Hello, this is Lombard calling. I’d like to congratulate the Great Western Trail and the wonderful bridges. How about if the village does something here on Main Street for our Prairie Path so we don’t have to worry about pedestrians stopping, causing traffic accidents on their own will, even though they have a stop sign?

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Hi, Lombard calling. People living in the Finley Road construction area are plagued by overwhelming amounts of dust. We are unable to walk outside comfortably or open our windows on these cool days. Many of us suffer from allergies which are made worse by this situation. Drivers, please be considerate and stop speeding down our road, making the dust situation even worse. Thank you.

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Attention, Lombard. I stop my vehicle for people and animals who are in the street. Thank you. Bye.

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling. To the person who is continuously calling SPEAK OUT and bashing the Villa Park Police and village board, first, I would like to know how you know what a gang member looks like. This isn’t Los Angeles, where they all wear colors. Second, it isn’t illegal to be in a gang, so they actually have to break the law to be arrested just like everyone else. Third, you say these gang members were drinking and smoking dope. I highly doubt they are dumb enough to do it as three police cars drive by, who were probably on their way to a different call to help a resident in need. And finally, if you are actually concerned about crime in this town, maybe you should call 9-1-1 and report it, instead of calling SPEAK OUT so often. Thank you.

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Dear Village of Lombard. You write us up a ticket and fine for letting our weeds grow too tall. We can no longer pay landscapers to manicure our lawns and shrubs, like your precious village hall, where you suck excessive taxes from the people to do your landscaping for you. Your useless $12,000 TIF tax you have imposed on us with unconstitutionally showing taxation without representation. You have taken our landscaping money from us and you have sucked the life from us. Thank you, village.

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I think it is wrong that the Village of Lombard will be paying salary and benefits of more than $200,000 to a retiring employee. Not even Metra would do this. Where is the outrage, where is the investigation? Who is going to be held accountable for this?

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Glenbard East opens its football season against Willowbrook on Friday, Aug. 30.  It should be an exciting battle between the crosstown rivals, so come on by and watch a great game and enjoy the new facilities at Glenbard East. Kickoff is at 7:30. Go Rams.

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Good thing we are not paying for village stickers and dog gags; now we have enough money to pay for the retiring manager.  The scary part is that this is the same village board who is going to hire the next village manager.

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How does Trustee Fitzpatrick question the work of the fire department and the funding of their retirement pensions and then in the next breath approves a severance package for an employee. Seems hypocritical.

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At a time when finances are a concern to so many both blue collar and white collar workers, I wish to support Trustee Laura Fitzpatrick for all her efforts to identify a serious problem. Thank you Laura for bringing to our  attention what appears to be unjust, that Lombard residents pay over 400 percent more than Elmhurst for EMS-Emergency Medical Services.  Lombard’s cost to the taxpayers after billing is $737,700. Elmhurst’s is $129,000—571 percent for the cost that we pay. How did this happen? Can this be true? What is Lombard going to do about this? Render to Caesar only the amount that belongs to Caesar and no more. For those who are on a restricted budget, we are very disappointed with those who have had any part in this and have permitted this to happen. Thank you Laura Fitzpatrick; you are doing exactly what we demand of those trustees who are to represent and protect us. Laura, thanks for using “right reason.”

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I would like to ask Trustee Breen to please examine his transparency policy that he always reminds people that he wrote, and provide all Lombard taxpayers with the details for the village manager’s severance package and what that is going to cost us taxpayers.

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Just reading the article about the Terrace View Pond. What’s interesting is they say it’s going to be 1 foot lower than the normal water level. That will be the new normal level. Just a few years ago they lowered that pond by about 2 feet. That’s when it went from a beautiful pond filled with tons of bass to a cesspool, mosquito-breeding ground. Now, literally, there will be no fish in there. This will kill all the fish. There will not be enough water depth to have enough oxygen for them to survive in winter. What a terrible thing this is, the best they could have come up with, with that pond. Whoever decided several years ago to remove 2 feet of water from it, this has just spiraled into a mess. How sad. How very sad that in this day and age of going green our village just takes what used to be a great fishing pond and has no problem killing off the fish.

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This is for all you Obama lovers and worshippers out there. You think just because we don’t agree with this man, doesn’t mean we’re bashing him and even if we are, look at the people who bashed the George Bushes and Bill Clinton and Reagan and other people who didn’t even run for office. It’s not a question of bashing; I think you’re the ones who need a reality check. You need to take a step out into the real world and see what’s really going on. This administration is leading us astray into oblivion. You need to quit looking at everything from a partisan policy. Look at it as a human issue. Just because we don’t buy into his stuff doesn’t mean that we’re wrong. As I’ve always said, as long as you keep voting for Republicans and Democrats, this is what’s going to happen. They need term limits.

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Hello, this is Villa Park calling. As a lifelong resident of the north side of Villa Park, I find it interesting in the last couple of SPEAK OUTs where there are several complaints about the crime in Villa Park. I have to tell you, after living in this town for 40-plus years, I have to say that this town has gotten quieter and quieter over the years, and there’s been less and less crime. I can’t even remember the last time we had a murder in Villa Park. And all these arrests you’re reading about in the paper, the burglar, the school, the stabbing, they’ve all been solved. These people have all been arrested. I think the police are doing a fantastic job. I don’t understand why anyone would be upset with what’s going on here. This town seems like it’s much safer now. Thank you.

