EDITORIALS

A Bad Reflection on City Council

At best, City Council has an image problem. The Illinois Attorney General's office concluded that the Council violated the Open Meetings Act by discussing 49-story tower proposed for downtown in a closed-session meeting held on March 27.

The minutes of that closed-session meeting reveal favorable comments by most Council members about a project they should not have been discussing in private.

To some Council members, the tower may be seductive, a - dare we say it - icon of the Evanston of the future. It might represent good design, signal prosperity and embody the foresightedness of a City Council willing to take a risk for the good of its more nearsighted citizens.

And perhaps to some it may represent a promise of relief - a new and desperately needed Fountain Square, which was proposed along with the tower.

But the tower is independent of the rehab of Fountain Square, or, more correctly, that Fountain Square will be its own City project.

Alone in the aldermanic library with the Council members and other City staff, the development team - developers James Klutznick and Tim Anderson, architect Larry Booth and their attorney - showed Council members and City staff the Emerald City, dazzling them with the elegance of the tower and the spaciousness of a renewed Fountain Square that could be a village piazza.

We can almost hear them saying, "You can do this for the citizens of Evanston. This is what Evanston deserves." However persuasive, they should not have had Council's private ear and Council should not have discussed this in a private, closed-session meeting.

To some members of the City's Plan Commission, the closed-session meeting represents a flawed process, apt to render their work and the review process for both the tower and the downtown plan a sham.

To many of the citizens of Evanston, it represents a betrayal - whether thoughtless, well-intentioned or paternalistic.

One alderman remarked recently that Council was "spanked" by the Attorney General - an attempt, it seems, to admit and simultaneously minimize the issue.

We do not believe, and many citizens of Evanston do not believe, that the infraction can be sloughed off so lightly.

The incident creates the impression that a decision was reached on the tower before it saw the light of day.

We urge the entire City Council to take whatever actions are necessary to restore public trust and confidence in the integrity of the process of reviewing the requested zoning changes for the proposed tower.

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Shop Evanston First

Every year we say this and every year it becomes truer: There is no place like Evanston for holiday shopping.

The Central Street, downtown, Dempster/Chicago and Main/Chicago districts offer unique gifts, helpful personnel and cheerful atmospheres for everyone on anyone's holiday list. These are not the boring, cookie-cutter chain stores you'll find at the malls. These are distinctive, classy, eclective.

But those who still crave the big boxes can look at the Howard/Hartrey district and Main Street Commons.

For that cup of coffee, glass of wine or full-fledged lunch or dinner, what better place than Evanston?

We have entertainment, holiday and otherwise: live music, plays and concerts.

The parking is not yet inviting but everything else is great. Stay here. Shop here. Dine here. Try Evanston first.

Thanks Given

By Charles Wilkinson

More and more, Christmas makes me thankful for Thanksgiving. I doubt if I am alone with that feeling.

Long before last Thursday, when families throughout our country gathered to embrace, remember and celebrate themselves, Christmas had already started making its joyful noise.

Earlier this month Starbucks' cups were holiday red and white; just past Halloween (or was it before?) Santa started coming to town to settle into every nook and cranny of what is left of the year. Not a complaint - merely an observation about the workings of our world.

But Thanksgiving tempers all of that, like an oasis in a jangle of ever earlier Christmas blitz and krieg. Is it any wonder I catch myself wishing that the Spirit of Christmas Present might learn from the Spirit of Thanksgiving Past?

Please do not misunderstand. I love both holidays and relish their separate meanings. But there is something inherently simple about a November Thursday and its luscious leftovers and lingering weekend that too quickly gets lost in the crushings of commercialism that follow.

I doubt that I need to describe the pleasures most of us experienced last week. My guess is they are still familiar to our hearts and taste buds.

But now that grocery lists have given way to gift and card lists, there are different feelings in the air - feelings that will be around for most until the early evening hours of Dec. 24, when everything is in place, or almost.

I do not think Hanukah and Kwanza elicit the same frenzies, but I think most would agree Thanksgiving offers pleasures all its own. Gratitude for God's blessings on our land and our people can never be under- or overstated. And families' sense of "family" and appreciation for one another find in every late November a necessary voice powerful in its simplicity.

