Lisle has more than 13,000 registered voters, but scarcely more than 3,000 of them bother to vote in any given election. Many of the people who live in Lisle but don't vote are probably unaware that their failure to vote can have a direct impact on their lives and their families.
Recently 3 Lisle trustees were reelected to the Village Board. Last Monday the Village Board voted to reappoint Charles Rego as chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission, with no discussion. Setting aside the fact that Rego's previous behavior and his choice to be an "active investor in Lisle real estate" make him unsuitable for a seat on the PZC, new information about Rego has come to light, and it should make every Lisle resident who did not vote in the recent election think long and hard.
Rego rents a property to a registered sex offender at a location just a few houses away from the Lisle Library and St Joan of Arc school.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Lisle's Planning & Zoning Fiefdom
While we're waiting to learn whether the Lisle Village Board will cooperate with the Attorney General's office and turn over recordings of illegal secret meetings held in January, February and March (word is that Lisle's attorney has asked for a time extension), there is a vote scheduled at tomorrow's Board meeting (7 p.m. Monday at Village Hall) to reappoint Charles Rego as chair of the Planning & Zoning Commission.
Rego was first appointed to the PZC by Mayor Broda in 2005. In 2004 Rego fought against a developer's petition to subdivide 3 large lots in the "McIntosh Subdivision" into smaller lots of 10,000 square feet. Rego fought the petition in spite of the fact that owners of properties immediately adjacent to the property in question supported the petition. The property in question was zoned "R-2". The developer's petition was denied because the proposed lots would be smaller than the original "McIntosh Subdivision" lots. In 2010 Rego petitioned the PZC to subdivide property he owned in that same "McIntosh Subdivision" into smaller lots of 10,000 square feet. Rego's property was zoned "R-2". Twenty five Lisle homeowners who lived near the Rego property signed a petition asking the PZC not to approve the Rego petition. Rego's petition was approved. In recusing himself from the vote on his own petition, Rego stated that both he and his wife were "active investors" in Lisle real estate. Whether you believe Rego used his appointed office for personal gain or not, there is an obvious question: should Lisle have active investors in real estate appointed to the Planning & Zoning Commission? Are there no citizens in Lisle who are not real estate investors who could serve on the PZC?
Beyond Rego's financial activities, his behavior has raised many serious questions about his suitability for any public office. His conduct of hearings on the Navistar petition was so biased and incompetent that a judge had to be appointed to replace Rego in the hearings. Far from being contrite, Rego retaliated by changing the rules of the PZC to deprive homeowners of their right to participate in zoning processes. An attorney with almost 20 years of experience in zoning matters had this to say about Rego's behavior during the Navistar hearings: " I have come to believe that if people holding appointed positions have such impatience, the answer may not be to have all these rules (that scare developers, look bad politically and impose procedural opportunities and burdens for the rare occurrence that need only be planned fairly for that rare occurrence), but rather to remove the appointed official who cannot seem to steer these. In my zoning experience since 1994, Mr. Rego is the only chair that acted as he did and set the parties in the wrong direction." More on Rego's outrageous rules change: "I am going to offer testimony on similar efforts and bills whenever these make it to the state legislative agenda. I will lay out the complacency and retaliation issues, with an open presentation of the Navistar pre hearing issues that led to the mistrust. I am a bit tired of what I have seen ... where the response to a bungled Navistar hearing is one that maligns me and residents and, at the same time, utterly ignores Charles Rego’s attitude and disregard for what Silverman, Whitaker and I could have done to make that an easy process. All of this sets aside the predetermination issue that unfortunately occurred and Rego’s statements that he would have approved the original LTC without conditions. "
Rego was first appointed to the PZC by Mayor Broda in 2005. In 2004 Rego fought against a developer's petition to subdivide 3 large lots in the "McIntosh Subdivision" into smaller lots of 10,000 square feet. Rego fought the petition in spite of the fact that owners of properties immediately adjacent to the property in question supported the petition. The property in question was zoned "R-2". The developer's petition was denied because the proposed lots would be smaller than the original "McIntosh Subdivision" lots. In 2010 Rego petitioned the PZC to subdivide property he owned in that same "McIntosh Subdivision" into smaller lots of 10,000 square feet. Rego's property was zoned "R-2". Twenty five Lisle homeowners who lived near the Rego property signed a petition asking the PZC not to approve the Rego petition. Rego's petition was approved. In recusing himself from the vote on his own petition, Rego stated that both he and his wife were "active investors" in Lisle real estate. Whether you believe Rego used his appointed office for personal gain or not, there is an obvious question: should Lisle have active investors in real estate appointed to the Planning & Zoning Commission? Are there no citizens in Lisle who are not real estate investors who could serve on the PZC?
