This is Lombard calling. Could the Lombardian check on who decided to drain 3 or 4 feet from Terrace View Pond and turn it into a West Nile mosquito breeding ground? Why don’t we just close the drain and put the water back in? In this day and age with West Nile going around, really? I moved to this nice town, it was a great-looking pond, and someone decided to turn it into a cesspool with weeds around it. Maybe we could also find out how the heck did we get this prairie restoration committee and what do we do to make them go away, because across the street from the pond was a beautiful meadow that once again is filled with weeds and is a West Nile mosquito breeding ground. We need to somehow figure out how to get control of this stuff back from these people. Maybe the Lombardian can tell us who we contact to say enough is enough. I want a nice-looking pond back.

Lonnie Morris, conservation chairperson of the Lombard Garden Club, was asked to respond to the prairie restoration portion of your comments. She stated, “As the largest public land owner in Lombard, the Lombard Park District works to provide a variety of services and opportunities for the residents. It offers numerous athletic fields; picnicking sites; splash parks; an outstanding water park; playgrounds; a nationally recognized collection of lilacs; and natural areas for bird watching, enjoying nature and preserving biodiversity. Of the many acres managed by the park district, a small fraction of them, probably no more than 10, have been allocated to natural areas and prairie restoration. The prairie and wetlands offer sites for natural history, ecology and biology education. These natural areas are also old-fashioned places for kids to play, explore and connect with nature. There is room in Lombard's parks to meet all the interests of visitors and residents and the community is richer for having such diverse opportunities available. The Lombard Garden Club’s Conservation Committee is proud to be an active, contributing partner in the Terrace View Restoration project.—JAC

* * *

A caller last week said that Trustee (Transparency) Breen had insulted President Mueller. Breen said the caller was a liar. I think the caller was referring to when Breen called Mueller the “King of Lombard.” Now we can debate whether or not that was an insult. If Breen does not like liars then why did he vote to sell out a subdivision?  

* * *

Hi, this is Lombard calling. I was just wondering. I thought we had an ordinance where you couldn’t start working on the outside of your house, drilling, until after 8 a.m. So, why do the city trucks start trimming trees at 7:15 a.m.? Thank goodness my 12-year-old daughter had to get up early for school. And another thing, We had a block party over the weekend and we had until 11 to shut down the music. Someone called to complain at 9 p.m. that we were being too loud. We didn’t even have the volume up at that time. A cop came out to listen and said we were fine.

Per the ordinance, 93.02 (B), “It is unlawful to conduct any operations (construction, repair, reconstruction, or maintenance), other than within a fully enclosed building or structure, or exterior property maintenance work (including, but not limited to landscaping and landscaping maintenance work), between the hours of 8 p.m. and 7 a.m. at any location within the village in relation to which the buildings within 300-foot radius are used exclusively for residential purposes. (The 300-foot radius is measurable to the actual structure and not the property line.) The provisions of this subsection shall not be applicable to emergency situations where the building operations or property maintenance work are being undertaken in response to a situation that poses an immediate danger to the building or threat to the health, safety and welfare of the surrounding residents or occupants. Nor does this provision apply to street openings or work performed by the Village of Lombard’s Public Works Department.” Specific pieces of equipment involved are outlined in the ordinance, which can be found on the Village of Lombard Web site, www.villageoflombard.org.—JAC

* * *

When there is an election to replace Bill Mueller, I just want people to know that I think a big part of who’s going to win is going to be determined by a plan for downtown Lombard, because nothing’s happened for so long, the DuPage Theatre is a parking lot and there’s nothing but condos and hair salons there. Hopefully somebody’s got a plan because every other town around here seems to have a better town than we do. So, that's what’s going to determine my vote.

