The River Forest Board of Trustees met on June 17 to vote on the ZBA findings. The meeting was a real love feast even though there was no food available. The president and the trustees showered the residents with unending praise for their efforts to overturn a petition that the village itself wanted approved. It was difficult for me to recognize the board’s president and trustees as the same persons who for many years ignored the comments of any resident opposing the petition to modify the zoning.
I wondered: Are these trustees the same people? Why did they change their attitude so drastically? Was it the result of a collective epiphany?
The behavior of the president and trustees, their patronizing attitude toward the residents, and their utter belief that we are nothing but a bunch of nincompoops with no memory of their past decisions is somewhere between comical and insulting.
The president insisted that this is how the system works: there is a proposal, the proposal is discussed by the appropriate board/commission in front of the residents, and the trustees make their decision based on the recommendations of the board/commission. As the president said to me, the board trustees listen to the recommendations. Unless of course when they do not, and this process is completely ignored.
Here is an example, not to rehash the past, but to emphasize the logical coherence and trustworthy rationality of our village president.
Copied and pasted from page 3 of the transcript of the March 13, 2023 meeting:
“President Adduci invited Dr. Nucifora up to the podium to give public comment regarding the traffic installations in the Northeast portion of town. Dr. Nucifora asked if the village has already decided that the traffic installations will become permanent. President Adduci stated yes and the projects have been budgeted for.” (https://www.vrf.us/uploads/cms/documents/events/VBOT_Packet_Compressed_04-10-23.pdf)
I still do not understand why Ms. Adduci said that, given that the board had not voted, that no money had been approved for the work, and given that at least one professional study had nixed the plan.
So I do not know whether the president and the trustees pretend, do not listen, or whether they really do not know what they are doing. No offense intended here, but the trustees and the president are not experts on zoning, traffic, planning, or any issue that arises in the village. They all are residents as are those who disagree with them. Equal residents. They have been elected to represent the residents and to work in the residents’ best interest. They are not obligated to do it, but if they accept to do it, it should be with full understanding of what they are doing and in the best interest of the residents, not in the best interest of one of them.
Please be honest and consistent with us.
Giuseppina Nucifora
River Forest