Village Green controversy continues in Buffalo Grove

With Trustee Lisa Stone again decrying what she called a double standard, Buffalo Grove trustees began discussion this week of an ordinance establishing a permit process for groups that want to reserve exclusive use of the Rotary Village Green.

The ordinance would amend the chapter of the village code for parades and public assemblies. It was written after Stone pointed out that a group of her opponents held a rally in favor of her recall on the green without having to obtain a permit, while a Stevenson High School student who wanted to use the green to raise awareness to the plight of Ugandan children was told she needed a permit and insurance.

In presenting the ordinance to the board Monday, Deputy Village Manager Ghida Neukirch said that although the permit process has been in place for 20 years for the green located along Buffalo Grove Road near Old Checker Road, it was handled at the staff level and had never been brought forward to the village board for codification.

In the last 20 years, only 14 applications have been reviewed by village staff, including two village events, five Cub Scout gatherings and a wedding.

As proposed, the ordinance would require insurance, reimbursement for cleanup costs and the use of police or fire personnel, portable toilets and permits for any vendors. Neukirch said those requirements are similar to the ones for such special events as the Farmers Market. They would apply if the green were to be used for exclusive purposes.

Village President Elliott Hartstein said he was concerned about overly broad language in the proposal.

"I think we need to tighten this up significantly," Hartstein said.

Trustee Jeffrey Berman said the draft needs to be tailored as narrowly as possible to ensure against including activities the village doesn't want to regulate.

He also had reservations about the billing provisions. "At minimum, we need to be upfront with folks" about costs, he said. And he worried that too restrictive an ordinance could dissuade people from assembling and violate the First Amendment.

Trustee Jeffrey Braiman said if the village board had known about the student's request, trustees would have waived the cost, as it has done in the past with charitable organizations. He said he has an underlying problem with the concept of the ordinance, since the green is public land maintained by public funds.

Stone said the village already has a mechanism in place with the special event permit process created in 2000. "Maybe you forgot that you already did this 10 years ago," she said.

The real issue, she said, is that some need to get permits and insurance and others don't. Stone said former Village Manager William Brimm, who was not in attendance, allowed the gathering of the recall group to take place.

Hartstein interrupted her, saying she was trying to impugn Brimm's integrity. "It is out of order and unnecessary." And Neukirch said, "I truly don't believe he knew about it."

Stone's comments also were criticized by Trustees Beverly Sussman and Braiman.

"He is not here to defend himself, and I think that's improper," Braiman said.