my relatives tripped on that uneven ground and I witnessed an older gentleman nearly fall from attempting to step over the foot-high construction barrier. Please provide an even walkway in this area for your residents to access the ball field.

* * *

Lombard calling. My next-door neighbor never uses a recycling bin. Aren’t there any requirements to make use of a recycling bin? I think that’s unconscionable.

Carl Goldsmith, director of public works for the Village of Lombard, explained: “The Village of Lombard promotes the concept of recycling through various grant programs, community education programs and the Recycling Extravaganza; however, there is no specific requirement in the contract between the Village of Lombard and Waste Management that mandates recycling. For residents who do recycle, Section 8C(2) of the contract governs the manner in which recyclable material is placed out for collection.” He noted that in  Section 8C(2) Collection Standards, “There shall be no limit to the number of recycling bins including the recyclables cart or to the quantity of recyclables that a household may place at the curbside for collection. Residents have the right to purchase additional recycling bins or to set out other containers which are clearly marked for recycling collection. The contractor shall collect from the recyclables cart and all recycling bins that have been placed at the curbside for collection and shall place emptied recycling bins upside-down to prevent the bins from blowing about. No sticker shall be required for the recycling bins or recyclables cart. Residents may also place recyclables that do not fit into the recycling bin(s) or recyclables cart directly adjacent to the bin(s) or recyclables cart for collection by the contractor provided that such materials have been properly prepared for collection.” Residents or commercial establishments interested in additional information regarding the recycling program can visit the Village of Lombard's Web site at www.villageoflombard.org or call the public works department at 630-620-5740.—JAC

* * *

I’m calling about the article dated Aug. 11 regarding that the village wants to look at the contributions of the police department pensions. I’m a retired firefighter—not with the Village of Lombard—but like everybody else, have the village look at them over the last 10 to 15 years, if they’ve been putting in their contributions the way they’re supposed to per the state of Illinois. This is an ongoing case and I just hope that the village looks at it a little bit further and does not dump this on the taxpayers of the Village of Lombard because this is not their problem. This was the village’s problem that has been going on for many years.

* * *

I know there have been problems with the pond at Terrace View Park, the fountains and so forth, but gee, isn’t there some measure the park district can take to clean up that pond? At least skim the scum off the top so it doesn’t look like that swamp from the planet Dagobah—remember where Luke Skywalker visited Yoda? The surrounding prairie looks so nice, but that pond detracts from the hard work the volunteers have done. Please, park district, find a solution to the problem.