Remove the blight - Revise the HP Code on political election signs...

In anticipation of the election season, the City of HP posted information today regarding placement of political election signs.  This issue arises with each political season.  When will City Council take action to prevent this blight to our community? 

Unfortunately, many HP candidates consider signs to be a critical factor in their own personal success, which is why we've seen such an uptick in the number of signs during the last few elections for mayor and council.  So, it may be rather unlikely that City Council will revise the standards without your input.  Our visual enjoyment of the streets of HP, even in an election season, is really not in their self-interest, but it becomes relevant if you make it clear to your City Council what you need from them.  They know the signs are unsightly.  All you need to do is to remind them that they need to do what is good for our community and that you want them to overhaul the City Code on political signs now. This reflects our community's desire to limit waste and the number of unsightly signs to the greatest possible extent while, of course, preserving everyone's right to support political candidates.

Do you like driving through HP during an election season? Did you know there is no limit whatsoever on the number of campaign signs, as long as they are spaced more than 12" apart? They can be as large as 6 square feet and as high as 6 feet.  Nor is there a time limit on how long those signs can be up before or after an election.  Yes, political signs are an expression of free speech but the community can balance that with appropriate standards.  We have a right to enjoy our beautiful community. If your neighbor is a candidate or just politically passionate, you could be coming home every night for years to a yard that looks similar or worse than the image included in this posting!
 
Indeed, for several months during the last major city election, my neighbors and I had to gaze upon more than 30 election signs across the street for the Mayor and Michael Cohn (running for the NSSD 112 school board and who owns the fence to which all these posters were affixed).  After complaints to City Hall and several weeks, Mayor Rotering, kindly came out to the right of way on a cold day and in the deep snow to remove most of her signs (which, she informed me, had not been placed there by her but by a supporter). Candidate Cohn was completely indifferent to the complaints of his own neighbors and the signs remained up for many more weeks.

We have a Design Review Commission in the City of Highland Park.  We care about how our city looks, having an extensive sign code for businesses that reflects our expectations of a beautiful community.  Please contact the Mayor and City Council and tell them it is time to revise the standards for political signs. You can find their e-mail addresses here.

Summary of the HP standards concerning political signs is here.

Long term residents recognize that we didn't suffer for as many months and with as many signs as we do today.  Perhaps this level of eyesore in years gone by reflected the good judgment of the candidates and how much they treasured our community.  Today, we can't rely on good judgment, we need to rely on good standards.  Please contact City Hall and tell them they need to work on this.

The list of the residents forced by the City of HP to pay more than $237,000...

In response to yesterday's blog, we were contacted by several people who asked questions such as "how do I know whether my parents had to pay and need reimbursement?" and "how do I know whether, or how soon, the City of Highland Park will send me 'the letter' demanding payment?"  Additionally, another reader wanted to know who the people are that already paid, and how much.  In essence, the question is, who are the people who have already suffered this financial injury and are they friends of mine?

We can't say when the City of Highland Park will take the Sewer Program off of "hiatus" and put it on your street again. We can only say it remains a viable program, one that Councilman Mandel recently referred to as "huge success."    We haven't heard anything from Mayor Rotering or any other councilman to confirm they will propose to terminate the program "as is" and take another look to develop a program in which the financial burden for improving City infrastructure is placed on the City.  So, it appears more likely than not, at this time, that the Sewer Program will raise its ugly face sooner rather than later, and, individual residents will continue to bear the burden of improving the community's infrastructure.  

EVERYONE who has ever had their sanitary line rodded for tree roots, or who should have this done, is at risk of getting "the letter" that will most likely cost you a minimum of $4,500 for a line on a small lot to $20,000+ for larger properties with deeper lots.  The definition of a broken sanitary lateral line in need of repair, according to City Hall, is any line that has ever been rodded for tree roots or that has tree roots. Given the fact that Highland Park is a Tree City and our parkways are usually beautifully planted with trees, chances are that you will eventually receive "the letter."  When?  Probably when it is least convenient for you, such as when you're selling the house, or you're ready to pay your children's tuition, or you're just about to retire.

