Let Tolomei carry out downtown plan
I am coming to the end of a 12-year privilege of serving as a trustee for the village of Lake Zurich. As I get to the end of my term, I'd like to make some observations on what's happening in our town. In responding to Judi Thode's letter to the Daily Herald's Fence Post on Feb. 28, I'd like to point out that due diligence was and has been performed on Mr. David Smith and the project he brings to Lake Zurich for well over a year. The other trustees are aware that has been done. Why Mrs. Branding and Ms. Thode weren't aware, I don't know. That confirmation can be seen on the regular board meeting of Feb. 23. Financial projections as Ms. Thode has asked for have been done long ago. This project passed financial scrutiny last fall. Projects of this size often require regulatory studies such as an environmental impact study. All needed studies will be performed, but completion of such studies require spending millions of dollars on preliminary engineering. John Tolomei drew up a deal that makes ESG and David Smith pay for the engineering and the studies. Following Ms. Thode's and Mrs. Branding's approach to development would require the village put up these millions of dollars since no developer will do so without having a contract already set in place. Ms. Thode, Mrs. Branding and the C.A.R.E. group have never wanted this project in the first place. But low and behold, their mood seems to have changed. I guess as they circulate through the neighborhoods during this political season, they're finding that the people really want this to happen. There is overwhelming support for this project from most everybody. I guess they had better get on board with this or they risk becoming irrelevant. They don't seem to stand for anything except to be against the vision which John Tolomei and the Village Pride slate have for this town. Ms. Thode, in her follow-up letter to the Fence Post on 3/4, asks the people to view the board meeting of Feb. 23. I totally concur. View that meeting! You will see that the will of the village is strongly for this project. Listen to the people who spoke. This is going to be great for our town. It's exciting! Even the former C.U.R.E. slate who are now trustees didn't have one descending vote ... not one. I guess they realized that due diligence was done long ago and it is the will of the majority. However, make no mistake, this project for downtown is the vision of John Tolomei, not anyone else. I can verify that because I was there at the first meetings more than a year ago. It was his vision and his alone that got it started. This project will best be handled by the man whose vision it is, John Tolomei, and the Village Pride slate. I personally can't wait for it to happen!
Steve McAvoy
Lake Zurich