Residents

Artists and Authors

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Long Grove resident Barbara English showcases her paintings in her "Back Seat Gallery," the original inspiration for the event.

Long Grove resident Barbara English showcases her paintings in her “Back Seat Gallery,” the original inspiration for the event.

If you are looking for something fun to do in Long Grove on Saturday, September 17th, I have a good suggestion. The Long Grove Artists Guild (part of the Arts & Music Council) is sponsoring an “Artists and Authors” event on Towner Green, to showcase our homegrown talent.  The idea first got started last year with an informal “Back Seat Gallery & Trunk Show” and has been expanded this year to include local authors, who will be present to sign copies of their books and meet with the public.

The inspiration for this event can be credited to Long Grove artist & author, Barbara English. She stopped by the home of Artist Guild Founder Georgia Cawley after an art class one afternoon, to share her recent paintings. With the framed pieces propped up in the back seat of her car, Georgia teased her about her “back seat gallery,” and the idea was born.

This year, several artists will have their cars parked along Towner Green, with a variety of art in all mediums available to admire and purchase out of backseats and open trunks. The event is a gathering of artist friends, invited by Artist Guild members, to share art with each other and with the public. Stop by downtown Long Grove for a look!

Ask The Mayor

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Responding to a resident question at a recent meeting in Village Hall.

Responding to a resident question at a recent meeting in Village Hall.

One of the things that I do on a regular basis as Village President is respond to questions from our residents. Hardly a day goes by when I am not interacting either by email, phone, traditional letter, or in person with someone who has a question, concern, complaint, compliment, or problem that they would like for me to solve. By and large, I enjoy working with the public and this desire to be of service was the main motivation for me to run for office. Of course, we all know there are individuals in every community who can be difficult and think nothing of treating elected officials with disdain. But the vast majority of residents that I hear from simply seek to understand, and it is satisfying to know that I can usually help. Below is an example of a recent inquiry I received, about the lack of sidewalks in Long Grove, and my response:

“President Underwood,

I have lived in Long Grove my entire life, and I have not yet involved myself in the Village’s proceedings. Recently, though, I began to wonder why Long Grove does not have any public sidewalks or pathways. When I asked around, no one seemed to have a sufficient answer. Lincolnshire and Buffalo Grove, and many other surrounding towns, have sidewalks. Has there ever been talk of building sidewalks or pathways along the roads, or at least along the major roads, of Long Grove? I would be able to walk or bike to local stores if these were available, but as the roads are now, it is simply too dangerous to leave my driveway without driving. I believe our village would be much safer and healthier if we were provided with viable sidewalks along our roads.

I’m sure I don’t have to convince you of the benefits of public sidewalks. Implementing the sidewalks would probably entail massive construction operations at a large cost. What is the main factor restricting Long Grove from building sidewalks?

If possible I would love to be involved with any progress in this area.

Thank you for your time!”

My response:

“Dear (name withheld for privacy),

I am a big fan of the many walking trails in and around Long Grove, and I would love to see more sidewalks for connectivity. The reason you don’t find many public sidewalks is due to our minimal form of government set forth in 1956 when the village government was established. Long Grove provides only minimal services to the residents (no large scale water & sewer, police protection through the county sheriff, majority of roads are private or state & county owned, etc…) and in return for this we pay no Long Grove property tax. Since the village does not levy any property tax, our income is very limited and consists of mostly sales tax income, building permit fees, and small miscellaneous revenues from things like fines, vehicle stickers, and video gaming. We do receive some income through the state of Illinois such as motor fuel tax and LDGF funds, but these are very precarious given the state’s current financial woes. You are correct in your thoughts about the large costs of building sidewalks. At this stage, it presents a real challenge to a village with a very limited income. Your examples of Buffalo Grove and Lincolnshire both charge a local tax, and this allows them to have a larger municipal budget for infrastructure such as sidewalks. The village tried putting forward a referendum two years ago asking for a small tax earmarked to pay for maintenance for our public roads, and it was defeated by 80 percent of those who voted.

