Hanover Pk. candidates spar over police station

Hanover Park's Rodney Craig and Lori Kaiser actually agree on something: $27 million for a new police station and village hall renovations is way too steep.

Of course, the rival candidates for village president still managed to point fingers as to why the village board heard such an extravagant proposal in the first place.

"The creation and presentation of this plan emphasizes lack of transparency and openness within our village government," Craig, the incumbent, wrote on his blog.

He maintains that from the beginning, the process has lacked oversight by officials. He said the majority that controls the village board - including Kaiser, a trustee - allowed staff to select the architectural firm when there should have been a choice.

He said the project needs public input, which would best obtained at a workshop he doesn't have the ability to call.

"They rewrote the rules of order to disempower me," Craig said. "I don't control anything."

As a result, he said, the focus expanded from simply a new police station to a major overhaul of the municipal complex. The board saw the "Rolls-Royce" of plans while operating in an "economy-car economy."

Kaiser said Police Chief Ron Moser recommended the firm, Chicago-based PSA-Dewberry, based on its reputation and portfolio of other area police stations.

In response to Craig's blog entry, Kaiser's CommUnity Party released its own statement, written by Trustee Bill Manton, stating members were appalled at the "boondoggle."

They blamed Craig for not bringing in other proposals and said he failed to provide staff any direction with regard to the project's price tag.

"Rod doesn't know how much anything costs," Kaiser said. "I'd assume the mayor could tell the village manager to tone it down."

CommUnity members said they will be hands-on throughout the planning process and use their construction expertise to trim at least two-thirds from the $27 million.

Kaiser is hesitant even to let the planning move forward in this economic climate. She won't support any construction, not even for a pared down police station. Hanover Park would have to issue bonds and raise property taxes, which Kaiser said is not an option.

Craig said the project can move forward if it's limited to a new police station and does not include village hall renovations.