One of life's earliest lessons teaches children to say "Thank you," a lesson meant for life, not just childhood.

"Thank you" is a present that does not need wrapping and perhaps that is part of what keeps Thanksgiving so simple - that and the fact that our thanks are given to those most important in our lives.

Still, the coming weeks hold pleasures all their own. Maybe the timing of Thanksgiving is more important than the day itself, since it provides a focus for the meanings and messages of the remaining holidays as well as on those whose lives enrich our own.

Gay* or Not ...

By Peggy Tarr

My first experience with a significant number of homosexuals was when I was in art school. It was during that time that a report came out about a biological basis for homosexuality. Fliers were posted around school to herald the news. Finding a biological basis for homosexuality chopped away (it was hoped) at the prevalent diagnosis/decision that homosexuality was "pathological" - a mental disorder." Manifestations of nature and nurture in humans are diverse and seldom explained by one theory.

One of my classmates revealed to me that she had been institutionalized for a period of time by her parents when they learned she was a lesbian. They thought her sexual preference could be changed through psychotherapy. It wasn't.

Anyway, while in school, gay classmates suggested that maybe, in spite of my heterosexual behavior, I was "gay" and just hadn't come out yet. I found this dialog annoying and said so, but I felt it was based on a desire to include me as gay because I accepted a gay lifestyle as a part of an individual's total self. "The Boys In The Band" is an interesting play/movie that touches on deciding who is gay or not.

Recently, several articles on the normalcy of gay relationships and discrimination against gays came to my attention. As most people know, discriminatory practices against gays exist in every arena of life - education, religion, politics, employment, etc. But I want to touch on harassment of and discrimination against gays and heterosexuals by gays.

A gay coworker once came to me very upset because the head of the company, who was gay, had patted him on the butt. This was sexual harassment, and sexual harassment is against the law whether it's perpetrated in a heterosexual encounter or a same-sex encounter.

Not unlike heterosexuals, gays discriminate against other gays and heterosexuals based on gender, age, race, color, national origin, sexual preference, etc. I have certainly witnessed gays hiring or promoting unqualified gays over heterosexuals as well as derogatory comments about someone's color or age.

The fact that heterosexuals violate the civil (human) rights of others doesn't excuse gays for doing the same. "Two wrongs don't make a right." Violating civil (human) rights laws is illegal, whether the person committing the violation is gay or not. And that's the truth!

*GAY = original and continuing use as 'merry'; has had various meanings dealing with sexual conduct since the 17th century; used at least since the early 1900's as an adjective for homosexuals, sometimes to only designate males (used in this story to designate males and females); no longer used as slang or disparagingly (Webster).

Letters to the Editor

Disapproves of Lakefront Plan
Editor:

As an owner and resident of the condominium at 1730 Hinman Ave, I wish to register my disapproval of the proposed Lakefront Master Plan which I view as disastrous to our neighborhood.

The area in question, bounded by Sheridan Road and Chicago Avenue, is still a relatively quiet primarily residential neighborhood, containing mostly single- family dwellings, some of the oldest and finest in Evanston.

We pay heavy taxes to live here because we like our privacy and our proximity to the lake and to our downtown shops and restaurants. Over the past few years we have been increasingly surrounded by, at first, modest-sized apartment and condominium buildings. Then the "super buildings" began to appear. What, we wonder, will come next? We are aware that a proposed gigantic building is to rise on the site of our Fountain Square, a supposed civic landmark, all in the name of progress. But whose progress?

It is too late to argue the good or bad effects this wholesale construction has had on our City, but it is not to late to say "no" to the destruction of our lakefront and our peaceful residential streets.

Sheridan Road is a major thoroughfare for people traveling north and south through Evanston. As it is, it can be clogged at times with traffic. We can only imagine with horror and disgust what would happen if that traffic were to be routed through our residential streets.

In addition, we are concerned about our lakefront. There is so little "empty" land left in Evanston. Our lakefront is one of our most valued assets, a place of quiet beaches, peaceful parks and lovely areas to walk through or just to sit and enjoy.

Evanston does not need a marina. The boat launch at Greenview Beach [in Chicago] is underused as it is. Evanston seems to be run or at least manipulated by outsiders with interests contrary to those of us who pay dearly to reside here.

