Remarks at meeting not 'controversial'

I attended the Arlington Heights Committee of the Whole meeting Jan. 8 where the survey of residents regarding waste services was discussed. I take issue with the reporting of the meeting in the Jan. 9 Daily Herald article ("Arlington Heights asks residents to talk trash.")

One component of the survey that was discussed was a public forum for residents to speak their opinion and ask questions regarding the choice of services to be offered by the waste hauler. The marketing company hired by the Village to do the survey recommended this forum be held after the direct mail and telemarketing components of the survey have been completed because they thought that the level of awareness would be greatest at that point. I disagree that awareness will be greatest after the survey but that is not the issue I am addressing here.

I was the resident the article referred to in the statement, "Controversy arose after a member of the audience suggested that residents should be educated about environmental issues before they are surveyed."

Yes, I was the first to speak and express an argument for why I believed the forum should be held prior to the survey being disseminated, like a semester review BEFORE the final test.

However in my remarks I did not attempt to forward an environmental agenda. I expressed only a desire to give residents an opportunity to hear information regarding the various choices and ask questions so they may make informed decisions prior to completing the survey. To give my remarks a political agenda, and calling the ensuing discussion "controversy," was inaccurate and irresponsible reporting.

I left last night's meeting feeling positive about participating in a discussion whose outcome could have potentially benefitted the residents, now I feel extremely frustrated that what had been accomplished in the meeting may be erased by the political spin your reporter put on the article. The fact that Mayor Mulder disagrees with the need for a forum to disseminate information because she feels the media will play that role makes the inaccurate reporting in this article even more worrisome.

Mary Jo Warskow

Arlington Heights