Story posted Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Looking Ahead To 2010
Village President Says Economy, Storm Water, Traffic Are Top Priorities
By TOM ROBB Journal & Topics Reporter
2009 was a rough year for most communities and Glenview was no exception. Looking ahead at 2010, Village President Kerry Cummings said she and the village would be focused on many of the same issues they were last year.
Cummings' top three issues last year and into the rest of this year are the economy, storm water management and traffic.
A storm water management process began in the aftermath of heavy storms that pounded Glenview in September 2008 with the appointment of a resident storm water management task force made up of residents living in both flood prone and non-flood prone areas.
Cummings said the task force is in the process of making recommendations for sewer improvements in areas east of Harms Road that have been prone to water and sewer back ups when flooding occurs.
The village is also hoping to collaborate with the Metropolitan Water Reclamation Dist. on larger projects that will help prevent flooding.
The economy is a continuing concern. Cummings said one bright spot was the planned start of the permit process for a large office building in a major development on the former Culligan water site on Willow Road near I-294.
Much of that development has stalled because of the economic downturn but the Astellas office building is moving forward.
Cummings said she hopes to see a turnaround in the economy this year.
In 2009, the village implemented a "force reduction" of employees and implemented several other belt tightening measures in the face of plummeting sales tax revenues. Cummings expects those revenues to continue their drop.
Adding to the village's financial concerns is the state of Illinois' finances, the reality of delayed payments and the possibility of less overall state aid.
Cummings said the village is strong and resilient and will continue providing good service in a tough economy in a spirit of working together.
Traffic is the other major issue Cummings said the village will continue to focus on in 2010.
Last week, members of the Waukegan Road Corridor Committee were thanked for their service as they delivered final recommendations to village trustees.
The Ill. Dept. of Transportation is tentatively planning a major resurfacing project for 2010. Glenview formed the committee last year to plan improvements in road configuration, curb cuts and intersections that are expected to be completed in conjunction with IDOT's work.
Because of state budget uncertainties, Cummings said the date of the project has become less sure in recent weeks but added, "We're ready when they are."
The final plan is expected to go before the village board for a final vote at next week's meeting.
Village officials are also looking at improvements on Chestnut Avenue starting at Waukegan heading west to The Glen some of which might involve IDOT.
With the building of the United Methodist Board of Global Pensions building and increased traffic in The Glen, Chestnut is becoming a major arterial road.
Waukegan is not the only road IDOT is planning to work on. Cummings said village officials are working with IDOT and other communities to hammer out an agreement for the future of Willow Road.
Plans to widen the road have been challenged by community groups in Wilmette because of safety concerns. IDOT has started a "context sensitive solution" process with community meetings. Capital Projects Director Don Owen and village planner Jeff Brady are representing the village in those meetings.
Another major issue Cummings and village officials will watch carefully in 2010 is the future of a large plot of federally owned land that was to be a Navy housing development.
The Navy scrapped long held plans to build a housing development there last year leaving the future of the land uncertain.
Depending on how the Navy "disposes" of the land, the village might have some regulatory and zoning authority over it.
Village officials are reconstituting a planning commission to look at possible future uses for that land and an adjacent village owned parcel. Together the two plots equal about 70 acres of undeveloped land off West Lake Avenue near The Glen.
Finally, Cummings said she is looking forward to seeing a new Glenview Public Library.
Library board members broke ground late last year and hope to complete the new 85,000 sq. ft., $27 million library currently under construction at Harlem Avenue and Glenview Road by the end of 2010.
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