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This is for the caller who thinks the problems are going to be resolved by having successful government cooperation. We never said that would solve the problem. It’s just that, that is the problem in this country. It’s the government. What don’t you understand? It’s not just the Republicans and Democrats; government is the problem, plain and simple. It doesn’t matter who wins the presidency; whoever won that election is the loser. That is an oxymoron when you talk about the key to successful government is cooperation. We’ve got a president who thinks it ‘s his way or no way. So, get with the program. I don’t know why you Obama worshippers can’t seem to get it through your heads that this administration is such a joke. Barack Obama is going to go down as one of the worst presidents we have ever had.

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Lombard calling. I’m just wondering if anybody knows if there was a change of date. On Saturday, Aug. 17, I bought a raffle ticket from the Falcons junior football raffle at Mr. Z’s, and when I got home I looked at the ticket they gave me and it said the drawing was Aug. 16, which was the day before. Anybody know if that date was changed, and if it wasn’t changed, why were they selling tickets the day after? Thank you.

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Lombard calling. Recently President Obama, our commander in chief, addressed our Marines in California at Camp Pendleton; the Marines because this president is such a lousy president, they did not cheer the president as has happened in the past with other presidents. The first time in my lifetime, and I go back to World War II as a veteran, that the Marines had to be ordered to cheer the president. What a disgrace for America. Thank you.

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Hello, Lombard, calling. It is Saturday, Aug. 17, and once again, being a resident here right on St. Charles Road, I have to listen to the noisy cars for the next four hours going up and down the street. But not only that, I would like the police department to answer, which they probably won’t, why is it that a police office granted somebody permission to park illegally in front of a fire hydrant. Just because he has a cruise car? I’d like to see somebody try that during the rest of the year, when there aren’t any cruise cars out there. It’s illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant. I don’t care if the police say it’s OK, it’s illegal. Otherwise, it gives the impression that as long as you have a cruise car, you can do whatever the heck you want in Lombard.

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Hi, Lombard. If you don’t want to see another vacant major storefront on Main Street, you’d better get to Mr. Z’s. Somebody called in a few weeks ago about that. They’re doing a nice job of trying to make it look presentable but they’re on the edge. None of us in Lombard should want to see them close, and please shop at Mr. Z’s. Buy whatever you can there. He doesn’t have much left. Buy whatever you can to support him, to try to keep him open. It would be such a shame to see him close. He’s supported our community for so long. Please, shop at Mr. Z’s now, as soon as you can.

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Hello, Villa Park. Where should we start? Let’s start right now with the streets. The unincorporated areas get all their streets done and taken care of. Then we come into Villa Park and, nothing. The streets are terrible and we get nothing done. And then I hear about all the gangbangers we have in Villa Park, which nothing is being done about it. The other thing is, I have an idea how we can straighten out all Villa Park’s problems. We should get together with Lombard, have Lombard take over Villa Park, the police department, everything. Get rid of all the Villa Park people because the don’t do anything anyway. We’ll save all kinds of money and we’ll be able to get things done. Goodbye.

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This is Lombard calling. Keith Giagnorio, we are really disappointed in you. We elected you to make Lombard a better place, not try to bankrupt us by giving Hulseberg such a sweet deal. He’s going to be paid for the months for doing absolutely nothing for the Village of Lombard. Why didn’t you just give him his severance and send him on his way? He’ll probably collect his retirement starting in March. Goodbye.

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Lombard needs a village manager who is focused in tune to the founding ethics of established residents and business owners. We don’t need a village manager who would leave us with his aftermath. By the way, Lombard shouldn’t pay for a consultant so the same old same old can be passed on to the new village manager. The trustees should save the taxpayers’ money or put it to better use.

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Hi, state law. Rain equals windshield wipers equals headlights. Why aren’t the police giving these people who are not driving with headlights on tickets? They don’t want to get wet? Thank you.

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Another week, another installment of crosswalk madness—I was a Prairie Path runner for 15 years and then have been a Western Trail biker for at least as long. For all you drivers—do not stop. You have the right-of-way. I’ve seen or heard you coming well before you saw me. I’m preparing/prepared to s top at every intersection. You are not enhancing my day or experience with your stop and wave. I can’t count the number of times someone stops but oncoming traffic in the other direction doesn’t. Four lanes make it even more fun. I’d rather make my own judgment of a clear path than accept yours. Find another way to pat yourself on the back. I’m amazed that the Main Street crossing with its curbs hasn’t caused someone to lose control and result in damage. As for Wilson and St. Charles—disasters waiting to happen—someone please find something for the police to do.

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Why didn’t the position of acting village manager go to the assistant village manager instead of the director of finance?

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Can somebody explain what the retiring village manager will be consulting the village board about for the next seven months? Hopefully not about finances. Maybe he can explain how to get out from under the debacle we call the Westin hotel.

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How come we didn’t know that Aug. 19 was World Humanitarian Day? I would have liked to have done some kind of observance. This is for the whole world, people. How come we didn’t know about it?