Our historical character is being eroded and destroyed all in the name of progress. Who would profit from this ridiculous plan? The developers, perhaps some power boaters, outsiders with no investment in Evanston and its future.

One of our early residents, Francis Willard, quaintly but sincerely referred to Evanston as "Heavenston." Well, Miss Willard would have to think of a new name but the one likely to be appropriate would not pass her lips. Let us all say "no" to any future plans that are not in our best interests. We have too much to lose if this master plan is approved.
-- Helmut H. Langer

Online Vehicle-Sticker Purchase Comes With a Price Tag
Editor:

Don't be suckers, Evanston car-owners. The new on-line option for vehicle stickers has a 5-percent surcharge with the Orwellian name of "convenience charge."

Payment is not so convenient. Even a member of the City Council has told me that she had difficulty paying on-line. There is no reason why on-line payment of vehicle stickers cannot be set up without a surcharge; we already can pay charge our water bills automatically without having to pay extra.

Quite a few Council members have written to me, agreeing that the surcharge idea was not well-thought-out. Let's encourage the City Council to rethink this; we should all avoid the needless charge by paying by mail or using the drop-off box at the Civic Center.

-- James K. Genden

Will the 202 Board Hold Teachers Accountable, As They Did the Football Coach?
Editor:

The District 202 School Board voted to approve the Superintendent's recommendation to fire Tony Johnson as head coach of the varsity football team.

The "lack of wins and not enough progress" were reasons given for his dismissal. From my perspective as a parent and former District 65 School Board member, the Board's action prompts several questions.

First, while the Board has decided to hold an employee accountable for outcomes on the football field, will they do the same for those employees responsible for driving the academic outcomes of students?

If Mr. Johnson's performance goals specified that he win "x" number of games per year in order to keep his coaching job, will the Superintendent require his administrators to ensure that "x" number of students per year meet state standards?

For those who are upset with the football record, consider these statistics from the academic arena: For five years District 202 has failed to make Adequate Yearly Progress under No Child Left Behind Act, a law that requires that, by the end of the current school year, 62 percent of students in each subcategory meet or exceed state standards.

Currently, barely 33 percent of students in many subcategories are meeting standards in reading and math.

Given that "lack of progress" was the reason for which Mr. Johnson was relieved of his coaching position, will the School Board be targeting administrators, academic department chairs and teachers for dismissal?

Second, given that Mr. Johnson's performance was directly tied to student outcomes, did he have the opportunity to participate in a professional process for managing his performance?

Did he receive clear, specific performance objectives, feedback, guidance, professional development and resources, to enhance his chances of success? Certainly he should have been treated as fairly as other District 202 administrators and teachers.

Finally, was this issue addressed with the gravity it deserved and in a transparent manner? According to one Board member I spoke with, the administration did not inform them about the recommendation in advance of the Board meeting. Doing so would have allowed members time to reflect on the proposed dismissal and prepare questions.

Instead, the Board was notified on the night of the meeting, where they spent less than 30 minutes in closed session discussing Mr. Johnson's fate.

Even more disturbing, when the Board convened to public session, two members left prior to the vote, precluding the community from knowing their position on this important personnel matter.

While Coach Johnson will undoubtedly move forward with his career, reflecting on these questions may enhance the performance of the Superintendent and Board, on which our community continues to depend for the improvement of our District.
-- Marianne Kountoures

D65 Board Ignores Special Education, Favors Superintendent
Editor:

I am writing about the District 65 School Board's decision last month to extend the contract of Superintendent Hardy Murphy through 2012.

Many parents have said they oppose the contract extension because they believe Murphy has not done enough to provide accelerated programs for high-achieving students. I cannot speak to that.

My concern is District 65's program for children with special needs. My son has a serious disability; his classification is that of "emotionally disturbed." He now attends a therapeutic day school in Des Plaines.

When we began our quest to gain his placement at a specialized school, we sought an outside evaluation by a pediatric psychiatrist. He is a nationally recognized physician who has testified before Congress on issues of medication for children.

Our therapist, as well as other therapists, child psychiatrists and child psychologists told us that District 65 has a reputation around northern Illinois for having a very weak special education program, particularly in the area of our son's disability.