Beyond Rego's financial activities, his behavior has raised many serious questions about his suitability for any public office. His conduct of hearings on the Navistar petition was so biased and incompetent that a judge had to be appointed to replace Rego in the hearings. Far from being contrite, Rego retaliated by changing the rules of the PZC to deprive homeowners of their right to participate in zoning processes. An attorney with almost 20 years of experience in zoning matters had this to say about Rego's behavior during the Navistar hearings: " I have come to believe that if people holding appointed positions have such impatience, the answer may not be to have all these rules (that scare developers, look bad politically and impose procedural opportunities and burdens for the rare occurrence that need only be planned fairly for that rare occurrence), but rather to remove the appointed official who cannot seem to steer these. In my zoning experience since 1994, Mr. Rego is the only chair that acted as he did and set the parties in the wrong direction." More on Rego's outrageous rules change: "I am going to offer testimony on similar efforts and bills whenever these make it to the state legislative agenda. I will lay out the complacency and retaliation issues, with an open presentation of the Navistar pre hearing issues that led to the mistrust. I am a bit tired of what I have seen ... where the response to a bungled Navistar hearing is one that maligns me and residents and, at the same time, utterly ignores Charles Rego’s attitude and disregard for what Silverman, Whitaker and I could have done to make that an easy process. All of this sets aside the predetermination issue that unfortunately occurred and Rego’s statements that he would have approved the original LTC without conditions. "
If Rego is reappointed, what image will be projected for Lisle?
What will that say about the Mayor and the Village Board?
Why didn't the Village Board ask for interested persons to submit qualifications for the PZC (other villages in Illinois solicit citizen applications online)?
What will that say about the Mayor and the Village Board?
Why didn't the Village Board ask for interested persons to submit qualifications for the PZC (other villages in Illinois solicit citizen applications online)?
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Apathy Or Intentional Exclusion?
Ever wonder why Lisle Village Board and zoning meetings are so sparsely attended? Think it's because Lisle taxpayers are stupid, or that they just don't care? It could be that they've been conditioned to be cynical by appointed officials like the zoning commissioner who, when taxpayers say things he doesn't agree with, changes the rules to prevent them from speaking.
Here's a view from Canada, where they don't have extremes like zoning bosses changing rules to exclude citizens but they seem to have similar issues:
Here's a view from Canada, where they don't have extremes like zoning bosses changing rules to exclude citizens but they seem to have similar issues:
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Illegal Secret Meetings Of Lisle Trustees Under Investigation
For the first time in 2011, the Village Board did not got into secret closed session at Monday night's meeting.
That's because a formal complaint was filed with the Office of the Illinois Attorney General for Open Meetings Act Violations.
Will Lisle trustees cooperate with the Attorney General's office? Or will they hire Ancel Glink, at taxpayer's expense, to cover their tracks? Perhaps they'll enlist Mike "Ubi est mea" Connelly to try to change the law again?
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Is Your Vote Owned By The Machine?
If you live in Lisle, you probably received an ad in the mail yesterday from state representative Connelly, paid for by the campaign for Cawiezel, Boyle and Young. It seemed strange - three trustees running together? And why would a state representative have such a compelling interest? So I googled Connelly to learn more about him. Turns out this guy is a real piece of work -- he even has a special nickname: Mike "Ubi est mea" Connelly.
