I saw in the paper that Plum Library was closed Friday, Saturday and Sunday for the New Year’s holiday. With all the scrutiny about taxpayer-funded employees getting all sorts of paid days off, I am wondering why this is. Friday was not a holiday. The library is open on Saturday so I can understand the library being closed. But Sunday, too? Are all three of these paid holidays for employees who work those days? I think the perks are getting out of hand. We all have to make sacrifices.

Robert Harris, library director, explained: The Library Board of Trustees established Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 as paid holidays more than 22 years ago. The library closed on Sunday as an unpaid day. The library is open 353 days of the year. Of the remaining 12 days, seven are paid holidays.—JAC

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I find it amazing that the person called SPEAK OUT to say that Gov. Palin isn’t skilled to be president. Let me see; she was a governor for longer than Obama was a senator, I believe. She was a mayor, and Obama wasn’t a mayor. I believe she had something to do as a councilwoman, and Obama wasn’t a councilman. Let’s be honest. Palin couldn’t do any worse than Obama and he has done nothing to save this country. If Gov. Palin runs for president, and I’m not sure she would get elected, I think she could do better than Obama.

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I read a recent call about someone complaining about water meter readers being put out of work by new technology. I was astounded by that. This person has got to be someone in favor of the government because the last thing I want to do is pay for somebody in government to read my meter. The point is, we need to shrink government. The people who read meters don’t need to be employed, paid by my taxes; they need to have jobs paid by the consumer economy. So, please, don’t be an advocate for more government workers; be an advocate for all the technology we can possibly use in order to reduce the government costs.

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Lombard calling. A recent article about no funds to build up the downtown I can’t understand. What about all that TIF money? You can’t tell me they don’t have any funds when they can use TIF on things like a pedestrian bridge at Grace Street and St. Charles Road. What taxes can a bike path bring for Lombard? I think someone has their priorities mixed up.

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We who live on Social Security were told in 2010 that an increase in our monthly payment wasn’t going to happen because the outdated law that the COLA adjustments are made from didn’t justify it. So here it is, 2011, and Part D has gone up; supplemental insurance has gone up; our deductible has gone up. Of which means we are now getting less than we did in 2010. But that’s OK—after all, we are all old people who now pay very little of any federal taxes, so why should our government care about us? Isn’t it odd how our government will follow the letter of the law, when it’s to their benefit?

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Americans are suffering. What about our leaders? Our leaders have a job. Our leaders’ salaries have gone up, while Americans have no job, no money, no prospects. The average $174,000 salary should be cut. Staff salaries of our leaders should be cut. Travel and expense accounts for our leaders should be cut. It is about time our leaders feel our pain.

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I agree with the caller who talked about Freedom, Okla., and the English language. I disagree with the caller about the flag in the sanctuary at St. Pius Church. It has nothing to do with the separation of church and state; it is just honoring our flag of America and anybody, anyplace can fly the flag as long as it is hanging or standing or flown correctly. They’re just showing they are proud of the United States. It has nothing to do with religion or church and state.

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This is Lombard calling. I’m reading in the Lombardian on Dec. 15 that District 88 is looking at increasing the 2010 tax levy. They should not be permitted to even get one cent of our taxpayers’ money, when they decided to get the unions to negotiate without letting anybody know, for 10 years, with the unions to have all of the construction jobs—with a no-bid contract, without non-unions being able to bid any of the contracts. That is a crying shame to all of us taxpayers to have to pay District 88. District 88 needs to reconsider that position they negotiated with the unions and back out of it before District 88 gets one penny of my money.

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This is regarding Lombard and the downtown area, to the person who commented in the Dec. 15 paper, about Bill Mueller. It is not Bill Mueller; it is the way downtown Lombard is laid out. Why can’t everyone see it is not Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn and Wheaton? St. Charles Road is not that long. The problem is the village’s forefathers let all the shopping expand down Main Street. We do not have a big enough downtown to attract a lot of businesses. The businesses that are there are subject to the high rents where they are located, because of the owners of the buildings. If the rent was cheaper maybe we’d get more stores; stores of larger venue do not want to go there because there’s not enough foot traffic. The downtown is not large enough. Please understand that.

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How can the Village of Lombard hire a social service agency during the severe economic downturn state, county- and worldwide? This proposed action seems to be contradictory to the lengthy budget constraints emphasized by the Lombard village president several months ago. Since when has Lombard become a social agency? Currently our tax dollars are used by the township, county and state for social services. The Village of Lombard should be a resource for telephone numbers for the numerous social agencies that are available for township, county and state social services. A recent newspaper report indicates the public safety pension funds for Lombard are currently underfunded by the state of Illinois and poor investments. The taxpayers of Lombard are expected to make up the difference as larger numbers of public safety employees retire. The state of Illinois has set up new requirements for new hires who must be 55 years old and have 30 years of service.

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Just wanted to add a little side comment to those who are concerned about chicken coops in Lombard. We moved to Lombard in 1952; there were several neighbors across the street who had chickens and chicken coops and there was also a neighbor across the street who had a pony. No big deal. Nobody cared.

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Lombard calling here. I’d like to thank the people on Prairie for the spectacular light and music display. I hope everyone got to see it. Let’s celebrate the many wonderful people who live in our town.

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Lombard calling. I would like to commend the village and the public works department for the great job dressing up our streets for the holiday season. Many of the local businesses did a nice job, along with some of the property owners with vacant stores. One building in particular is the old bank building on Park and St. Charles. It gave our town center real character.

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This is Lombard calling in response to Lombard residents concerned about the firewood ordinance. I, too, believe that neatly stacked firewood should be allowed in our town. But, I have a concern with you releasing your rodents in a forest away from your home and near mine. I live near a forest. Last I read, releasing an animal that you yourself trapped into our forests is illegal, not to mention a rodent. A rodent is a mouse or a rat. Don’t overpopulate our forests with these animals. There are not enough predators to control their population as it is, not to mention food supply. I don’t need extra animals coming to my house looking for food or shelter either. So, maybe you can research how you should control your own rodent problem legally and not add to others’.