Of course, you can prevent this scenario by contacting Mayor Rotering and all the Councilmen and telling them in no uncertain terms that this must stop -- that the  City must pay for improvements to storm and sanitary sewer infrastructure.

The group first targeted in the Sewer Program is revealed in today's blog in the Invoice List the City of Highland Park provided to us in response to the FOIA request.  (Finally figured out a way to post some documents on this blog.  It will be too small to read initially, but if you click on the page, it will expand, with a further opportunity to zoom in on it.)

You'll see friends, neighbors, former neighbors, maybe family, and see how residents were chosen from various neighborhoods.  It's hard to know why an entire neighborhood wasn't addressed at any time -- perhaps it is easier to shove "the Code" down residents' throats if you don't concentrate them into a viable group.

In talking with some of the people on this list, we've found people who have said "why did they choose my home, but not the home down the street where they have to use special toilet paper because their sanitary line is really broken?"  They think the other home has been entirely skipped. To which we reply,  the neighbor just wasn't targeted in this wave.  The City will be back for them.

Did the City choose a handful of residences in one neighbor and then a handful of residents in another neighborhood, rather than just improving a single neighborhood at a time, in an effort to "divide and conquer" the residents?  We really don't know, as we haven't seen any documentation, nor has anyone interviewed City Hall about this.  Unfortunately, we suppose it is possible...perhaps time will tell.

Is the new boss, the same as the old boss?

As readers know, on June 22, 2011, I wrote to Mayor Rotering and every City Councilman concerning repeated requests to reimburse approximately 45 residents for payments made for unnecessary repairs to their private property.  These residents paid the City under coercion, for a Sewer Program that is likely to be entirely revamped and/or discarded and which was very inequitably applied to these unlucky residents to their great financial distress.

While I would prefer to see more comments posted on this blog, and the ones posted, even this week, can be a bit difficult to find based on the Google template, you may be interested to know that more than several people have written and/or called the Mayor's office in the last several weeks to request reimbursement and to express their frustration at how they have been treated by the City.  I am starting to receive phone calls from these people who leave messages at my home complaining that no one at the City responds to them.  Not our new mayor, and none of our new and current councilmen.

So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that nearly two months later I also haven't had a reply yet from anyone (unless an e-mail or letter has gone missing). Nor a phone call.  This should be very disappointing to all, not just me.  Resident raises serious and complicated issue to City Hall and nearly two full months pass with no response, no inquiry to learn more.   

Kinda looks like the old City Council.  In the words of Pete Townsend, “meet the new boss, same as the old boss”?  Hope not.  Wasn’t this last HP election about CHANGE?!

In fairness to Mayor Belsky, he always replied, eventually -- probably the amount of time it took Dave Limardi to consider it worthy of his time and to put it on his desk for reply (or to assign it to someone, followed by his and corporation counsel’s review). Then you'd get the "big official letter."  There was never any dialogue.  To actually pick up the phone and talk with a resident about a challenging and complicated issue -- well, that would be, let's just say, too personal for that administration.  And, evidently, it is the same for this one.  

Actually, I wasn’t hoping for a big official letter response.  With so many new people on City Council, I was hoping for a call – something along the lines of “I'm a new councilman and don’t know much about this issue but would like to get your perspective.”  I must have been dreaming…

So, today, I wrote everyone on City Council and requested a meeting with each, excluding Steve Mandel because it appears his mind is absolutely shut on this issue and no one likes to waste her time.  If the invitees agree to these meetings, it will be very time consuming for me, but when it comes to trying to right a wrong, sometimes one just has to make the time. LET'S NOT FORGET THAT VERY REAL PEOPLE WERE HARMED BY THE CITY ACTIONS.  Perhaps these meetings can be bundled, with more than one City Councilman at a time.  (I believe up to three members of City Council can be in the same room at the same time without triggering an official meeting, but they know these responsibilities better than I.)

