Referendum Petitions Filed for April Election

By Mary Helt Gavin

On Jan. 29, the first day that petitions could be filed for the April 17 election, John Kennedy went to the Civic Center with petitions containing 2,138 signatures in support of putting on the ballot a referendum question about the Civic Center building itself. The number was 300 more than the 1,838 required to place the question on the ballot.

Mayor Lorraine Morton, Emily Guthrie, Vito Brugliera and Mary Brugliera - all members of the Friends of the Civic Center Committee - joined Mr. Kennedy as he presented the petitions to City Clerk Mary Morris.

The question reads "Shall the Evanston City government remain in the current Civic Center, located at 2100 Ridge Ave.?" Because it is advisory, it in no way obligates the City Council to take action. A former Council voted more than two years ago to relocate.

Mr. Brugliera and Mr. Kennedy said it was fairly easy to obtain the signatures. "Ninety-eight percent of the people I asked to sign did so," Mr. Brugliera said.

Mayor Morton said she had supported the idea of keeping the building "for a very long time. I love this building." She noted that since the City moved to the Ridge Avenue property in the 1970s, much repair had been done, "starting with my office. And the Parasol Room on the fourth floor was a workshop. Now it's really beautiful." Noting that Facilities Manager Max Rubin had spent a lot of energy maintaining the building over the past several years, she added, "Everything Max has done is great."

Ms. Guthrie, a former alderman, said, "I remember when they converted this building. I wasn't sure why the corridors were so wide, but now I understand it's for people to meet and caucus. I think [architect] Ed Noonan did a fantastic job." Still, she said, "When I was on the Council there was not much interest in maintaining the building."

Ms. Brugliera said there is a petition pending before City Council to have the building declared a landmark. "The advantage of [landmark status] is that the City can get tax credits to rehab the building."

Mayor Morton noted that the Avenue of the Righteous, a memorial to those who helped others escape the Holocaust during the Hitler regime, is located on the Civic Center grounds. She said she felt it was an honor that Evanston was chosen "out of all the cities in the country" to house that memorial, a path marked by stones, benches and trees; she has questioned what would happen to it if the Civic Center were razed or the City's headquarters moved.

Mr. Kennedy said, "I like it that the number of signatures is 2,100 and this is 2100 Ridge Ave. We're going to have a good vote in April."

A study commissioned by the City several years ago estimated the cost of repairs at $12-$20 million. Mr. Kennedy said, "They need to go out and get real bids, like our committee did." The Friends of the Civic Center estimate the costs of repairs to be about $12 million.

The cost of repairs is the primary reason the aldermen gave for voting to relocate: The building is out of compliance with some ADA requirements and the HVAC system is almost obsolete. Council members and City staff have also said there is much wasted space. Several rooms are now vacant, and with the closing of the clinical service of the health department, there will be more empty rooms. Building a new civic center would allow for a more economical design, sustainable materials and a healthy building, aldermen have said.

Ms. Morris said the filing period for referendum questions for the City ends Feb. 5, and until Fed. 13, any resident may challenge the signatures on the petitions. "If no one objects successfully, I will certify the question to the [April 17] ballot," she said.

Smiling petition-filers for a referendum question to keep the City's headquarters at the Civic Center are, left to right, Emily Guthrie, Mayor Lorraine Morton, Vito Brugliera, Mary Brugliera and John Kennedy. City Clerk Mary Morris, right, received the papers.

Nominating Petitions Filed for School Board Openings

By Mary Helt Gavin

Jan. 29 was the first day for School Board candidates to file their petitions. At District 65 the following people turned in their nominating petitions: Katie Bailey, 1619 Ashland Ave.; Adrian Dortch, 2011 Foster St.; Bonnie Lockhart, 1922 Dewey Ave.; Andrew Pigozzi, 1018 Elmwood Ave.; Keith Terry, 616 Wesley Ave.

Mr. Dortch also filed nominating papers as a candidate for the District 202 School Board. Others who filed petitions on Jan. 29 for the District 202 Board are Boris Furman, 1403 Maple Ave.; Jane Colleton, 1724 Wesley Ave.; Mary Wilkerson, 1712 Dobson St.; Jacob Novar, 1333 Maple Ave. ; William Wideman, 1607 Emerson St. and Omar Khuri, 3321 Colfax Place. Ms. Wilkerson and Ms. Colleton are incumbents.

Mr. Dortch told the RoundTable "it makes sense" to serve on both boards because, "in the transfer from eighth grade to ninth grade, we lose a lot of kids."

However, City Clerk Mary Morris told the RoundTable that in Evanston no one person can run for a position on both School Boards.

Mr. Dortch's filings are "incompatible," Ms. Morris said, adding, "Someone should object and he should withdraw from one [contest]." She said candidates often take out packets for more than one position and then file for the position that appears to have the least amount of competition.

Ms. Morris said that since Mr. Dortch has filed nominating papers for a position on both boards, he must revoke his candidacy for one of the positions in writing, dated and notarized by Feb. 13. Otherwise, she said, neither candidacy will be valid.