All that said, we do have many public walking paths that have been required in all new developments starting in the late 1980’s. The goal is to one day get all these neighborhood paths connected, and we have a village pathways committee that meets quarterly and helps to advance this. We have had engineering done on a sidewalk to run from Heron’s Creek forest preserve all the way to downtown Long Grove on the west side of Old McHenry Road. Fifteen years ago the cost of this was well over a million dollars, and we did get some partial funding awarded from the state through a grant that the village submitted. This grant money has since been withdrawn due to the efforts by the state of Illinois to cut costs. The village has been supportive of the state’s efforts to complete the widening and improvement of Route 22, and a sidewalk along the south side from Rt 83 to Old McHenry Road is in the plans. The village asked for this and will be committing 20 percent of the funds for this pathway. Because of financial reasons with the state, this project keeps getting pushed further into the future, last I heard we are looking at somewhere beyond 2020 for completion. Aptakisic Road is being widened by the county, and sidewalks have been included on both sides in the plan as requested by Long Grove. So the village is trying to get these improvements made when we can, as county and state roads through our village are widened.

One thing you could do to get involved is to attend a village board meeting, and let your thoughts be known during public comment. Every year the board sets an annual budget, and if enough residents speak up more money could be allocated to pathways. You could also join the pathways committee–we are always looking for additional community volunteers. I first joined this committee fifteen years ago and look at where I ended up! Seriously though, let me know if you are interested, and I promise no one will coerce you into running for Village President.

If you want to know more please give me a call and I will be happy to answer your questions. Thanks for reaching out to me and for your concern in making our community an even better place to live.

Sincerely,

Village President Underwood”

 

Democracy and Difficult Decisions

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(L to R) Resident Carolyn Denaro and merchants Rachel Perkal and Jenny Weizerchon help envision Long Grove’s future at a recent workshop.

It’s no surprise that the job of Village President involves making some weighty decisions. I have previously blogged about this topic, for example, in my post Just Call Me, “The Tie Breaker.” Today I have been trying to make peace with another difficult choice that will result in some number of residents on the disappointed/unhappy/outraged spectrum, no matter how the decision comes down. Certainly politics is not a job for someone first and foremost concerned with pleasing everyone.

David Brooks is a political op-ed columnist for The New York Times, and his articles often resonate with me. On February 26, 2016 he said this about democracy and decisions:

“We live in a big, diverse society. There are essentially two ways to maintain order and get things done in such a society–politics or some form of dictatorship. Either through compromise or brute force. Our founding fathers chose politics.

Politics is an activity in which you recognize the simultaneous existence of different groups, interests and opinions. You try to find some way to balance or reconcile or compromise those interests, or at least a majority of them. You follow a set of rules, enshrined in a constitution or in custom, to help you reach these compromises in a way everybody considers legitimate.

The downside of politics is that people never really get everything they want. It’s messy, limited and no issue is ever really settled. Politics is a muddled activity in which people have to recognize restraints and settle for less than they want. Disappointment is normal.

But that’s sort of the beauty of politics, too. It involves an endless conversation in which we learn about other people and see things from their vantage point and try to balance their needs against our own. Plus, it’s better than the alternative: rule by some authoritarian tyrant who tries to govern by clobbering everyone in his way.”

The article, “The Governing Cancer of Our Time,” goes on to talk about Donald Trump’s current campaign, which I am NOT going to comment on!

But on this subject of learning from other people and seeing from their vantage point, the Village is currently in the middle of doing just that with our Comprehensive Plan Update project. Earlier this winter we held a series of stakeholder interviews, and have been gathering resident opinions via surveys and other online engagement. On April 11th an “EnVision Long Grove” public workshop was held with well over 100 residents attending to participate in shaping the future development of our Village. It was a great turnout and wonderful to see so many citizens working together to help preserve our community character with an eye to our needs going forward.

Updating the Comprehensive Plan will involve a series of decisions by the Plan Commission and Village Board in the coming months. Some may be difficult and generate some passionate discussions and differing opinions. On with Democracy!

Open Village Hall

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Making my opinion known at a recent Village meeting.

Making my opinion known at a recent Village meeting.

Long Grove is no different than any other municipality in our desire to make decisions that are in the best interests of the majority of our residents. And like other municipalities, we tend to see and hear from the same group of familiar faces at each and every Village Board meeting. While we sincerely appreciate the dedication and personal commitment of these individuals, it is not realistic to believe that the same handful of residents are consistently speaking for the other 8,000 members of our community.

Today, the Village launched a new online tool that we hope will make it easier for the majority of our residents to become more engaged with the Village Board. Peak Democracy is a non-partisan company with the mission of broadening civic engagement and building public trust in government. We have utilized their software to create an online forum in which all residents can weigh in on important current issues and post statements, which Village officials can read and consider as part of the decision making process. From time to time the Village will post topics for input over a specific period of time. Residents who participate can also have the ability to see what others are saying in the discussion. We are hopeful that this additional way of getting feedback from the residents will enable more community members to participate in the democratic process.

