“In the May 22 edition of the Lombardian’s SPEAK OUT, there was an opinion printed, that unfortunately, Lombardian staff did not ask me for a reply to. The call was in regard to the two handicapped accessible port-o-potties and their proximity to the Lilacia Park sign. The port-o-potties were positioned where they were from Friday evening until early Saturday afternoon. They were not placed there the entire two weeks of Lilac Time as inferred by the call.  They were positioned where they were due to their proximity to the start and finish line for the eighth annual Mutt Strut 5K Run that occurred on Saturday morning. As one of the 529 runners who took part in the event, I welcomed the port-o-potties and their proximity to the finish line. This was not meant to be either “tacky or thoughtless” as the caller put it; it was meant to be in the best interests and physical well being of the runners and spectators. Rest assured, caller, the “illustrious” park district staff will look into a less visible area to place them next year.  If you have any further issues about this or anything else park district- related, including my 5K finish time, please feel free to call me at 630-627-1281.”

Paul Friedrichs,
Executive Director, Lombard Park District

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This is Lombard. I’m just curious as to why we need a policeman directing bus traffic at Glenbard when they installed a stop light at the parking lot there to let the buses out. It seems like overkill. We spend a lot of money for a stop light and we still have to pay for manpower there, or does the school pay? Maybe the school will answer this. I know the village won’t.

Glenbard Township High School District 87 spokesperson Peg Mannion relayed the following response: “We believe having a police officer stop traffic to allow the school buses to exit safely onto Main Street is an important public safety measure. The driveway where the buses park — which exits onto Main Street where the police officer stops traffic—is not at the stoplight. The stoplight is on the driveway to the south parking lot, not the circle driveway.”—JAC

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My question is, do you need a fishing license to fish in any of the Lombard Park District ponds? If you do need a fishing license, why is there never anyone checking for fishing licenses? I think that this could be a wonderful source of revenue for the parks to help maintain the beautiful waterways we have for the fishermen to go and fish in. Thank you very much.

Paul Friedrichs, executive director of the Lombard Park District, had this to say: “Fishing enforcement, rules and regulations are controlled by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. Their Web site states ‘A resident sport fishing license may be obtained by anyone who has been a resident of Illinois for 30 days prior to purchase. Anglers under 16 years of age, and persons declared legally disabled or blind, may fish without a license.’  The annual fishing license cost $15.00 or $7.75 if 65 years of age or over. “—JAC

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Hi, this is Lombard calling. I’m reading the Wednesday, May 15 Lombardian and I’m reading “Humana Guidance Center to open,” and I’m reading the article and I’m hoping that they post in the Lombardian when they’re going to be having fitness classes and craft workshops because I know quite a few people who may be interested in that. I hope it’s not just for members only. I hope it’s open to the public. Thank you, bye.

The Lombardian was put in touch with Erin Fasel, guidance center coordinator, who is sending information about monthly events. She added that while the center does not have its own Web site, residents can call the Lombard Guidance Center, 630-613-2800, or they can stop by between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.—JAC 

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Hi, this is Villa Park calling. If I were Tom Cullerton, I would not show my face again in Villa Park over what occurred with Heidelmeier. You have left us in debt. Thanks.

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Lombard calling. To the person who responded about people crossing the street, judging on where that person must have been, he or she is probably referring to the crosswalk at Lincoln. Perhaps before you made such a statement you should have familiarized yourself with Illinois state law that says when a person enters the crosswalk, traffic is supposed to stop. I, for one, am grateful that they put the signs back there informing people and reminding them of what Illinois law is. It makes it safer for me to get to and from the train. And to those who did stop and didn’t need a sign, thank you very much for educating yourself, unlike the caller who apparently didn’t.

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You know, it seems like the big topic is the homeless and immigration. I’ve got a terrific way to solve it. We bring one hardworking person from Mexico to the United States and in exchange we give them one homeless person. Have a good day.