Mr. Dortch said he would speak to Ms. Morris and let the RoundTable know of his decision.

In addition, Evanston resident Gerald Adler presented an incomplete filing to District 65, said Patricia Markham, communications director at District 65. "There was an insufficient number of signatures, they were not notarized and the filing was late," she told the RoundTable.

The filing was to place an advisory referendum question on the ballot as to whether the school district should opt out of the No Child Left Behind Act.

202 Board Hears Opposition to Proposed Activity Fee

By Jennie Berkson

Community members attending a recent District 202 School Board meeting voiced their strong opposition to a proposed fee designed to restore extracurricular and athletic activities eliminated in recent years because of budget cuts.

The proposed $85 fee would be charged to students whether or not they participate in activities, but it would likely be waived for students who qualify for the free- and reduced-price lunch program.

Although the Board and administration reported that community response via e-mail had indicated significant support for the fee, no one echoed that support during public comment.

Some of the speakers accused the Board of being fiscally irresponsible in the past in granting large pre-retirement increases to administrators, while cutting student programs. The Board and administration acknowledged giving such raises, but said that it was standard practice in other area districts. District 202 gave administrators raises of either 20 percent and then 10 percent in their last two years before retirement, or 15 percent each of the last two years. In comparison, New Trier gave 10/20, Niles, 20/20, Arlington Heights 20/15 and Glenbard 20/20. A recent letter from the Board to the RoundTable said, "The practice was intended to encourage higher-paid employees with greater seniority to retire early, thus reducing overall salary expenditures."

In 2005 the Illinois legislature limited future pre-retirement increases to 6 percent.

"I have focused on administrator salaries because those are approved on a yearly basis, and the Board had opportunities to change these decisions as they were weighing what cuts to make to the budget," said Nancy Bruski, whose children graduated from Evanston Township High School.

She continued, "Knowing that administrators do not operate under the same kind of group-negotiated contract as teachers, I wanted to find out why the Board had continued giving these raises to administrators."

Ms. Bruski said she had to file a Freedom of Information Act request to get information about administrators' salaries and that "the only document that even described this obligation was a description of administrator benefits from 1984-85, which stated that ‘in no instance will administrators receive fewer benefits than those provided for teachers.'" Ms. Bruski maintained that the document only guaranteed that administrators should receive as many benefits as teachers and did not justify administrators' large pre-retirement salary increases.

Other parents, including Mel Furman, Rita Pope, Mary Jo Barrett and Bob Eder, challenged the Board to be more fiscally responsible. "I'm upset about the activity fee, and I'm upset about the cuts," said Ms. Furman. "I have concerns over rising fees," said Ms. Pope.

Ms. Barrett expressed concern that her daughter, a freshman, would not have the same opportunities as her older brother, Ms. Barrett said - opportunities which "saved his life. You're punishing my freshman because she can't be on a newspaper."

However, the opportunity for freshmen to write for the school newspaper, no longer an extracurricular activity, is still available to students registering for the journalism elective course. Elimination of the student newspaper as an extracurricular activity occurred in 2004. It was not a budgetary but rather a curriculum decision, based on a two-year study of the journalism program at ETHS. When the Board discussed and approved the change, there was virtually no community objection to or discussion of the change.

Mr. Eder said he was pleased to see that the Board is considering reinstating extracurricular and athletic activities, but "it's not necessary to implement the fee. We already pay enough. The Board should go back to the Superintendent and the CFO" and ask them to find the money in the budget, he said.

Omar Khuri, ETHS Booster Club vice president and declared candidate for the District 202 Board, said, "The Board is taking the easy way out by asking for the fee. They know that a referendum would have no chance of passing."

Ernie Nora, co-president of the ETHS PTSA, reported that he had received about 30 e-mails from parents. "Two-thirds of them were not in support of the fee," he said. Those that supported the fee, Mr. Nora continued, had an air of "resignation" about them.

Superintendent Eric Witherspoon told the Board that in order to restore the eliminated extracurricular and athletic activities, the Board would have to institute the fee, because "I don't see any other way to fund them without sacrificing other priorities." He said he would be presenting a "values-based budget" tied to the District's goals of improving achievement, providing academic and social support for students and maintaining financial solvency.

He mentioned several needs directly related to the goals to be funded by his proposed budget, including expanded learning labs, directed study halls with supervision by certificated teachers, improved programs for alternatives to suspension, anger management programs and yearlong test preparation classes. He suggested that, while it might be worthwhile to restore the eliminated extracurricular and athletic activities, they "will not be part of a value-based budget."

Board members were mixed in their response to the public comment.

"I don't think I understand the budget enough to support the fee," said Board member Martha Burns, referring to how the District budget was presented in the past. "I hope this value-based budgeting will be a new beginning, can be more readable and we can get more out of it."

"I agree with Martha [about the confusing budget], although I'm not opposed to an activity fee," said Board member Rachel Hayman. "I just think it might be premature. We need to look at the stipend structure. Some extracurricular advisors don't get a stipend. We tabled the activity fee last year and said we would go through a stipend review process, but that hasn't been done yet."

