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Politics & Government

Park Board Candidates Pledge No Pension Scandal Repeat

In vying for 3 seats, the 7 hopefuls give their views on issues at League of Women Voters forum.

Speaking in the shadow of the Park District that broke last summer, all seven candidates for three park commissioner seats said that preventing a repeat would be their highest priority during a .

All contenders for the openings spoke forcefully against the given to former Executive Director Ralph Volpe and former Finance Director Ken Swan to substantially increase their retirement packages. The hopefuls mentioned how they would prevent a similar situation from happening in the future during the March 6 meeting at the Highland Park Country Club. 

“I think what we have to remember is that something bad happened and we can’t let it happen again,” said Brian Kaplan. “It’s a different scale. It’s Bernie Madoff, it’s Enron. It happened. We’ve got to move forward.” 

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, who was appointed to the board and is also running for a four-year term seat, described increased transparency and openness at the Park District as measures aimed at preventing compensation abuse. He also explained how each commissioner must sign a form acknowledging they know the amount of all pensions. 

, another incumbent who was appointed, echoed the calls for transparency and openness. He discussed how he thought openness worked. 

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“The reason I am sitting here today, in the first place, is for this very reason to make sure this never happens again, and believe me it will not,” Meyers said. “Transparency only works if someone’s looking, and we’re all looking.” 

Meyers and Forest Barbieri are opponents for a six-year-term seat on the commission. Kaplan, Kutscheid, , and are competing for two four-year openings. 

 , Commissioners Stacy Weiss and Nancy Rosenbaum resigned under public pressure. Former Highland Park Finance Director David Fairman and Kutscheid were appointed to replace them.

A month later, Werhane stepped down as board president and was replaced by Meyers. Werhane stayed on for a while so there was a quorum to conduct business. He left when all the new members came aboard. 

to run again. He gave assurances of improved stewardship. 

“I would assume that and agree with the other people who have spoken that these safeguards have been put in place,” Werhane said. “It’s very important to sign his name or her name to the evaluations and pensions in the future.” 

In addition to their noting steps to keep the Park District scandal free, the candidates discussed improvements at Rosewood Beach, user fees, program registration procedures, expansion of activities and decline of golf participation in the community. 

Before any of the terms up for election expire, the Park District will take control of the golf course. It already operates .

In addition to Highland Park Country Club and Sunset Valley, the board will most likely have to deal with proposed nine-hole at in the near future. Though the course would be maintained by Lake County Forest Preserve District, it would increase supply in an environment with falling demand.

“Sunset golf course and the Highland Park Country Club lost almost a million dollars last year,” said Weisskopf. “We need to reassess our options. How can we provide a high-quality course that is financially successful?” 

Meyers sees a challenge in balancing the interests of those who want to play golf with the available tax dollars.

Barbieri would take a business approach to operating the courses. “I’ve taken over many businesses where the numbers weren’t what they should be,” he said. “We need to go in and structurally look at a paradigm shift that will allow us to not subsidize but indeed to either break even at worst case and make money at best.”

Kutscheid understands that eliminating one golf course creates a 100-acre park. He wants to plan for that.

Kaplan wants to see the unused links become a park with walking paths and retention ponds when the Park District controls both Sunset Valley and the Highland Park Country Club in 2014. 

“What I’d love to see when this golf course behind me comes back to us in the year 2014 [is] that we take it or Sunset and make something akin to Independence Grove,” Kaplan said. “That’s a use we as Highland Parkers can be proud of.” 

Vilker does not think government should be in the business of operating golf courses or other recreational endeavors such as hockey or soccer leagues. Werhane mentioned that both golf courses contribute to the city’s storm water management system.

Another major project looming for the Park District is and the building that many hope will become part of it. Kutscheid said the Army Corps of Engineers might work to improve the site. Once the extent of that work is understood, it will be time to focus on specifics. 

“Rosewood Beach needs to be first and foremost a beach,” Kutscheid said. “The structure needs to support the uses of the beach and whether that be education, concessions or it be a beach house, restroom or shower facilities.” 

Vilker would listen strongly to the wishes of the Ravinia Neighbors Association, which wants to see a small structure built. “I agree with that decision,” he said.

Weisskopf hopes to retain Rosewood Beach in as much of a natural state as possible and heeds the neighborhood group's advice. 

“A large facility is not desired by a significant part of the community,” Weisskopf said. “However renovations such as public restrooms and walkways are certainly necessary. In this case less is more.”

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