My first response was extremely prompt and from Councilman JamesKirsch, whom I just now learned goes by “Jimmy.”  I really appreciated him responding so quickly to the direct request and we’re already scheduled to have a phone conference later this week.   Thank you, Jimmy!

We’ll see about the rest – I look forward to reporting on this endeavor further.  In spite of all, I remain hopeful that the current City Council might actually look at this issue anew. 

"They had my back up against a wall..."

It's been a busy summer in Highland Park.  Between work and the week without electricity (spread between three outages in June and July), there has been precious little time to keep up with the blog.  Still, the community outreach continues.

Last week we wrote to the first series of residents coerced into paying for the unnecessary "repairs" to their lateral sanitary sewer line. This week we began to hear from them.  To a person, each one has said that they paid for these "repairs" because they were forced to do so by the City.  Some even used the word “threatened.” No one knew the reason for why the repairs were required - all had asked the City.  Some people specifically referred to poor treatment received from David Limardi's office and Mary Anderson, director of Public Works. Some highlights of what some said:

“Your note reminded me that I had explicitly asked for information on what was the nature of the defect, why the video results necessitated the work done, etc., etc. I was pretty much ignored and upon threats of greater charges I selected the payment option.”

“Hopefully the new Mayor will be more responsive.”

“What could I do?  They had my back up against the wall.  I was selling the house and they were demanding payment. I had to pay.”

“Ravinia wasn’t the only neighborhood that protested.  We protested in the Highlands.  We had meetings in our homes…we even had a lawyer who joined us.  And we met with the City. No matter what we said, they didn’t listen!”

“Over the past three years, I’ve called the City to find out the status of this program.  They tell me it is on vacation because the economy is bad.  Well, the economy was bad three years ago to, but they made me pay.  Why should I pay when no one else has to?”

Really.  Quite a sad story.  Welcome to Highland Park.  The place where City Manager David Limardi ignores your questions and complaints and, worse, yet, threatens you with liens and higher payments for the same service. 

And, one more thing.  We were quite shocked to learn that there was a group of residents in the Highlands who protested the Sewer Program before Ravinia did. Hadn't heard this before.  Also, as readers may recall, we requested documents from the City of Highland Park pursuant to a Freedom of Information Act demand concerning any correspondence from the residents about the Sewer Program.  Did the City improperly withhold information?  We’ll have to explore that question together.

All to pay for sewer lining when home is sold? Outrageous!!

Again, trying to keep everyone up to date, following is the response received from Steve Mandel to the previous correspondence. Perhaps the most important thing to note is that Councilman Mandel continues to put your savings at the core of repairing City of Highland Park infrastructure.  Highlighted below, you'll see that one of Steve's "solutions" to our complaints is that the residents be forced to pay for sewer lining upon sale of their homes.  Pay now, or pay later.  You'll be paying, and, most likely when you're most vulnerable, needing to sell.  And, imagine the impact on our already depressed real estate market.   Friends, neighbors, you've got to speak up, now!

Please remember that for most of us, there is nothing wrong with our sanitary lateral lines -- our plumbers come out and rod them from time to time to remove tree roots.  They don't suggest replacing, repairing, lining, because they know that no liner will ever withstand a tree root -- and, believe me, your plumber would love to tell you that you need an expensive repair, if you really needed it for your household or if your sanitary line was invading a neighbor's property.  That simply isn't the case and I've discussed this with my plumber.

This is an HP infrastructure problem, a matter of how HP storm sewers function and impact on our property and, yes, interface with the sanitary lateral lines.  Councilman Mandel and the rest of City Council need to focus on managing the HP budget to take care of infrastructure issues and not pawn them off on residents who already pay high taxes specifically for such things. 