Board member Missy Fleming said, "I'm concerned that some of the e-mails might be related to resignation. I want more time to think about this. We need to look at a long-term solution."

Margaret Lurie, a veteran School Board member, responded that a stipend review is a "huge undertaking" and "contractual," but that it "should be examined again." Ms. Lurie also remarked that the response at the meeting was "somewhat of a conundrum." She said, "Very few people came out to protest" earlier cuts, and though she "got so many e-mails supporting the fee ... maybe we're not ready for it."

"The response tonight took my breath away," said Chasity Cooper, student Board member. "Speaking as a student, the fee is a lot. Each year things get more expensive, and some of us have to pay even more for uniforms and other things associated with our extracurricular activities. Still, academics always come first."

Board member Mary Wilkerson and Vice-president Jane Colleton had a different reaction.

"There is always someone who is affected by cuts," said Ms. Wilkerson. "We cut administrative staff, we set parameters; we kept the cuts away from the classroom." She said in many of the e-mail responses to the Board people not only agreed to pay for their own child but offered to pay for others.

"I thought we were pretty transparent," said Ms. Colleton. "I apologize if people weren't paying attention."

Dr. Witherspoon commended the Board for their past action on the budget. "Had you not made the cuts, the District would be in financial difficulty." He continued by emphasizing the importance of focusing on academics. "If we don't deliver academically, [the students] can participate in all the intramurals they want, but it won't help them if they have to train or re-train for new job responsibilities."

The Board is scheduled to vote on instituting the new activities fee at its Feb. 12 meeting.

District 202 Board Continues Outreach Activities

The District 202 School Board will continue its outreach effort at a variety of upcoming events. Two or more Board members will be in attendance at each event. The outreach efforts are being coordinated by board members Rachel Hayman and Martha Burns.
Thursday, February 15
"Incoming Freshman Information Night"; Michael/Beardsley Cafeterias, 6 p.m.
1. Ross Friedman
2. Mary Wilkerson
3. Missy Fleming
Saturday, February 17
"Community Coffee with the Board"; 2-4 p.m., Pick-A-Cup Coffee House, 1813 Dempster
1. Margaret Lurie
2. Mary Wilkerson
3. Missy Fleming
Thursday, February 22
PTSA Meeting; 7:30 p.m., S214
1. Ross Friedman
2. Missy Fleming
3. Jane Colleton
4. Martha Burns
Wednesday, March 7
"All-Staff Meeting"; 3:45 p.m., Auditorium
1. Mary Wilkerson
2. Missy Fleming
3. Martha Burns
Thursday, March 8
"Black Caucus Honor Roll Breakfast"; 7:25 a.m., Bacon Cafeteria
1. Mary Wilkerson
2. Rachel Hayman

"Raisin" at ETHS.

Carl Forde and Janet Webb star as Walter Lee and Mama Lena in the high shcool's production of Lorraine Hansberry's "A Raisin in the Sun." The play runs Feb. 15-17 in the Upstairs Theatre of Evanston Township High School, 1600 Dodge Ave. Call 847-424-7848. Photo by Chris Cascarano

D65 Seeks Input for Grant Application

Evanston/Skokie School District 65, in partnership with Youth Organizations Umbrella (Y.O.U.) will be applying for a 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education for after-school programming at Chute and Nichols Middle schools. Funding is part of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Eligible schools must have 40 percent or more students receiving free- or reduced-price lunch. Schools identified for improvement under Section 1116, Title I and partnered with a community organization receive competitive priority. The grant requires active collaboration between a community organization and the schools involved in planning and preparing the proposal.

In July 2004, District 65, in collaboration with Y.O.U. and Family Focus, received a 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant for Kingsley, Oakton and Washington schools. Other community organizations have also been involved in providing academic enrichment opportunities for the students in the program. There will be a meeting at 10 a.m. on Feb. 12 for community organizations or individuals interested in providing enrichment activities for this program. The meeting will take place at the Hill Education Center; for more information and to RSVP contact Myra Janus at 847-492-5971 or at janusm@district65.net.

District 65 Schedules Parenting Program and Kindergarten Registration

Parent University
District 65 will offer Parent University III on Feb. 10 at the Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave. This free event includes opportunities for parents to attend a variety of one-hour workshops related to their child's social/emotional development, as well as a Resource and Teaching Strategies Fair. Pre-registration forms are available at local District 65 schools. Call 847-859-8090 for more information.

Kindergarten Registration
Any child living in District 65's attendance area who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1 is eligible to register for kindergarten. Registration will take place as follows at the Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave.: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. on Feb. 14; 12-7 p.m. on Feb. 15; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on Feb. 16; and 8 a.m.-noon on Feb. 17. Anyone who is unable to register at those times may call 847-492-5887 to make an appointment for registration.

High Awards for ETHS Chess Champs

Evanston Township High School's chess team received high awards in the United States Chess Federation's K-12 Championships in December. Led by Coach Ken Lewandowski and Dan DuBrow, ETHS's senior team brought home the second-place trophy. The junior team took eigth place, the sophomore team took third, the freshman team took sixth and senior Elliott Damashek took the fourth place individual award.