Buffalo Grove passes new rules; Stone says 'Castro would be proud'

Buffalo Grove Village President Elliott Hartstein called it an ordinance that "codifies" the village's rules and procedures for running its meetings in an organized and clear fashion.

But for Trustee Lisa Stone, the ordinance "providing for Procedures of the Corporate Authorities of the Village of Buffalo Grove," passed nearly unanimously Monday night, is something straight out of Communist Cuba.

"I think it is anti-Democratic and I think Fidel Castro would be proud," said Stone, who cast the only "no" vote.

Stone's attack drew Hartstein's ire, who said he took "umbrage" at Stone's innuendo, thus continuing the public brawl over procedure between the village president and the trustee celebrating the anniversary of her first term in office.

The 14-page document outlines procedures addressing everything from when meetings occur to how ordinances and resolutions get passed.

But the parts that chafe Stone put limits on the time trustees and members of the audience can speak, and set rules for the manner of addressing the board. She said it hampers independent voices on the board.

If, she said, a trustee encountered a situation similar to Crestwood, where contaminated water was recently uncovered, that independent voice would be marginalized.

Other trustees, however, said the purpose of the ordinance is to provide structure for the meeting, not prohibit speech.

The ordinance gives the village president control over who speaks, and gives him the power to interrupt.

It also limits comments by trustees. During the Trustee Reports part of the meeting, comments will be limited to reports on committees and commissions, announcements and community activities.

Any new items can be addressed during New Business, but trustees are given a limit of five minutes and cannot introduce a future agenda item unless getting a second.

Members of the public get 10 minutes to address the board as a whole and are encouraged not to make repetitious comments.

Stone, meanwhile, said this is the third time in a year the board has acted to restrict the speech or activities of board members. She also referenced a code of conduct enacted for trustees and another time she was rebuked for going to Riverwoods and asking trustees there to oppose a Buffalo Grove off-track betting facility.

She said the efforts to "restrict" speech are clearly aimed at her.

"I clearly am the dissenting voice," Stone said, saying new board members have a hard time being heard.

Stone took particular issue with the provision that when a motion is pending, debate can be closed by the village president or any trustee who has the support of two-thirds of the board.

Hartstein said the rules and procedures are not unique to Buffalo Grove, but followed throughout the world, "probably for a couple hundred years or longer with regard to how debate is controlled. "

Stone replied that she fears a corporate authority "all on the same page" could shut down dissent.

"It's very clear what's going on," she said, "and if you think that the community is not viewing it that way you're kidding yourself. "

Stone also felt the ordinance would chill public comment.

"You're basically telling people they shouldn't come and speak to the board," she argued.

Hartstein took offense.

"At no time have I ever not given anybody on this board or the public an opportunity to say virtually anything they want to say," he said, calling her Castro reference "distasteful, inappropriate and disgusting."

Trustee Jeffrey Braiman said he believes the ordinance merely provides guidelines for respectful conduct, and added in his nearly two decades as trustee he has never seen the village president cut anybody off. If anything, the rules promote more discussion because the ordinance calls for a suspension of the rules to allow more time, he said.

Trustee Steven Trilling said Hartstein has always given members of the public ample time to convey their thoughts, regardless of whether they were repetitious.

Trustee DeAnn Glover said she was tired of hearing from stone how the rest of board is trying to stifle discussion.

"That's just not the truth, and I'm tired of being accused of that," she said.

Trustee Beverly Sussman, who was also elected a year ago, said she has been involved for many years with the commission serving residents with disabilities and has seen the board in action during that time.

"I have to tell you each person up here and their predecessors have always been at one time or another the dissenting vote," she told Stone. "So if you think for one minute that you are the only person who is a dissenting vote in the village of Buffalo Grove, I hate to burst your bubble, but you are wrong."