And, to anticipate Steve's response that everyone won't have to pay for sewer lining, just the homes with "broken" sanitary sewer lines, just remember, the City's definition of broken is whether the line as ever been invaded by tree roots.  In HP, as a Tree City, almost everyone has had tree roots at one time or another.  Open that checkbook! 

June 23, 2011 

Steve Mandel to Debra Rade

e-mail

Debra,

Again, the work that was done on the sanitary sewer program was with unprecedented subsidies, a low interest loan provided, and the a negotiated price with one contractor offered to everybody through the fine work of our staff. 

While many other residents through out the city have repaired or had to install brand new sewers on their private property over the past 20 years, none of them had the costs reduced and subsidized as we did in this program. We went the extra mile to help you comply with the law. 

The fact that we could change policies and laws in the future does not mean that old policies were bad or I'll conceived, it just means that we might try a different approach and change the policy.

As you know, I had proposed we change our policy in Ravinia and look for other ways to accomplish our goals... That does not mean that people with broken sewers would not be required to fix them. It could mean they are required to fix them upon sale. It could mean more or less participation from the city....  There could be new technology to change outcomes that could facilitate a change in policy.

The bottom line here Debra is that the city council made the decision they did with the communities best interest in mind and it was not a mistake. Policies and laws have changed quite often over the years but I have never recalled us refunding money for private repairs due to policy change. 

Economics have hurt all of us over the past 3 years and the idea to not stress our residents at this point in time was a change in policy that was generated by the change in Economics. I would be very surprised to see any current or future City Council refund public money to you for work on your private property. As a matter of fact it could be illegal and I would think extremely unlikely.

You can share my words with whomever you wish... As a matter of fact I will probably write about this matter in my blog and send it to the 1000 people on my list for their feedback. I don't fault you for your advocacy but I am troubled by the tone of your past rhetoric and claims of some wrong done to you by our city. 

We will continue on refining our policies and laws to fit the time, technology, and our priorities. Our consideration of our residents individually and as a whole will always be foremost on our minds......  

Steve

Do the right thing. Reimburse the residents. Now.

For those of you waiting with bated breath for my response to Councilman Mandel's reply to me, posted earlier today, it follows here in whole.  Frankly, it was great to get a reply from Councilman Mandel -- it was the first time we heard from him on the issue, even though my brother was writing to all the Councilmen in City Hall on the subject since 2007!  At least we now have a better idea of where he stands. 

Please do take the time to read Councilman Mandel's reply.  Now is also a good time to let him know your opinion. He is our elected representative...

As always, your comments are most welcome. 

PS  This will be my last posting today.  New blog posting will resume on on Sunday, when I'll post Council Mandel's response to the following e-mail.  Yes, there's more.  Will try to keep you up to date. .

Sent: Thu, Jun 23, 2011 4:22 pm

Subject:  Reimbursing Residents for the Failed Sanitary Sewer Program

Dear Councilman Mandel,

First, thank you for taking the time to reply as a Councilman to my letter to Mayor Rotering, copied to all City Councilmen.  It’s good to see our elected officials articulate their positions. 

Please be assured that the statements in my previous letter concerning your position on the Master Plan for Storm & Sanitary Sewers (“the Sewer Program”) was based directly on your own communications with my family.

In August 2007, my brother, David Rade, wrote his first letter in a series of letters/e-mails to Mayor Belsky, with copies of all to City Councilmen, to complain about the Sewer Program, particularly with regard to the inequitable treatment of residents, the extraordinary cost, the coercion by lien, the demand that residents agree to undefined repairs with undefined expense, the requirement they provide indemnifications to the City and to the contractor and their neighbors for work done solely at the City’s direction, with the City’s contractor, etc.  Frankly, there were so many flaws to the Sanitary Program and the manner it was implemented, so many insults to residents, and callous disregard for them, that it would take too long to cover it all here.  You and the rest of City Council, particularly the new Councilmen, can easily access the history through the Mayor’s and David Limardi’s office, and some of that correspondence and relative facts are posted on the Down the Drain in HP blog.

