questions for the town hall

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Given the Village residents' overwhelming desires to get Elder Beach reopened, can each candidate answer yes or no to this question: Would you agree to enter into a Village-Parks Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) to negotiate the elements of the Master Plan to expedite finding the right solution to reopen the beach? 

Ms. Root was censured for 21 counts of ethics violations from months of inappropriate conduct related to communication, sharing of private data, and advocating against the Park District. How could the Caucus Council so easily dismiss these ethical violations?

Commissioner Root, You were censored in April 2024 by the Park Board due to 21 ethics violations. 

From the public record, three specific actions stand out that led your peers to censure you: 

• The Park Board held a closed session in September 2023, facilitated by Peter Murphy, President of the Illinois Association of Park Districts, specifically to discuss appropriate Commissioner ethics.  
• In October 2023 during a Village Council meeting's Public Comment session, you advocated for an undesigned “alternative Elder-Centennial Parks plan” in conflict with the Park Board's 5-2 vote. 
• You emailed Village Trustees in April 2024 to advocate an alternative plan for Elder-Centennial.  

One of your platform positions as a Caucus Nominee is to “reopen Elder Beach to the public as soon as possible.” Elder Beach has been closed for 2+ years and counting. There are no alternative concepts or design plans approved by the Board. 

How can this be anything other than another decade of delay/defer tactic? Can we please not 'Post Office' our Jewel Lakefront?

In light of the Lakefront Property Owner's Lawsuit, what is the path forward to reverse the MC-01-2024 Ordinance? How much is it costing Winnetka in legal fees per year? 

Additionally, as required by Illinois State and US Federal Law, a municipality is required to state a value that is being taken from property owners. What is the value you estimated and how did you calculate it?

When you mention the occupancy rates of stores at over 95 percent, how do you account for the empty space around One Winnetka? Is that in your calculation or ignored? If it is not your calculations, what would the occupancy rates be if it was considered?

Since 2007, the Post Office site has sat idle. Plan after plan has been studied with no progress. What is your plan to create an inclusive, visionary process to quickly align the Council on the future of the Post Office site?

How will each of you as a village board member help Winnetka progress more rapidly to keep pace with our neighboring communities?

Why has the Village been dragging its feet on approving the storm sewer relocation for Elder Lane Park?  Your delays are costing taxpayers time and money in getting Elder Lane Beach re-opened.  

Why did the VIllage ignore the advice of all of its own experts in passing the Lakefront Ordinance? Their reports and testimony uniformly advised you that existing regulations were more than adequate to protect the health, safety, and welfare of Winnetkans.  

As a lakefront owner, I cannot plant a single grass seed on my bluff without going through a permitting process and spending tens, or maybe hundreds, of thousands of dollars to demonstrate it's the "right grass."  Don't you think this gross overreaching by you as our Village Council? 

Why aren't the three elementary schools equally represented on the school board? It appears that 5 out of the 7 Members of the school board all have connections to Greeley.  Shouldn't we strive to have each school community more equally represented?

How do you believe we should be measuring our success with the SEL curriculum?  

What are your views on the use of technology in the classroom and its impact on student learning?

What steps would you take to ensure transparency with parents on curriculum choices and school policies?

Steve Cirulis headed the finance and budget discussions for the Board, as he rolls off, how does this slate fill that void?

What is the latest update on the contaminated soil at Crow Island School?