The Evanston-Skokie School District is known for withholding services. Indeed, special services are offered only after parents hire an attorney or seek an outside evaluation that can lead to a diagnosis of a learning disability.

Unfortunately, these services are not cheap; only parents with the financial means to pay for these evaluations can obtain them. The lower-income children of this District often languish in classes where they are simply being warehoused, overwhelmed by their behavioral and emotional issues. Or their learning disabilities go undiagnosed and they fall behind academically.

Who is responsible for this situation? I look to the central administration. Ultimately, our school Superintendent is in charge. Indeed, the former School Board adopted comprehensive goals for the delivery of special services for 2005-06 and 2006-07.

The goals were very basic, for example, calling on the District to see that services are in fact being provided as called for under each child's Individualized Education Plan.

When the previous Board called on the administration to be accountable, members encountered opposition from the Superintendent. It was obvious that Dr. Murphy was unhappy with the Board's vote, even though the Board was only calling on him to carry out federal law.

One could say the administration was dragged, kicking and screaming, toward the goal of providing special services, as required by law. In fact, when the time came this spring to review last year's goals, the Board realized that these goals were not being met.

When looking ahead to this year's goals, the majority of the Board members decided that Special Ed was last year's program. As a result, District 65 is not meeting the requirements of students' IEPs this year.

When the Board took up Dr. Murphy's contract extension, I was particularly saddened by the comments of School Board member Jerome Summers.He was quoted in the Evanston newspapers as asking why the contract extension for Dr. Murphy, who is African-American, had received so much scrutiny when a similar extension of a white Superintendent's contract had gone largely unnoticed. "There was no outrage about that," Mr. Summers said. "For me that seems selective."

Anyone who knows me realizes that I am not a racist. I am not opposed to Dr. Murphy's contract extension because of the color of his skin. In fact, I am trying to advocate for children, many of whom are low-income and African-American, whose parents may not have the resources to do so. When my son was in a special services classroom in Lincolnwood School, he was the only white child out of five children.

In the neighboring special ed classroom, there were five boys, all African-American. According to enrollment data released at the Board's Oct. 15 meeting, 44 percent of the special education students in the District are black; only 29 percent are white.

Therefore, the Board's failure to fully serve the special education population in Evanston is hurting black children more than white children.

Finally, I am genuinely mystified by the response of the Board members to Dr. Murphy's request for a contract extension. Like any good politician, he must have looked at the current Board composition and found that he had the votes needed to achieve a contract extension, so he asked for one.

An on-line petition calling on the Board to delay the extension drew more than 200 signatures from parents. Also, a number of parents spoke in opposition to the contract extension at the Board meeting. Yet the Board rushed ahead to approve the extension. This seems to me an example of Board members refusing to listen to constituents who voted them into office.

Also, by voting for the extension, the Board members managed to give away all leverage they might have had with the administration. Dr. Murphy has achieved his goal; he has job security through 2012, at which time he will probably retire. But the Board has given up any chance it might have had to exact better performance from the Superintendent.

In the meantime, parents leave District 65 if their child needs special services, moving to Wilmette or Northbrook. But what of the children whose parents can't afford to move to these more expensive suburbs, or simply don't know there are other districts nearby in which services are more readily available?

I have heard Dr. Murphy publicly proclaim that people move to Evanston because of its great special services department. His assertion is laughable.

Five years ago, the District commissioned what has come to be known as the Cole report. The District called for an outside evaluator, in this case Dr. Cassandra Cole, to examine the special services department and make recommendations for improvement.

Dr. Cole said the District lacked "a uniform system of delivery." On the fifth anniversary of the release of the Cole report, it would be interesting to invite Dr. Cole back to Evanston to see if we've made any progress in special services. My guess would be that we continue to fail to meet the needs of our disabled students.

Shame on us; they are our neediest children.
--Nancy Traver

Resident Statement on the Proposed Skyscraper at 708 Church St.
Open Letter To the Plan Commission and City Officials:

I am a relatively long-time resident of Evanston - 1993-1994 and 2002-present - and am very concerned about the plan to build a skyscraper in downtown Evanston. I am also very troubled about the process in which recent changes to zoning have taken place.