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About the Lombard public works employee making $125,000. First, a lot of that money is in overtime. That’s not even close to his base pay. Second, his 60-percent pension is based on four years’ average, not just one year, and he has to have worked for over 30 years to get to that 60-percent mark. Now, let’s compare him to the police. They can get over 80 percent of their pay for their pension because it’s based on the last paycheck, which will include their sick time, vacation time and comp time. It’s not based on four years’ average. They also get health insurance and can retire sooner than the public works employee. So therefore, you have a greater turnover at the police department, which comes at a big pension cost. Ask a policeman about it and I bet you he won’t even tell you about it because he can’t justify it. Thank you. Goodbye.

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The reason pension reform would never pass in the public sector is because politicians who are receiving a pension are expected to vote on it. I think we need a binding referendum statewide to reform the pensions of all the police, fire, teachers, road workers, any public employee. Only trouble is, how does one go about that? I think that in the referendum the pension would be frozen as of the date of passage and thus a 401K-type program would take its place. This is the only way to ensure that the politicians don’t continue to vote pension, pension, pension. Thank you.

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Hi, Lombard calling. To the person who responded to the call about people crossing St. Charles, Road, first let me stipulate that the crosswalk that is in question is a crosswalk, and it is at St. Charles and Lincoln. Perhaps before this person makes such a ridiculous response, educate him- or herself. When a person enters a crosswalk by Illinois state law, you are supposed to stop for the person in the crosswalk. Thank you to public works for putting out the sign that states that so now this person will understand that when I enter the crosswalk going to and from the crosswalk, I am guarded in safety by state law, which I follow, which this person apparently doesn’t because he or she appears ignorant of that law. Thank you.

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This is for the people who think Obama is doing such a wonderful job. If you actually believe that you’ll believe anything. As far as getting over 100,000 jobs a month, don’t tell that to people who have lost their jobs. As far as losing 800,000 jobs when Bush left, there have been lots of jobs lost, not just in Bush’s administration. Jobs have been lost for centuries now. The stock market is not at an all-time high. It’s like an elevator. It’s up and down. You think people won’t be denied insurance? Well, that may be, but you’re going to have trouble with your insurance when Obamacare kicks in. It’s kicking in already. You may lose it. You may have a lot of problems with it. As far as the war in Iraq, that war will never be over. We’ll be involved with it in some way. And don’t talk about the soldiers dying in Iraq or Afghanistan. Mr. Obama left four people to die in Libya.

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Hey, folks. So Michael Madigan came out and puffed his big ol’ chest, and tells us how the state of Illinois is in big trouble. How the teachers pension fund is broke and how we’re going to have to shift all those costs downstate to everybody else except the teachers in Chicago, because everyone in the state should pay the pension for the teachers in Chicago but not anywhere else. He’s why we’re broke, folks. I have to ask you, Why do you vote for these people? We all deserve this right now. But I can tell you one thing. I am leaving this state. I have paid my whole life for this teachers pension. Just a couple of years ago, we got taxed an extra $6 billion for the teachers pension. Now he says we have to pay for it again? Sorry, I paid for their pension not once, not twice but I’m not going to pay for it a third time. Teachers, if your pension fund is broke it is broke because of the people you voted for.

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I have a question and maybe you people can give me an answer. All these people are losing their jobs and many of them are union members. Why is it the politicians keep getting more money? They never take a cut. They never give up any benefits. They never give up any perquisites they get with those jobs keep having to pay higher and higher taxes when we keep losing everything we have yet the politicians keep spending more, keep handing out jobs and benefis to everybody else, but they never take a cut. We should lower their wages too and their benefits also. If you agree with me folks, put them out of office and cut their pay. Goodbye.

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The May 15 SPEAK OUT had a comment about Kevin Bacon and Elmore City, Okla. JAC, the caller who stated Kevin Bacon lived there in the ‘80s was making a joke, referring to the character he portrayed in the movie “Footloose.” I enjoyed the comment. Thanks for the additional information though, JAC, even though no additional information was requested.