Throughout nearly four years of correspondence, only Mayor Belsky and former Councilman Mike Brenner responded in writing.  Only Mike Brenner, and much later, Nancy Rotering, called David to ask questions about his letters, to demonstrate an active interest, and approached his correspondence with an open mind, in learning how this single resident viewed the program. (We did not know then how many others had also complained to David Limardi’s office, their complaints also falling on deaf ears - needed a FOIA search for that.)

I believe David’s last e-mail to Mayor Belsky, copied to all, was on October 27, 2010 (see attached PDF).  Only after three years of this series of e-mails sent by David to the Mayor and Councilmen, did you finally send David a response -- on October 30, copied to David Limardi and Scott Levenfeld only, as follows:

“David,

Nothing is a no brainer…..No. 1-- just because I oppose this continued program does not mean it is public or Council  policy No. 2—just because we change public policy does not mean it is retro active.

 If that were the case my parents should get back the money they paid for a public street being paved (Ridge Road). That is also not our policy anymore for us improving arterials……. and that was a public improvement, not on private property.

Now, I say all of this because I am 100% behind the policy change but I am not sure about your second request for reimbursement….. Don’t fry me yet since I have not vetted that issue.. but is far from a no-brainer to me.  Hey, I also finally got my taxes reduced from them doubling them but that did not save me from the years I was unfairly taxed… Can I hire you to get that reimbursement?

Call me if you want to talk further.
Steve Mandel
847.456.6933”

If you are unhappy with what I wrote, look to the response you sent to my brother, who has been working diligently for three years to gain reimbursement for all the residents of Highland Park, including himself, while City Council ignored him and other residents who had complained.. Frankly, you responded with a “life isn’t fair” type response to a resident on mission to ensure that all residents are treated appropriately and fairly.  We’ve always expected that HP Councilmen are on that mission too in making our voting decisions.

Yesterday’s response will be shared with others interested in this issue.  Many of them remember you running for election the last time, promising that you were not supportive of the Sewer Program. Three years later, nothing has been done. Indeed, most residents in Ravinia thought the program was dead and were shocked to learn it was merely “on hiatus.”  They will be interested to learn that you believe the program was a “huge success” and that, even if it isn’t, your position is that the 45 unlucky targeted residents for 2008 should pay for an expense that thousands of others will not have to pay, except in increments of less of than $10.

Just yesterday, I received an e-mail from a highly articulate Ravinia resident encouraging me to point out to City Council that:

·         There has been no quantitative measurement of success for those neighborhoods where the program has been implemented;

·         The City has not sought additional/alternate funding sources to pay for the Sewer Program (if the City decides to move ahead with it), as promised by David Limardi at the public meetings of irate residents at the Public Works building; and,

·         It does not appear that the City has changed the way in which it handles improvements to the main and lateral junctions for current infrastructure projects, potentially damaging the very laterals the residents are then asked to improve.

Huge success?  Maybe Mr. Limardi, former Mayor Belsky and you think so.  If anyone else on City Council thinks so, he should let me know, preferably in writing, so I can share it on the blog and with the interested residents – or, better yet, they can post their positions directly to the blog.  We need to hold our Councilmen accountable.

Finally, I suggest you take the time to read the AECOM report, attached. It may help you understand the technical issues as well as options considered by other communities.  Frankly, a report like this should have been required by City Council before the Sewer Program was voted on.  In any event, the report is actually issued by the same folks who helped Mr. Limardi design the Sewer Program in the first place.  After the public meetings with the RNA, the City agreed to get a third opinion.  This hardly qualifies as an unbiased opinion, but you will find that, as stated in my previous letter, it is a useful document and notes that  no other community in Northern Illinois forced individual residents to pay for this.

