Jenny: We're listening on Glenview Fire Station 13

"Winning was easy, young man; governing's harder." Lin-Manuel Miranda as Alexander Hamilton in "Hamilton"

As a sitting trustee and candidate for Glenview Village president, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who took the time to comment during our special meeting on Monday night regarding Fire Station 13. It was a clear reminder for me that while our job is to make decisions on data and expert opinions it is imperative that we seek community input early on in our analysis. Our job is about representing the residents, and that means listening and hearing their concerns.

There is a perception that the board exists to make decisions. That is only partially accurate. The Board of Trustees does indeed make decisions but must only do so after carefully reviewing all the data and viewpoints. Being a data-driven board simply means that we will ask insightful questions, challenge the status quo, and develop novel solutions. We cannot do that effectively if we aren't proactively collecting data points, particularly the input from the public.

The residents of Glenview deserve to be treated with respect - and that means the board and its president must always be deliberate in their actions and transparent in all processes. But it also means we must maintain self-awareness, and as a board, make the hard decisions. Sometimes, the hardest decision is to recognize when we have made a mistake, or when we get an issue wrong. I am thankful that we live in a Village where the public will hold us accountable and challenge our decisions.

I am proud of the unanimous direction provided by the board to explore how Glenview can leave Fire Station 13 open and better utilized. I also believe we must continue to follow and evaluate the data, while at the same time continually seeking different ways to use our assets more effectively and efficiently. I am particularly grateful for Glenview residents and first responders who provided additional thoughts for alternative solutions while leaving the fire station open.

I also want to be clear. Leadership is not just making decisions. Leadership is also being strong enough to admit mistakes. This week, I admitted that as a board, we let our residents down. I do not take that lightly, and my promise to the community is that we will move forward working together to do better.