Lombardians, over the last year in SPEAK OUT, there have been complaints about walking your dog without a leash—too many in your backyard—and no matter how many times that person calls the police on those punk kids down the street, they couldn’t get them arrested. Now you want to change the noise ordinance to get the people with barking dogs and loud music in the garage busted, too? What’s wrong with you people? Just because you didn't get invited to prom, doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t have fun. And, maybe, if you talk to your neighbors, instead of point your finger at them, you could get them to be quieter. Let’s remember, people, this is the town of lilacs, not pansies.

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How can three trustees— Fitzpatrick, Breen and Wilson—vote to approve a budget which includes two new firemen and then 10 minutes later vote no to hiring them? These three are an embarrassment to the residents and employees of the Village of Lombard. They seem to put their own personal agenda ahead of the safety and well being of the residents and employees of Lombard. These three have got to go.

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This is in regard to the Finley Road project. Now that they finally might get it done way past the deadline, there are going to be consequences—the parkway. They’re laying sod even though the ground’s not frozen, that’s going to settle and a year from now that parkway’s going to look like garbage with a lot of dips in the sod. It’s a waste of money sodding it now because it’s not going to be level next year when the ground settles.

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Hi, this is Lombard. I want to tell the person in the paper who wants to vote to raise taxes and thinks taxes should be raised, he or she can pay my taxes, too. I’d appreciate that.

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This is a reminder to everyone in Lombard that you can take your broken lights from your Christmas decorations over to public works for recycling instead of throwing them away. Let’s be good to the Earth.

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Hi, Lombard. I would like to start by saying I’m very unhappy with local government on the issue regarding foreclosed homes and properties in DuPage County. I, myself, take issue with a foreclosed home—I believe in three years nobody has put forth any effort to maintain this property. Now, a business is parking junk cars in the back yard and the driveway. I started reporting this to anyone who would listen two years ago. The cars still come and go every day. At the same time fences are falling down, and grass, weeds and trees are out of control. I know this is taking value out of my property and all around it. I am surprised an appalled at the lack of effort put forth by local government to curb the destruction of our community.

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I’ve got to chime in on this District 44 tax increase that they’re looking for. I’m tired of hearing it’s the most important job if you’re a teacher and they spend all day with our most precious asset, our kids. That is boring, it is blase. It is a business and since 1970 the amount of employees in our public schools nationwide has doubled from approximately 3 million to 6 million, yet in that same time enrollment only went up 8.7 percent. At that time we had 22.5 kids per teacher in the United States. Now we have about 15.2 kids per teacher. There’s plenty of money. The lottery, that was one of the worst things that ever happened. The teachers, they think that it is an open checkbook. How about we get some results?

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Yes, Lombard, I would like to know, if John Novak were elected village president, would he get another pension from the village?

Sorry, we are unable to obtain an answer to your question from the village because it is against village policy to acknowledge or respond to any item that is from an anonymous source. Anyone with questions regarding the village should contact the Lombard Village Hall at 630-620-5700 for assistance.—JAC

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Lombard calling, and on my mind today is the last general election. The president’s re-election and the Democratic Party gains in both the House and Senate give me some hope for a better future in our country. I would hope we can now do away with the partisan politics we have been bogged down with the last 12 years. I would hope our leaders can put aside their differences and move in the direction the country wants to go as indicated by the election results. We should be working to improve the economy for the lower and middle class, ensuring that the Social Security system will be funded and provide the required benefits, including health care for all. Expand civil rights, reform immigration, and reform the current welfare system.

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I’m a Lombard resident since 1976 and a nurse for 40-plus years, following the discussion on private contract paramedics. I have concerns that our fire department has a far more in-depth screening for a firefighter/paramedic. Would we have any oversight of their continuing education, certifications being current, anything our residents might be open to with the expenses of litigation? How about the fact that they cannot support our firefighters as needed? If there are only three firefighters on an engine call and the ambulance crew is the added manpower, those private contractors would not be available to act as firefighters and leave our residents at higher risk. I am against having private contract service for Lombard and I do not appreciate that the fine village board is once again deadlocked on their vote to hire an additional firefighter. We must have additional monies since we’ve done away with our dog tags and our vehicle stickers so use that money to hire a new firefighter and use the money where needed.

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No sane person or organization could justify the legal sale of semi-automatic rifles, expanded ammo clips and “cop killer” bullets. So don’t be fooled as to the focus of the National Rifle Association. The NRA isn’t really about individual’s rights or freedoms. It’s about making money for manufacturers and dealers of guns; that’s all. The NRA wants everyone to be allowed and encouraged to buy their own weaponry. The NRA hates the Brady Bill and background checks. Think about it. You show me a lobbying group that uses any and all tactics to maximize gun sales, and I’ll show you the NRA.

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The gun massacre in the Connecticut elementary school was tragic news to everyone in this nation. The telling act by residents who visited the Glen Ellyn Golf Course’s skeet shooting range on Dec. 15, the day after this shooting, said a great deal about their blatant insensitivity to those of us who live within ear-shot of that location. The sound of gunfire to many of us is disturbing and upsetting and to have to listen to that sound the day after was unimaginable. Shame on those who own the Skeet range to allow its use so soon after and for those gun owners who used their guns that day. Shame on you.

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How about it Lombard? Like a previous caller asked, Will the no-response-to-the-Lombardian policy be repealed? Candidates, what say you? Your response might just sway my vote.

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This is Villa Park calling. I would just like to say thank you to Dave from Atlas for changing mine and my wife’s tire in the Jewel parking lot. It’s nice to see that some people actually stop and help somebody. I just want to say thank you again Dave. We really appreciate it.

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Way to go, Lombardian. Your paper had the missing bird story and then it followed in two other papers not long after. Coincidence? Who knows? Great job, though.

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Hi, this is Lombard. The Lombard Kmart will be closing soon. The Great Indoors is closed and there are other vacant retail properties. It would be nice for Lombard to attract Meijer, Roth’s, Menard’s, Golden Corral and Home Run Inn Pizza into town.

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This is Villa Park calling. We hear that Deborah Bullwinkel is getting her dog park. It must be nice to live in a rich, rich suburb. There are some other things that our village needs. How about the police drive around in brand new Cadillacs, we’ll give the trustees new Mercedes to drive around, the village president can have what he wants; how about a new Rolls Royce? What else can we waste money on? How about a dome? There we go. A dome would be nice for playing softball, baseball and football. We can use one of this. Ask Trustee Bullwinkel if she’d like to give us a dome for sporting events. What else can we waste money on because we don’t need streets, we don’t need trees, we don’t need more police with all the violence going on in this town. Ms. Bullwinkel, you make our village have so much money. We just don’t know where it’s coming from. Where is your money tree

Previous attempts to contact Trustee Bullwinkel about the issue of a dog park were unsuccessful.—JAC

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I know the Lombardian and SPEAK OUT is supposed to be for Villa Park and Lombard issues, but once again a senseless tragedy in our nation. Young children massacred. Shot down. So, NRA, Charlton Heston, how’s the right to bear arms working for you? Stop them now.

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Once again, going east or west by St. Charles Road on Elizabeth, the light just turned green—this happened to me two or three times today—and immediately turns red, because there’s a train coming back. Lights in all directions, especially east, west, one to two minutes, because there’s a train going by. When will they redo the lights where if there’s a train going by the lights on St. Charles Road do not turn red and stop traffic for one to two minutes? That is why there are so many back-ups and traffic jams getting into and out of Lombard and downtown Lombard. It’s very frustrating. Redo the lights.