First, let me say that I was unable to attend the Nov. 14 meeting. I am nevertheless concerned about what happens in the City, but like other residents I have a difficult time attending weekday meetings at 7 p.m., particularly when attendance can easily become a 4-hour commitment.

I urge the City to find better ways to engage with residents. We are in the 21st century and have the ability to solicit citizen input easily and effectively via the internet.

Please take steps to develop a variety of ways for residents to express their concerns and comments about city policy, rather than relying principally on evening meetings.

It is also incumbent upon the City to carry out policy transparently, so that residents will have all the information necessary for effective participation.

With regard to the plans for the property at 708 Church St., I want to express my vehement opposition to the construction of a skyscraper on that property or anywhere else in Evanston.

More highrises, and particularly a skyscraper, will add to congestion, pollution, traffic, trash, crime, and demands on city services. But more importantly it will alter Evanston's uniqueness and charm.

The City should answer the following questions before even entertaining the construction of a skyscraper and more tall buildings downtown:

1. If we are in a financial crisis, why doesn't the City clearly explain the problem and its origins to the residents?

2. Why must we open the door to large-scale development to get out of this supposed crisis?

3. Why have property taxes increased recently, as much as in years past, when we have built many new, high-end condos and added many businesses in the last several years?

4. Does the city really know the level of City services that will be needed for the new Skyscraper and highrises? For example, how much will we need to spend on the Evanston Fire Department for them to be able to deal with a fire in a skyscraper?

5. Why is there no study available that clearly lays out the negative by-products of a skyscraper and highrise development in general?

I have recently heard several people say that developers "won't come" unless we provide incentives and eliminate barriers. What these people really mean is that large-scale developers won't come.

People are engaged in development in this country all the time, particularly in times of economic growth.

Evanston's location and uniqueness are extremely appealing both to residents and developers alike.

Development that will enhance the tax base will continue as long as the City exists. People will continue to remodel, to build new houses (by tearing down old ones), build flats and low-scale condos, and bring new businesses to Evanston, all of which increase the tax base.

If we want to keep Evanston's tremendous appeal we should make every effort to develop the City while ensuring that we retain its charm and character.

As a political science professor, I am fully aware that while governments - at the local, state and national level - make budget predictions all the time, more likely than not those predictions fall far short of their optimistic expectations.

New programs and schemes to raise revenue often fail to materialize as imagined, owing to unforeseen problems and costs, and deficiencies in planning processes. The one thing that we can predict with certainty is that Evanston will always attract people and investors.

We are blessed with an unparalleled location, an educated and affluent population, and an enviable quality of life. Please, do not rush to make any drastic changes. I urge the City to reject any plan for a skyscraper and to be deliberate and careful before allowing for additional highrises in the downtown area.

Please consider and respect the loyal residents who moved here because of the City's reputation and appeal. Please don't open the floodgates to highrise, high-density development that will force us to change our opinion of the City and will drive some of us away.

And please, please don't do it for the benefit of those who don't live here and won't live with the negative consequences of their highrises. I am sure that if we work together, we can get out of any problem we encounter without selling the City out to homogenized, high-scale, high-density development.
-- Peter Sanchez, professor of political science, Loyola University of Chicago

A Wake-Up Call on Pensions
Editor:

Here is what we do need and what we don't need.

We do need dedicated policemen who are motivated by a conviction to help build a community. That will generate fine, productive young people who will be good citizens.

We don't need mercenaries on the police force, who are only there to draw large sums of money upon retirement - and who are never satisfied.

We do need career firemen who contribute time and talent to the community's fire-prevention education efforts and also youth-oriented activities.

We don't need self-seeking firemen who are waiting for retirement in order to receive large pension benefits.

We do need "self-denial" teachers who will put their students' needs ahead of their own - who will positively motivate students to succeed in life.

We don't need teachers who manifest "care-less" attitudes toward students and whose priorities are tenure and material gain.

We - the Evanston community - do need dedicated public servants who will do what is right, regardless of the circumstances and be positive examples for our children and young people.

We don't need self-seeking mercenaries who are only interested in their pension monies, gained largely by an over-inflated property tax burden on the backs of the people.

We do need this pension-generated burden removed.
-- Harris Hudson

Seek Peace for Gaza
Open Letter to Legislators and Government From Religious Leaders and Organizations of Greater Chicago:

We are a coalition of faith-based organizations, religious leaders, and religiously identified organizations and individuals. We are Christians, Muslims and Jews from the Greater Chicago region.