I hope that all the new members of City Council will look at these issues with fresh eyes, and not just rely on Mr. Limardi and Mary Anderson to explain it to them – they certainly didn’t do a good job of it when questioned at the Public Works meetings set up for the RNA in 2008.  Also, I am available to sit down with you and the others at any time  to talk about the Sewer Program. 

In any event, the issue of reimbursement is quite separate.  The City of Highland Park NEVER should have required individual residents to pay for unnecessary “repairs” to their private property to address a City infrastructure problem. The residents should have their payments refunded immediately.

Your e-mail response notwithstanding, this is not a personal matter with you.  Our family is among your constituents.  Your constituents need to be heard and represented.  This is important City business.  I certainly respect your contributions to Highland Park and your long service on the City Council.  This is a single issue that continues to deserve your reconsideration and all the good work you’ve done does not detract from the fact that you’re very off base here.  Do the right thing, reimburse the residents, now, with the new found money in the reserves.

Respectfully yours,

Debra

PS  With regard to your parting and unnecessary comment that I should run for office if I want to change city policy:  It is your job, as Councilman and oft times Mayor Pro Tem to listen to your constituents in setting appropriate city policies and laws.  My brother has done an extraordinary job of fighting for equitable treatment for all, and I've been proud to support him in doing the right thing. It is a shame that either of us and the Ravinia Neighborhood Association has had to work so hard and so long for such little success with our representatives.  Three years after the two meetings with the RNA, three years after promises were made and not kept, nothing has been done to address the underlying issues other than place them "on hiatus."  Steve, I'm doing a good job of being an constituent.  I'm looking for you and the others to change the policy and to do the right thing.  That's your job, you know that...

Councilman Mandel: Sewer Program a "Huge Success"

Haven't heard back from Mayor Rotering yet, although am confident she will reply in due course with her considered response.  I remain hopeful that she will live up to her campaign stances.

Meanwhile, Councilman Mandel responded promptly, on June 22, copied to City Hall and the others on my initial list.  His response is provided in full, without comment. Wishing to avoid you having to read too much in any one sitting, my response to this e-mail will be provided later today.  

In the meantime, please provide your comments directly to the Mayor and your City Council representatives, hopefully sharing your comments with us on the blog.  If necessary, the blog will publish comments anonymously, but only if you provide us with your name and address and we can verify you are a "real resident" here.  There may be some who fear commenting on this issue publicly, especially from the many who do, or wish to do, business with the City.  Nonetheless, their voices should be heard...

E-MAIL FROM COUNCILMAN STEVE MANDEL TO DEBRA RADE, 6/22/2011

"Thank you Debra for representing my position of why I am opposed to funding…NOT! My parents are not the only folks over the years that have been made to pay for public improvements. There have been thousands of residents that helped build the PUBLIC streets that we all drive on.  I do resent your tone on suggesting that my logic is based on a personal matter and find it extremely offensive. You could not be more incorrect. I spent countless hours on this issue working for resolution and you have a lot of nerve writing off my opinion on a personal note….

Now, YOU’RE not even asking for reimbursement of a public improvement that is owned by the City of Highland Park. You are asking for reimbursement of a PRIVATE line that was leaking and causing back up in other people’s homes because of massive water infiltration that was overloading the lines from broken pipes like yours. And many folks in Sherwood forest (many more that 45) spent money on their laterals and private lines due to flooding issues without the city subsidy that you received.

Even though I personally requested we put the program on hold and asked that we look at changing our policy, the policy which caused you to fix your broken sewer line was the opinion of the entire council without one no vote. This decision was based on factual data presented by the staff and was enacted to protect the citizens that had basements that were flooding. The City has also spent millions of dollars of all of our taxpayer money in your and other effected neighborhoods. We instituted a master plan to address these matters across the city and continue to have a robust spending policy to deal with flooding.

Finally the program was not a failure, and quite the contrary a huge success since many that were having water issues are now without flooded basements. Sorry you’re so upset but please do not represent my thoughts for me. If you want to change city policy, run for office and see how well your rant is accepted by the voters.

Steve"