My initial reaction to the ad for Cawiezel, Boyle and Young was that it was funny and ironic. Funny because it reminded me of cliques in high school, and ironic because here we have 3 people who are asking us to elect them as community leaders, and they have neither the independent thinking skills nor the backbone to even run their own campaigns. Then I remembered seeing campaign signs touting Cook and Carballo for the Park District Board, and I recognized the pattern. It's not that Cawiezel, Young, Boyle, Cook and Carballo can't run their own campaigns (presumably they could if they were allowed to) -- what's behind their combined campaign advertisements is the political machine that they owe their political lives to. It might not be as large and efficient as the Chicago machine, but it's a machine nonetheless.
So the ad for Cawiezel, Boyle and Young is not funny. The boys chomping on cigars in the back room downtown are not laughing. They are telling you how to vote They are telling you to vote for 4 more years of Cawiezel, Boyle and Young - 4 more years of higher spending and higher taxes. They are telling you to vote for Cook and Carballo, so the Park District can continue to do less with more. Will you obey the machine? Will you do what you've been told? Is your vote owned by the machine that owns Cook, Carballo, Cawiezel, Boyle and Young? The machine that uses Mike "Ubi est mea" Connelly as its mouthpiece? We'll find out tomorrow morning.
p.s. if you don't take the time to vote in this election, your answer to the question posed by this post is "YES"
My initial reaction to the ad for Cawiezel, Boyle and Young was that it was funny and ironic. Funny because it reminded me of cliques in high school, and ironic because here we have 3 people who are asking us to elect them as community leaders, and they have neither the independent thinking skills nor the backbone to even run their own campaigns. Then I remembered seeing campaign signs touting Cook and Carballo for the Park District Board, and I recognized the pattern. It's not that Cawiezel, Young, Boyle, Cook and Carballo can't run their own campaigns (presumably they could if they were allowed to) -- what's behind their combined campaign advertisements is the political machine that they owe their political lives to. It might not be as large and efficient as the Chicago machine, but it's a machine nonetheless.
So the ad for Cawiezel, Boyle and Young is not funny. The boys chomping on cigars in the back room downtown are not laughing. They are telling you how to vote They are telling you to vote for 4 more years of Cawiezel, Boyle and Young - 4 more years of higher spending and higher taxes. They are telling you to vote for Cook and Carballo, so the Park District can continue to do less with more. Will you obey the machine? Will you do what you've been told? Is your vote owned by the machine that owns Cook, Carballo, Cawiezel, Boyle and Young? The machine that uses Mike "Ubi est mea" Connelly as its mouthpiece? We'll find out tomorrow morning.
p.s. if you don't take the time to vote in this election, your answer to the question posed by this post is "YES"
Saturday, April 2, 2011
More than $ 600,000 of wasteful spending endorsed by Cawiezel, Boyle and Young
Wasteful spending by public officials is never a good idea, but it's really a crime when it happens as revenues are plummeting.
Did you know that the Village of Lisle is proposing to pay out $244,000 to (10) employees as incentives to get them them to quit? Add that $244,000 to the obscene "legal fees" paid to Ancel Glink, and you have more than $600,000 of wasteful spending (not that this is the only waste endorsed by trustees Cawiezel, Boyle and Young -- it's just the most recent).
This kind of waste will continue, and your property taxes will continue being raised every year regardless of the economic environment, as long as trustees Cawiezel, Boyle and Young remain on the Village Board. Every vote for Cawiezel, Boyle or Young is a vote to continue waste and raise property taxes.
Did you know that the Village of Lisle is proposing to pay out $244,000 to (10) employees as incentives to get them them to quit? Add that $244,000 to the obscene "legal fees" paid to Ancel Glink, and you have more than $600,000 of wasteful spending (not that this is the only waste endorsed by trustees Cawiezel, Boyle and Young -- it's just the most recent).
This kind of waste will continue, and your property taxes will continue being raised every year regardless of the economic environment, as long as trustees Cawiezel, Boyle and Young remain on the Village Board. Every vote for Cawiezel, Boyle or Young is a vote to continue waste and raise property taxes.
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