Please join in on our first topic, which is a short survey asking for your thoughts on our current Village of Long Grove communications and outreach efforts. Click here ( http://www.longgrove.net/content/open-village-hall ) to go directly to the Open Town Hall site and complete the brief one-time registration. You will be asked to provide your name and address so that users and officials can know if statements are made from Long Grove residents. The current survey can be completed without your responses being publicly linked to your name. Peak Democracy has strict provisions in regards to confidentiality.

I hope many readers of this blog will join in the conversation. It would be a wonderful thing to see more of our residents making their opinions known about what is happening in our Village. I realize that in today’s world the demands on all of us are great. Many of the members of our community lack the time or ability to physically attend our Village Board meetings. Yet so many of you truly care about civic matters and the direction our elected officials take on important issues. We want to hear from you!

 

A Primary Responsibility

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Ethel and Tim Berger, owners of Beans & Leaves in downtown Long Grove.

Ethel and Tim Berger, owners of Beans & Leaves in downtown Long Grove, cast their votes today.

I hope you were one of the many citizens who participated in our Illinois elections today. After casting our votes, my husband Aaron and I treated ourselves to a favorite drink at our local coffee shop, Beans & Leaves. Owners Ethel and Tim Berger had been to the polls also; bright and early so that their daughters could witness Mom & Dad exercising their democratic rights before the school day started. It was great to see so many Long Grove residents taking part in the process today. Voting was a little bit quicker and easier this year as Lake County has utilized some technology to streamline the check-in procedures. Ethel told me this morning that in years past when her mother voted in the Philippines they placed dye on one of her fingers as proof of participating. I’m so grateful that I live in a time and place in which my manicure does not have to be sacrificed for the right to vote! However the votes add up tonight, we have all had the opportunity to let our opinion be counted. And something tells me that whichever candidate comes out on top, this Presidential race will continue to be quite interesting in the months to come!

A Tale of Two Meetings

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Long Grove Business and Community Partners Board Members (L to R) Marian Ward, John Kopecky and David Gayton.

Long Grove Business and Community Partners Board Members (L to R) Marian Ward, John Kopecky and David Gayton.

I attend many meetings each week serving as Village President, and last night I had two of them back to back. Early in the evening I attended the annual meeting of the Long Grove Business and Community Partners, best described as our historic downtown chamber of commerce. This group of dedicated volunteers is made up of merchants, residents, and property owners, who are responsible for organizing the major festivals held in Long Grove each year. In addition, they sponsor community events such as Irish Days, Do-it-Yourself Scarecrows, holiday carriage rides & carolers, and (new this year!) Craft Beer Days and Vintage Days. I don’t make it to their meetings every month but when I do, I am always amazed and appreciative of the time and energy these volunteers give to make our downtown something special–the “Long Grove” most visitors know and love.

2015 showed a positive upward trend for our downtown restaurants and many shops; proceeds for the organization are up as well. Nine new businesses opened last year including a new wine bar and two shops specializing in vintage decor. Currently we have 54 businesses in our historic downtown: (7) dining, (29) retail, and (18) service, including fine art and performing art schools. Opening soon is the highly anticipated Village Pizza & Ribs, and the Apple House will be making a comeback later this spring to the delight of many. My previous blog post on this went viral with over 4,500 shares and likes! See the link below for an article by Ronnie Wachter of the Chicago Tribune including an interview with the new tenant, John Bell:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/buffalo-grove/news/ct-bgc-apple-haus-tl-0225-20160219-story.html

Mary Ann Ullrich, owner of the Village Tavern, was excited to tell me of the recent upgrades she has been able to make to her business, made possible with the proceeds of their video gaming machines. I plan to stop by soon to check out the beautiful new carpeting. In addition to the board members pictured above, I want to give a shout-out to newly elected board members Paul Neumann of Viking Treasures and Matthew Potempa of Scout & Forge. They join President Ryan Messner, Treasurer Marsha Forsythe, Barbara Dibble, and Pam Sintetas. I know this team has great plans for 2016 and we heard a few preliminary details last night. Our recent community survey showed that Long Grove residents are in agreement by a large majority in their desire to see our downtown revitalized. My spirits were lifted with hopes for the future after leaving the LGBCP Annual meeting.

From there, I headed to Village Hall to preside over the twice-monthly Village Board meeting. An acrimonious discussion ensued over an agenda item. Luckily, despite what was predicted on the internet, I did not have to break a tie when the vote came around. But by all accounts it was ugly. A Tale of Two Meetings.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…”–Charles Dickens

Bark less, Wag more!

