Friday, June 8, 2012
Councilman concerned about the transparency and efficiency in which the city is handling library update.
Summer is upon us, and work continues on the many challenges facing the City of Highland Park. My priorities as Councilman remain to improve core city services, minimize taxpayer costs and protect our environment. In different ways, I have focused on these themes in recent months. Want Highland Park news in your inbox every morning? Subscribe to Patch's newsletter. Library Improvements Start Without Needed Taxpayer Protections The City recently started some exciting multi-year, multi-million dollar improvements to the Public Library. The result will be a more modern, user-friendly facility, and I fully support these improvements. But with any City project, especially of this size, it is critical that we protect taxpayers by minimizing …
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
City Council hopes to reduce waste by helping residents opt out of phone book deliveries.
Before he was elected to the City Council, David Naftzger noticed the way Yellow Pages would lay in piles on residents' driveways for months, waiting to be picked up by a snowplow or to collapse in the rain. The councilman knew these phone books often went straight from residents' doorsteps to their dumpsters. "It resonated with me," Naftzger said. On Feb. 13, the councilman voted with the rest of the City Council to adopt a resolution that should make it easier for residents to opt out of receiving Yellow Pages. An industry-sponsored opt-out registry by Yellow Pages will, Naftzger hopes, reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills in Highland Park. "My goal is not to reduce Yellow Pages," Naftzger said. "It is to reduce and eliminate …
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
No tax increase not enough for city councilman.
Councilman David Naftzger chastised his colleagues for not doing enough as the City Council passed the 2012 budget with a 6-1 vote Monday. “We missed an opportunity to change the way we provide services,” Naftzger said. The fact that the budget did not include a property tax levy increase was not enough for Naftzger who was the lone dissenting vote. Mayor Nancy Rotering was joined by Councilmen Steve Mandel, Jim Kirsch, Daniel Kaufman, Paul Frank and Tony Blumberg supporting the ordinance. “I’m sorry we could not reduce taxes," Naftzger said. He has advocated using the city’s fund balance to cut taxes throughout the months long process. Kirsch heaped compliments on Rotering’s stewardship through the lengthy workshops when the Council …
Monday, October 17, 2011
Changes to the Business and Economic Development Commission also discussed.
Looking for ways to help Highland Park residents remain in their homes and the community, the City Council took direct action to modify enforcement of the real estate transfer tax last Monday and agreed to discuss additional opportunities to help citizens. Any time a change is made in the title to property in Highland Park, the seller must pay the city a one-time tax of $5 for every $1000 of value, though there are some exceptions, like a homeowner refinancing a mortgage. 'Just for the bank' Gayle Weinberg Kalmin told the Council at its last meeting how she had to pay a transfer tax twice. She was charged once when she added her father to the title and again when he was removed 18 months later. No money was exchanged and she never moved…
Monday, October 10, 2011
City Council share different views about using Highland Park’s reserves.
The use of Highland Park’s cash reserve became an issue once again Thursday at a budget workshop as the City Council waded into the 2012 budget presented to the Council Sept. 29 by City Manager Dave Limardi. The proposed budget included the use of approximately $510,000 from the city’s cash reserve for capital improvements to the Highland Park Public Library in lieu of an increase in the property tax levy. The Council raised taxes a year ago to help pay for the library’s needs. When the subject of the library was raised during the workshop, the Council went beyond the initial proposal. Limardi was asked about the library’s capital needs beyond 2012 and told council members that $2.5 million would be needed to bring needed maintenance up …
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
City Council takes steps to give citizens choices on purchasing electricity.
A first step toward reducing electricity costs for citizens of Highland Park was unanimously taken by the City Council Monday at its regularly scheduled meeting. The Council tentatively set Dec. 12 for a vote to place a referendum on the March 20 primary ballot that will give the City the right to negotiate with independent electric providers to purchase power that it can resell to its citizens. Though the electricity could be purchased from a source other than Commonwealth Edison, the utility will continue to deliver the power through its infrastructure. Bills will still come from ComEd. “We can buy in bulk,” Mayor Nancy Rotering said. “We have the opportunity to work with other municipalities as well.” Lake Forest took a similar step…
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Council devising comprehensive plan to renew city's sales tax rebates.
Members of the Highland Park City Council took a step closer to creating a comprehensive sales tax rebate program to entice new businesses and retain existing ones. The board acted Monday at its Committee of the Whole Meeting before the regular council gathering. Mayor Nancy Rotering asked Councilmen Jim Kirsch and Paul Frank to work with City Manager Dave Limardi and Finance Director Elizabeth Holleb to create a detailed plan to help the business community. It is expected to be discussed at the Sept. 12 Committee of the Whole meeting. Read More: Council Weighs Lifting Sales Tax Moratorium. Before 2008, the city helped new businesses such as Target or auto dealerships by rebating a portion of the sales tax that the company collected to …
Thursday, August 11, 2011
City Council sets Sept. 7 meeting date as it puts final touches on bid guidelines.
A meeting to gather public input on the future of the Highland Park Theatre is scheduled on Sept. 7 before the City Council puts the final touches on a Request for Proposals (RFP) set for five days later. Community Development Director Michael Blue announced the public hearing at Monday's Committee of the Whole meeting and said it aimed to allow maximum attendance after the Labor Day holiday. Neither the time nor location of the Sept. 7 meeting has been determined. Blue indicated the information would be available by Aug. 15. Blue disclosed a timetable for a decision by Nov. 25 along with a 12-page draft RFP for council members to review at Monday’s meeting. During debate over the RFP language, Councilmen Jim Kirsch and Steve Mandel …
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Mayor asks to assemble theater wishlist for for July 25 discussion.
A new life for the Highland Park Theatre took another step forward Monday at the City Council’s Committee of the Whole meeting. Mayor Nancy Rotering gave herself and the six councilmen homework to complete by the end of the week to let City Manager Dave Limardi know the key elements they want to see in a Request for Proposal (RFP) to go to potential developers. Limardi promised the Council a draft of an RFP for review at its next Committee of the Whole session July 25. One potential suitor, Nova Cinemas, has already indicated a desire to offer a plan that would include live entertainment and movies. The homework is a form given to each councilman and the mayor asking them to rank their preferences for development with such choices as …
Friday, July 1, 2011
Discussion of project ends as three contracts are approved, 4-2.
Councilman David Naftzger asked for a thorough review of the city’s planned $31 million upgrade of its 82-year old water treatment plant at Monday’s City Council meeting. Though the other councilmen discussed Naftzger's request, the Council later voted 4-2 to approve three contracts affiliated with the project and avoid any potential delays to work scheduled to begin in September. A bond issue to pay for the project is planned this summer. The three contracts were among 10 items set for approval on the omnibus agenda by the City Council without debate. Council members have an opportunity to remove these items for discussion. Naftzger, , one of Highland Park’s three newly elected City Councilmen, asked they be given further review. …
Ken Robertson
6:52 pm on Monday, June 11, 2012
I guess I expected that you would do some research on your own, David, before making your conclusions. Here's where we part ways: 1) Nobody is claiming the library should expand forever in size and acquisitions. As I've pointed out multiple times now, the library is managed well, including the weeding/management of collections. Again, HP funds their library way below our neighbors. This is my … more ›