Gurnee trustee gets tree refund; board colleague calls it wrong

Gurnee Trustee Jeanne Balmes says it was wrong for village board colleague Greg Garner to receive a refund for municipal parkway trees he no longer wanted.

Balmes said Friday the village board's decision this week to refund Garner $495 has established a precedent that can open the door to other residents seeking refunds.

At a meeting Monday night, Mayor Kristina Kovarik joined trustees Kirk Morris and Hank Schwarz to approve the refund, in a 3-3 vote that Village Attorney Bryan Winter said constituted approval.

Garner abstained; trustees Michael Jacobs, Cheryl Ross and Balmes voted "no."

On May 26, three saplings that Garner ordered through Gurnee's cost-share program were planted on his private property instead of the public parkway.

Similar to programs in other suburbs that encourage tree planting on parkways, this year Gurnee and residents will share the cost of about 60 saplings. The village pays half the $330 cost of delivery and planting of each tree, with the homeowner covering the $165 balance.

Garner, meanwhile, has claimed all along that he had approval from top village staffers to have the trees planted on his property instead of the parkway. He says the trees would not have thrived on his parkway because of their proximity to power lines.

However, no village staffers have supported Garner's claim that he had prior permission.

After they were planted in his yard, crews returned, dug up the saplings and replanted them on Garner's parkway. When Garner objected, they dug them up again and took them away.

"I'm glad they refunded my money, even though it was a 3-3 tie," Garner said Friday. "I've already texted the mayor to thank her for her vote."

Balmes, who said her opposition to the refund was "not personal in nature," said the refund could open up a hornet's nest.

"Any citizen that decides they want parkway trees and pays for them, but then decides to move them on their property illegally, should not be reimbursed when he doesn't get his way and decides he doesn't want them," Balmes said.

For the past two years Garner has voted against flower bills Balmes periodically submits to the village on behalf of her business, Gurnee Flowers by Balmes. Gurnee Flowers is the only florist in town, and the village buys flowers for special occasions from her.

Garner traditionally makes a statement on how his position isn't personal but that he doesn't believe elected officials should do business with the village.

Under state law, Balmes can do business with the village she represents as an elected official as long as sales don't top $4,000 annually.

Balmes said she also files an annual economic interest form with the state and is prohibited from charging more than $2,000 on one contract.