We represent communities with deep spiritual and family ties to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and communities who are deeply concerned about the humanitarian crises stemming from Israel's 40-year long military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

We are calling on you, our country's leaders, to protest the Israeli government's decision of Sept. 19, 2007, to declare Gaza a "hostile entity."

Some 1.2 million Gazans already depend on international food handouts to survive. Their situation has been made significantly worse by Israel's frequent prevention of vital supplies and services from entering Gaza. Through this new declaration, the Israeli government appears to be attempting to justify and gain political support for policies that already amount to the collective punishment of a whole population.

Secretary Rice has stated that the U.S. "will not abandon the innocent Palestinians in Gaza, and indeed will make every effort to deal with their humanitarian needs." How can this commitment be upheld if our government stands by silently while Israel moves to exacerbate an already dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza? If the United States is genuinely interested in fostering peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the Israeli action cannot stand without rebuke.

Israel's harsh strategy will only prejudice future negotiations to end the conflict, which needs unified and empowered Palestinian and Israeli leadership to reach a comprehensive peace agreement.
Therefore, we urge you to take immediate action to

• Call on the Israeli government to immediately rescind its decision to designate Gaza as a "hostile entity."

• Demand that Israel's government fulfill its obligation as an occupying power under international humanitarian and human rights law to ensure the welfare of the Palestinian population in the Gaza Strip, notably its obligation to ensure the supply of essential necessities such as electrical power and to allow the movement of people and goods.

Remaining silent in the face of growing impoverishment and threats against the people of Gaza implies our consent. As people of faith and as Americans, we expect our government to support policies that foster peace and prosperity, not further violence and suffering in the Middle East.
-- Rev. Dr. Larry L. Greenfield, Executive Minister American Baptist Churches of Metro Chicago, Co-Convener, Chicago Faith Coalition on Middle East Policy, and 77 others including the following from Evanston: The Rev. Cotton Fite, Ph.D., Priest Associate, St. Luke's Church; Newland F. Smith, 3rd Church Network for Education on Palestine, Episcopal Diocese of Chicago Peace and Justice Working Group; Delbert M. Leppke, Working Group on the Middle East Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), Metro Chicago Synod; Rev. Robert V. Thompson, Lake Street Church of Evanston; Lynn Pollack, Member, Jewish Voice for Peace; Bernard F. Reilly, Clerk, Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Evanston Friends Meeting, David Boris, Board Member, North Suburban Peace Initiative; Rabbi Brant Rosen; Mary Sotir, member, St. Athanasius Peace and Justice Ministry; Rev. Dr. Pamela R. Lightsey, Ph.D., Dean of Students, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary; Fr. Robert H. Oldershaw, Pastor Emeritus, St. Nicholas Catholic Church

City Should Add Recycling Bins on the Street
Open Letter to City Council and City Manager Julia Carroll:

Though I am a resident of the 7th ward, I am writing to all of you because the subject involves all of Evanston.

Every week I ride my bicycle from my home near Central and Green Bay Road to the Food4Less grocery in the Main Street Commons.

All along the way I see litter. On one trip I decided to count the number of plastic bottles and aluminum cans in the street, on parkways and on lawns.

The total was 200 just on this one route, yet this litter problem is Citywide and, in fact, extends beyond Evanston.

I never go out for a walk without filling my hands with litter as I walk, but I can't even keep up with the trash on a single route; what I sweep up one day is replaced by more the next.

Recently I walked over to the Maday Auto Repair shop near Green Bay and Central and dug into a large collection of plastic bags thrown in the trash dumpster.

Here is a photo of the result - 490 aluminum cans (more than 6 pounds of aluminum) that otherwise would have gone to the landfill.

This is, of course, a result of tailgating parties before the Northwestern football game, but what a waste. And all these cans were just from one location.

Surely you all are witnesses to this problem. I wish I had a corps of civic-minded people to help me, but I'm sad to say that in my years of picking up litter I have only seen one other person doing so (though I am sure some do), so this problem is not going to go away or get better as a result of voluntary citizen action or contests to recycle aluminum such as Evanston had last month. Yet, some action can be taken that I hope you will join in.