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My grand-puppy, Willa.

My grand-puppy, Willa.

As I was exiting the health club this morning I noticed a bumper sticker that made me smile…a cute dog proclaiming, “Bark less, Wag more!” You know how sometimes the right message hits you at the right moment? This week I’ve heard my share of concerns from several residents on various different issues, and sometimes we all have valid reasons to “bark.” But instead of letting it get me down, I am going to choose to “wag” my tail a little harder. Because there are a lot of really good things to love about Long Grove, and I hear about them from residents that I listen to, who write to me, and who commented on our recent community survey. Here is just a snippet off the top of my head:

What Do We Love About Long Grove?

  • Seeing the sunny daffodils bloom each spring along the right-of-ways and getting free bulbs to plant each fall.
  • Witnessing a huge herd of deer bounding through the snow in the backyard.
  • Christmas lights on the covered bridge.
  • Open spaces that sport native and sometimes rare prairie wildflowers.
  • Knowing that Sunset Foods donates a little bit more to our local school districts each time we use cloth or reusable bags.
  • Having a drink at a tavern that has been in continual operation since the 1800’s.
  • Enjoying beautiful music on Towner Green on Sunday afternoons in the summer.
  • Friendly neighbors who share our “Long Grovian” tendencies.
  • Neighborhood walking trails and nature preserves we can use everyday.
  • Schools that prepare our children for the future with a high quality education.
  • Safe and tidy neighborhoods and volunteers who step up to keep them that way.

I hope your tail is wagging with many, many more reasons to love Long Grove.

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

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Keeping the Odds in Our Favor

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Another tie was broken this week to determine the fate of video gaming in Long Grove restaurants such as the Village Tavern, pictured above.

Another tie was broken this week to determine the fate of video gaming in Long Grove restaurants such as the Village Tavern, pictured above.

Nothing like a controversial issue to stir up the community! Tuesday night’s Village Board meeting featured a robust two-hour discussion on the future of video gambling in Long Grove, as the Trustees needed to make a decision on permanently allowing it or letting the 18 month trial period expire. Village Hall was packed with passionate supporters on both sides of the issue.

I was not in favor of this idea when it was first brought forth almost two years ago by the merchants. The Plan Commission ruled against allowing it, and residents who had spoken to me were overwhelmingly opposed to the idea of bringing video gambling into Long Grove. In February of 2014 the Board had a split vote on allowing it and I broke the tie to deny it. Subsequently, the Board supported an initiative to allow video gambling on a temporary trial basis, so I kept an open mind to see just how this issue would be handled by the businesses and the community. In the past year and a half, we have seen no ill effects, no increase in crime or complaints to the Lake County Sheriff, no inappropriate advertising. What we have seen is almost $20,000. of extra income into the Village revenues, and the four businesses who have gaming are reporting a material boost to the bottom line. The Village Tavern is profiting $8,000. per month as this form of entertainment has proven to be a good fit. By and large, residents that I have queried over the last couple of months seem ambivalent if not accepting of the practice in our Village. The sentiment that I have heard again and again is some sort of version of “I wouldn’t be upset if you take the machines away, but I also don’t mind if they stay. If it is helping our downtown businesses to survive, then it should be allowed.”

That is why I voted in favor of video gaming remaining this week, when I was called to (once again!) break a tie between a Board of Trustees split on this decision.  My thinking has evolved on this issue, along with many in our community, from the idea of video gaming two years ago, now taking into account the experience of having this form of entertainment available in Long Grove.  Is video gaming the savior of our historic downtown? No, but it is also not the devil leading it into the dark side of depravity. Our “Long Grove” brand is still alive and hanging strong through tough economic times. Anything our government can do to help the local, independent merchants survive the current retail climate is a help, as indicated by the majority of residents on a recent survey who identified “revitalize the downtown” as the most significant issue facing the Village in the next two years. Residents want to see our downtown business district thrive, and are becoming more open to new ideas on how to make this happen.

I have learned something through dealing with this particular issue. Preconceived notions are not always correct. Sometimes it is wise to put aside personal bias in order to be more receptive to the opinions and needs of others. It can lead to a better decision. I still have never wagered a bet on any of the video terminals here in town, and I really don’t plan on doing so in the months ahead. But for those who choose to take a chance on Long Grove’s future, I wish the best of luck for us all.

