Longtime plan commissioner honored for contributions to Buffalo Grove

When Stephen Goldspiel and his late wife, Andrea, moved to Buffalo Grove in the early 1970s, the village was still clinging to some of its agrarian roots.

"There were cows on Route 83 east of Arlington Heights Road. There were barns up and down Lake-Cook Road, such as it was," Goldspiel said this week. "There were farms that extended from Arlington Heights Road west as far as the eye could see."

But, he said, "We knew the cows wouldn't stay on Route 83 forever."

Goldspiel helped shepherd Buffalo Grove's evolution into a suburb through his nearly five decades of service on village commissions. That service was honored at Monday's village board meeting.

Village President Beverly Sussman read a proclamation recognizing Goldspiel's accomplishments, including serving on the plan commission from 1974 to 2013, with six years as its chair, then later the Planning and Zoning Commission from 2014 until his recent decision to step down.

The proclamation commended Goldspiel as "an inspiration for all of those who seek to make the village of Buffalo Grove a strong and more vibrant community."

Former Village President Jeffrey Braiman lauded Goldspiel's knowledge of transportation and civil engineering issues.

"He made sure that every developer did the right thing and questioned everything," he said. "Much of what Buffalo Grove looks like now is the result of Steve."

Trustee Eric Smith, who served on the plan commission when Goldspiel was chair, said Goldspiel voted his conscience, even when it meant going against the rest of the panel.

Goldspiel shared the acclaim Monday with those who served alongside him.

"Very many people have contributed to the growth of Buffalo Grove, including village boards, volunteers and the residents. And the work of all these people, which was a lot of work, built a community that keeps winning notice as one of the best places to live," he said.