1) Illinois needs a bottle bill where there is a deposit on every beverage container. The states that have such bills are pleased with the result. And why not?

Who will throw away 10 cents with every bottle and can? There are plenty of people who will pick up whatever containers are dropped in order to get the refund.

The results are dramatic.

I have contacted Julie Hamos on this a few times but the answer is always the same: Bottlers and grocers will kill any legislation, because they don't want the bother and expense.

but you and I are paying an expense daily with the mess before our eyes.

You on the Council can help by indicating to Rep. Hamos that such a bill is needed and that you would support it.

You can bring up the subject in council meetings to get the issue before Evanstonians, building the public support that is the only thing that will overcome the opposition of commercial interests.

2) Evanston needs to have recycling collection alongside trash barrels. Each week I trek to Central Street and pull all the recyclables out of the City trash barrels in the commercial district near Green Bay Road. I easily fill a blue City recycling toter every time with bottles, cans, Starbuck's plastic cups and newspapers.

People cannot recycle if there are no receptacle for recyclables. The NU football games create a huge volume (as depicted) of material that is treated as garbage. Help! I can't deal with it all but the city can.

Your support would be most appreciated.
-- Clif Brown,

Lakefront Planning Session on Nov. 15
Editor:

Regarding the development of a master plan for Evanston's lakefront, it is important for citizens to understand that the current proposal recommends several significant and, in my opinion, detrimental functional changes including: 1) relocation of the sailboat launch from Dempster Street Beach to Clark Street Beach, 2) practical elimination of Clark Street Beach as a swimming/recreational beach as it is redeployed to other uses and 3) establishment of commercial businesses at the lakefront on Lighthouse Beach.

Although this plan has been presented as a "consensus" proposal, there was actually much dissent on the desirability of these and other aspects of the plan at the last public meeting; the designers are currently soliciting more input and will present a modified planon Nov. 15 at the Civic Center.

If you agree that Dempster Street is a better location than Clark Street for a sailboat launch, enjoy the use of Clark St. as a swimming beach, and are opposed to even limited commercialization of the lakefront, it is important that you attend this next meeting to provide input on the plan which will be used to justify future changes to Evanston's most important natural asset.
-- Bill Schwimmer

Reconsider the Decision: Save the Georgian
Editor:

Mather LifeWays has demolished its one undistinguished building and in the process has, for several months, subjected their neighbors to constant intense noise, dirt and dust and steady traffic of giant trucks on Hinman Avenue.

It imposes other inconveniences on the neighborhood, starting at 7 a.m., six days a week, and will continue doing so for at least another year with the construction of its new, equally undistinguished, pseudo "old-Evanston" building with parking garage driveways and overhead garage doors facing the currently serene sidewalk.

Wouldn't it be a grand civic gesture if the [Mather] foundation's board members would reflect seriously once more on their earlier decision to also demolish the one and only prime building they will have left - The Georgian?

The Georgian is one of a number of landmark buildings located along the east side of Hinman Avenue between Grove and Church streets. In their architectural design, their scale and their use of materials of construction - in the case of the Georgian, the terra cotta panels and ornamentation - are outstanding examples of the best of Evanston's many traditional residential neighborhoods.

As the demolition of 1615 Hinman Ave. progressed, we, the neighbors, have witnessed perfect examples of how the senseless, ruthless destruction of sound buildings destroys irreplaceable and non-recoverable resources while consuming enormous quantities of energy, all of which we can ill afford to waste.

However, the board members should know that goals of sustainability and energy conservation can be met in existing buildings that are as sound as the Georgian.

With judicious use of The Georgian's interior space, saving only such treasures as the lobby and the dining room, the building could be completely rehabilitated to meet the board's concepts of what the next generation of retirees would expect to find in a facility such as this.

However, to achieve these objectives, a much more creative planning and architectural effort would be required than has been applied in the design of the proposed new building.

Probably a few rooms and suites would be lost from such a new design approach and, yes, that would affect the bottom line, but not as much as demolition and new construction would.

Wouldn't it be a grand civic gesture on the part of the board to save the Georgian for our neighborhood and for all of Evanston?
-- Hans A. Friedman, FAIA