Slumdog Millionaires

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Collapsed sewer pipe at Cuba Road and Old McHenry Road

Collapsed sewer pipe at Cuba Road and Old McHenry Road

The recent warm Indian Summer days have been lovely, and it has been such a treat to be able to open the windows and enjoy the fresh autumn breezes that we all know are quickly going to turn cold. Unless of course, you live on Cuba Road. Residents in these million-dollar homes have had to close their windows as of late, in an effort to keep from invoking images of “the slums of a third-world country,” as was described to me by one resident. Slums, in Long Grove? Well, it only smells that way.

On the night of September 18th, a sanitary sewer owned and maintained by the Village of Lake Zurich collapsed on East Cuba Road in Long Grove, leaving a large hole in the pavement over the open sewer pipe. Originally thought to be a week or two of repairs, the problem has been found to be more extensive and a much larger section of pipe needs to be replaced. Final costs are still not in, but Lake Zurich has recently authorized an ordinance to issue up to $1.5 million in bonds to pay for the work, which could take as long as six weeks.

I was recently interviewed by Phil Rockrohr of the Pioneer Press about this road collapse and the resulting odors. Answering reporter’s questions is something that initially made me very nervous when I became Village President. With some experience behind me now, it has gotten easier not to be so tongue-tied. An excerpt from Phil’s article posted on October 12th describes how we are dealing with the stinking situation:

Lake Zurich officials have worked closely with Long Grove officials to address complaints of foul smells emanating from the hole created by the sewer collapse, according to Mayor Tom Poynton of Lake Zurich and Long Grove Village President Angie Underwood. Long Grove residents complained about the road closure caused by the hole and about the smell, Underwood said. “The residents that I’ve talked to and that I’m aware have called the Village seem to realize that it is a bigger situation than originally thought and that it’s going to take some time,” Underwood said. “We can all be patient about fixing the road, but when you’re dealing with a horrible smell day in and day out, that is a different level of inconvenience.” Several Long Grove residents complained to Village Hall staff, trustees, and Underwood about the smell, she said. Long Grove Village Manager David Lothspeich has conferred with Lake Zurich officials about the issue, and Underwood personally contacted Poynton, she said. “It was a very good conversation,” Underwood said of calling Poynton. “Long Grove and Lake Zurich have good working relationships between the two of us. We’re working together to get the best temporary situation in place for residents until it gets resolved.” In response to Underwood’s call, Lake Zurich officials spread deodorant blocks along the stretch of Cuba affected by the smell and placed a tarp over the hole, Poynton said. The tarp was sealed with sand bags, Underwood said. “I heard from one resident who said the situation was much better, “Underwood said. “There was some improvement. Hopefully, they will continue to monitor things, and everybody is keeping their fingers crossed they can get it fixed as quickly as possible and get back to normal.”

Yes, back to the sweet Long Grove smells of autumn bonfires and apple cider donuts. ASAP!

The Black Unicorn

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Long Grove resident and Chicago Bears player Martellus Bennett with two young fans at the Chatterbox.

Long Grove resident and Chicago Bears player Martellus Bennett with two young fans at the Chatterbox.

I have had the opportunity to meet some very fun and unique individuals since becoming Village President, and one of those is Long Grove resident Martellus Bennett, a player for the Chicago Bears. I first met Martellus at one of our local restaurants, the Chatterbox, where he often drops in with his wife and daughter. The self-professed “Black Unicorn” has been collaborating with Chatterbox chef Matt Bassitt over the summer on a signature burger that reflects aspects of his eccentric personality. I was lucky enough to be present this past Friday here in Long Grove for the official launch of The Black Unicorn burger.

Martellus wanted to create a burger so big that most people couldn’t finish it. It features bison meat (big and lean like the athlete he is) and dinosaur kale as a nod to his other nickname “The Orange Dinosaur.” Add to that green tomatoes and Cajun cheddar (in homage to his Southern roots), thick slices of smoked bacon, onion rings, and barbeque sauce made with Crown Royal, a favorite drink. According to chef Bassitt, “Everything on the burger has sweetness, but is still a little spicy. We wanted to show (Bennett’s) two sides. He’s a nice guy, but he has a fire to him.”

I must confess that I could not eat the whole thing, but it was delicious! Only 83 burgers were sold on Friday, in reference to Bennett’s number 83 jersey. The player himself was on hand to greet customers and sign footballs for young fans sampling his latest creation. Personally, it was a fun evening spent with friends and neighbors in one of Long Grove’s best gathering spots. And thanks to The Black Unicorn burger, we have one more great reason to visit!

Residents Charlie Wachs and Aaron Underwood prepare to sample The Black Unicorn burger.

Residents Charlie Wachs and Aaron Underwood prepare to sample The Black Unicorn burger.