* * *

This is for the teachers who were on strike in Chicago. If Mayor Emanuel was smart, he’d say, “This is your contract. Take it, leave it or you're fired.” And to all the other teachers who went on strike, like in Lake Forest, who make $100,000 a year, guess what? You’re fired. That’s what’s destroying this country today is unions. The teachers say it’s all for the kids; no, it’s the almighty dollar that the union wants. Teachers should be paid what they’re worth, not what the union says. Get rid of the unions, get rid of the teachers and hire everybody who wants to work and teach kids, not to make money. Get rid of the Chicago Public School teachers and hire decent teachers at a regular pay, which they deserve. They don’t deserve $100,000 a year or a 16 percent pay raise in four years.

* * *

Lombard calling. I wonder when the Lombard police are going to start enforcing the state law that went into effect a year or so ago about cell phone use and texting in school zones. You sit in front of Glenbard East in the morning or in the afternoon and everyone who drives by is on the cell phone, it seems like. The kids are texting, the mothers are on the phone. The same thing at Madison School.

* * *

The Lombard Village Board should change its name to Ringling Brothers and take their circus on the road. And select a chairperson who knows how to run a meeting; that was ridiculous. I bet there will be no recess at the next meeting. 

* * *

Don’t we have public participation at board meetings? How about voicing your displeasure over the president situation there, instead of SPEAK OUT? Tell your elected officials that you are fed up.

* * *

My family prays and hopes the six trustees can come to some consensus and vote for an acting village president for the next eight months. And I hope all of the people of Lombard will pray very hard for guidance for our six trustees.

* * *

Hi, Lombard calling. After watching the Sept. 20 board meeting, I was thoroughly embarrassed to call myself a Lombardian. The behavior that the village board has shown the citizens of Lombard is ridiculous. These six people need to be voted out in the election and the election after that. Every one of them needs to leave because its about the survival of this town, not the survival of their best interests. Yes, that includes you, Mr. Giagnorio, Mr. Breen and even you, Mrs. Fitzpatrick. You all need to go. This is Lombard. This is not your own personal village.

* * *

Since they gerrymandered sections of Lombard into separate districts, I am once again bombarded with a barrage of mailings from Tammy Duckworth. I use them to scoop up the dog’s business from my yard. It doesn’t change the message from the mailings one bit. They are a load of baloney.

* * *

If this were not such a serious issue, it would be laughable. Trustee Giagnorio has recently announced his candidacy for village president. Yet, during the village meeting last week, instead of acting the part of a leader, he chose to yell at the only woman trustee on the board yelling loudly, “Excuse me?  Excuse me?  You wanna go?” I don’t feel this is leadership; this is bullying. We don’t need bullies in our classrooms and we certainly do not need them in our government. Then to walk out of a village meeting instead of trying to come to a compromise? Again, that is not a leader. A leader works with their opponents and tries to bring a resolution. A leader does not take his toys and go home if he is not getting his way. Trustee Giagnorio showed his inability to lead and act professional and should not even be remotely considered to run our village.

* * *

I’m watching the village and if they’re all giving their checks back if they do not pick a president; if they’re giving their check to a charity, such as Mr. Giagnorio or Mrs. Fitzpatrick said where people cannot pay their water bill, is that not a tax deduction? Is that not something they can write off? Just don’t take it. Don’t say you’re giving it away because you’re only getting it off on your taxes.

* * *

What shameful behavior is being displayed by our village board. I think Mr. Gron is displaying a terribly negative attitude, throwing accusations and insults all around. Mr. Breen likes to hear himself talk, which in itself would probably qualify him for acting president. Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Mr. Breen seem to have a mutual admiration society going on; the endless compliments seem to be a little much. But Mrs. Fitzpatrick takes the cake. I believe she flat out put words in Mr. Giagnorio’s mouth that he did not say in front of dozens of citizens who were in attendance. She apparently was trying to also cleverly cast a shadow over Mr. Giagnorio’s dedication to the village. And her sidelong smiles and glances at Mr. Breen make her appear like a high school girl instead of a grown woman with a responsibility to lead. Shame on you, Mrs. Fitzpatrick. All the insults you’re throwing around make me suspect that you are a true politician with further political goals than president of the Village of Lombard. Perhaps you would like to look good on your resumé. I’m appalled at the whole mess. Put Hulseberg in charge; you all seem to love him.