Way of doing business challenged in Mettawa

The quiet in Mettawa has been shattered this election season, with candidates from opposing parties knocking on doors for one of the few times in the history of this village, a rural retreat with homes on sprawling lots.

At issue is whether current officials have been open enough with and responsive enough to the community - particularly when it comes to the sale of property near Route 60 and the Tri-State Tollway to Costco.

Topping the respective tickets are longtime incumbent Barry MacLean of the Mettawa Preservation Party and Jess Ray, representing the Mettawa Transparency Party.

Each party also fields three candidates for four-year trustee seats, as well as one each for a two-year spot.

At all levels, the main give and take has been straightforward: Challengers believe the board has been secretive and unresponsive to resident opinion, while incumbents counter that nothing is hidden, and their actions are geared to protecting and improving the rural atmosphere in the tiny community.

MacLean is CEO and president of MacLean-Fogg Co., a worldwide manufacturer of industrial components. He has served on the village board for about 38 of his 40 years in town and has been mayor since 1997.

Ray, a retired marketing expert, has lived in Mettawa for 11 years. His impetus for running and organizing a slate of opposition candidates has been what he considers deceptive and secretive dealings the village, under MacLean's leadership, has pursued to acquire property near Route 60 and the Tri-State Tollway.

That property is in the process of being sold to Costco. Ray filed a lawsuit against the village last fall questioning the actions leading to the pending sale. The suit is ongoing.

MacLean said he and the board through the years have protected the rural character of the village by preserving 5-acre zoning and securing 75-foot-deep landscaped easements along major highways.

Other actions, including annexing property north of Route 60 that had been approved by the county for a large office development, allowed the bedroom community to develop revenue sources. Some of that has been distributed to residents as a property tax rebate.

The proposed Costco property was assembled by the village in four separate purchases over a decade. The original purchase was part of a plan to prevent "helter-skelter development," MacLean says.

He added that the site south of Route 60 and east of Riverwoods Road is a logical spot for a development of that type and will generate $1 million a year for the village in revenue.

He said Costco is considering other sites in the area that would impact Mettawa.

"If you're going to get the traffic anyway ... that's a better choice for this village. It became controversial because people think it will change Mettawa's character. I don't think it does."

The money also will be needed if a CDW facility - and the $500,000 in annual sales tax it provides - leaves town, he added.

"We would hope to use the Costco dividend and purchase (other) properties we think are at risk," he said.

Ray contends the village misrepresented its intentions by telling buyers the land was being acquired for open space. He began asking questions when trees were cleared last fall, and ultimately filed suit.

"Everything in our lawsuit comes from discovery the village had to supply us. We're not making this stuff up," he said. "We just say you're not following the rules and this is a conflict of interest."

Ray asked why the village needed $1 million in revenue, saying there are ways to control costs, such as using volunteer expertise, bidding for all village services and controlling legal and administrative fees. He calls for the Costco sale to be rescinded.

Ray has described the operation of the village as being "more of a clique or a club" and has been critical of the way information about meetings is disseminated, until recently, when a village Web site was launched.

He contends residents have the right to know about and participate in village business.

MacLean says the village doesn't have to hold closed sessions because "no one comes to the meetings."

There is one thing that both candidates agree on: The goal is to maintain the rural character of Mettawa.