Tensions high as River Forest Township hosts ‘educational forum’

Anyone who thought the May 13 special meeting called by River Forest Township might finally be the opportunity for an open discussion of a possible merger or collaboration between the township and village would have been mistaken.

Instead the session appeared to be more about answering the questions the township wanted to address and something of a repeat of the township’s annual meeting from earlier this spring. Efforts to ask broad questions on the village’s interest in merging or consolidating services with the township were quickly slapped down.

During much of the 90-minute meeting, township officials, in workman-like manner, explained programs and services and answered queries. Some township trustees appeared uncertain about what might happen if any potential merger with the village took place.

Billed as an educational forum, the township specifically invited village trustees to learn about their efforts. It also could have been the first time that any potential discussion about a prospective referendum could have been broached. 

If that referendum were ever successful, it would require a merger between the governments, a move that most village trustees and village president Catherine Adduci had supported. And except for Township Supervisor Carla Sloan, no other township trustee had addressed it publicly.

When Village Trustee Tom Cargie raised the merger issue, long-time Township Trustee Anna Marie Romeo reacted strongly. 

“Given the apparent strength, the value that you believe the township provides, why not let the residents decide,” Cargie said. “Why did you fight so hard against the referendum or getting it approved in the legislature? Let’s just let the residents decide.”

Romeo snapped back.  “We’re not going to answer that. That’s not the purpose of this meeting. The purpose is to inform people about what township does, to answer any questions you have about the township.” 

Answered Cargie, “That was a question about the township.” Romeo responded, “that was not the purpose of the meeting.”

In response to Cargie, resident Sally Gibbs asked why the township would be any different from, say, the park district in terms of merger. “If you’re arguing the point for cost, why wouldn’t the village take over all the other boards and administration to save money,” Gibbs asked.

Romeo again was hostile. “Either ask questions or we’ll end the meeting. We don’t want discussion,” she said.

Tension crept into another exchange. Ironically, Village Trustee Tom Dwyer briefly mixed it up verbally with resident Al Popowits, who wanted to know what the township paid for administrative costs and the percentage of township services that went to administration. Dwyer’s father, Tom Dwyer Sr., once served on the Township Board of Trustees.

Popowits tried to ask another question when Dwyer interjected. “Is there another purpose you’re trying to get at?” Popowits replied, “I’m trying to gather general information.” 

Cargie seemed a bit incensed by Romeo’s response. “I thought it would have been more than a recitation of the annual meeting,” he said. “It should have been a full discussion.”

Asked afterward by Wednesday Journal why Cargie’s question wasn’t appropriate, Romeo said the township and the village hadn’t discussed the matter. Asked how she personally felt about the referendum, Romeo snapped “no comment,” and walked away.

About 45 people attended the meeting that Sloan said was not a “sales pitch.” She said that one percent of a River Forest resident’s property tax bill pays for township services.

Some residents wanted to know however what the result of any possible merger might be. Romeo said the township didn’t think it was in a position to talk about it because it hadn’t been discussed and no proposed plan had been brought forward. Sloan said it was complicated.

Cargie commented that if the referendum were approved, all the powers and duties would be transferred to the village.

Clearly though Sloan said that there was a clear separation and distinction in the missions between the village and the township. And every entity did an incredible job, she said. The village was trained and dedicated in what it does. Community Center board member Lew Rieck noted there were different skill sets: “The village takes care of streets, traffic lights…, the park district takes care of parks and dirt; I think of the township as taking care of people.”

In addition Veronica Belmonte, who served as township supervisor for 20 years before her election as a township trustee last year, said putting a question about a merger on the ballot didn’t make sense because residents didn’t have any knowledge of what the township is or does. “They don’t understand it. They say they (the village) will save money, but they have no knowledge of what that actually is.”

A bill, principally sponsored by state Rep. Chris Welch (D-7th), called for voters to decide by referendum whether all township services should be transferred to and performed by the River Forest. The township fought against the legislation; it was tabled before it even got to the floor of the Illinois House.

No talks have been scheduled as of now between the village and the township over any possible merger or potential for collaboration on programs or services. Palm went to a meeting in the fall of 2012 with an outline of a plan supported by the Rigas administration, but nothing transpired after that. Sloan and Palm had one meeting. River Forest trustees urged continued dialogue between the administrators after the township asked for a session among all the trustees.