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I find it completely amazing that someone could find an issue with trustees eliminating needless fees and then accusing that trustee of not being transparent. Case in point, the past couple of weeks in SPEAK OUT there was someone calling in complaining about the car sticker fees being eliminated stating that the village is now out that money. Had that person actually paid attention to the village board meetings and the articles in the Lombardian, he or she would have known that while Trustee Breen was acting president, he ordered a line-by-line review of the village budget. During that review, the board found over $500,000 in savings. Instead of keeping that $500,000 in their budget and using it where they saw fit, like so many government entities would have done, they looked for a way to return the money to the taxpayers. They found that by eliminating the needless vehicle stickers, which is nothing more than an added tax to us, they would return that money to the taxpayers. So, the village is not out that money and there is nothing not transparent about it. We should be happy that we have a village board who wants to look for waste and return some of our tax dollars to us. Thank you, Trustee Breen, for taking that on.

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I am calling in to show my disappointment in Trustee Foltyniewicz’s recent interview in a local paper. I was really hoping that he would stay true to his word of wanting to have a board that can get along and work together. However, he showed in that interview that is not the case. In that article, Trustee Foltyniewicz slammed trustees Breen and Fitzpatrick for voting against the “senior trustee” clause for filling vacancies last year and now voting for it. However, if Trustee Foltyviewicz did his homework, he would have seen that they had no problem with the original clause for the senior trustee filling in on a temporary basis. They objected to voting for the senior trustee on a permanent basis just because they are senior trustee. I happen to agree with that. I live in the district that the former senior trustee lives in. During the past four years, that person was MIA for most of the time. If he could not handle being a representative of his district, how could he handle the village as a whole? So, you see, Trustee Foltyniewicz, all you did by making those statements in a paper is continue the division on the board, not moving it forward. Please stay true to your campaign promises and work as a team for the good of the village. Not self-promote yourself in the paper.

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This is Lombard calling. To the woman who cornered me on the Prairie Path with her uncontrolled pit bull, not all dogs like other dogs and having them rubbing noses could have harmed, you, me, my dog and yours. Bye.

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I would like to compliment the Lombard Pharmacy on Main Street in Lombard here. They always do an excellent job. I order my prescriptions, they’re always ready on time. They have an excellent staff. They’re always willing to answer questions and I’d appreciate it if you’d mention that in the paper. My name is Ed. Thank you.

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Lombard calling concerning the May 22 issue about the person who called in about his or her version of the Second Amendment. I would suggest you re-read the Bill of Rights and find out exactly what the Second Amendment states. Your version is absurd and you do not know what you are talking about. Thank you.

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I have a great idea for the Lilac Parade politicians in this community. Why, when you preach green and to conserve, do you walk behind a car that is old and belching all those fumes into the air? I think if the politicians want to walk, trustees and Mr. President, then get rid of the cars. Thank you.

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Hello, this is Villa Park calling in regard to the post office in Villa Park on Ardmore. The American flag that is flying outside the post office is a disgrace. It’s old, it’s dirty, it’s ripped. Somebody, please, put a new flag over our post office. Thank you.

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In a recent SPEAK OUT I just had to laugh. Somebody called in and said they have no fault with immigrants who want to come here and work hard, but instead they have fault with our citizens of the United States because we’re lazy and we just want to cheat. My gosh, folks, I’m so tired of these self-loathing Americans. Perhaps this person doesn’t understand, but these immigrants—12-20 million of them—are cheats. That’s why they are called illegal immigrants. Wake up and smell the coffee. If they weren’t cheats, we wouldn’t have 12-20 million of them here illegally now would we? Thank you.

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This is in response to the person who thinks that people shouldn’t run with their dogs. If my dog doesn’t get exercise, he gets crazy and my dog is made for exercise. His brothers hunt squirrels in Arkansas and the best way for my dog to get exercise in Illinois is to either run with me or chase squirrels, and I’d rather have him run with me. Thank you, bye.