Park District of La Grange Park not ‘making friends’
Responding to recent articles about the Park District of La Grange Park, the district lost not one but two referendums — the second by a whopping 2,500 votes. And the issue was location and still is location.

As a citizen, I felt violated as the other 2,499 voters who voted no. Why? The Park Board arrogantly ignored the voters, issued bonds and constructed a $2.2 million administration building without a gymnasium. You don’t make friends this way.

We are told there is a new interest in the Park District programs. There has always been great interest in the park programs, despite its stagnant offerings. Senior citizen bus trips to casinos is not an appropriate activity. A survey with 200 responses, a 20 percent response, is a laugh.

We need new people who are creative, imaginative and have a strong interest to develop programs to reach all age groups. I support the caucus procedure, and hopefully new candidates will provide us with stimulating programs. However, it is not a perfect process.

There was no long-range planning for a complete recreational facility to serve our community. Memorial or Robinhood parks would have been more appropriate for a building site.

Our current programs are costly. Residents own the park property, a main building, pay taxes for maintenance and salaries — a nonprofit organization. How much do we pay instructors, and are they qualified?

The new commissioners should evaluate all aspects of expenditures. Programs offered should be accessible to all residents at a reasonable fee. Perhaps an audit is advisable. Public service is a privilege. The taxpayers wish list is a well-designed, managed Park District.

Tony Soucek, La Grange Park

Political party thanks Westchester voters
On behalf of the entire Westchester Comes First Party (Sam Pulia, Catherine Booth, Walter Novak, Brian Sloan and Nick Stecker), I would like to thank each and every resident of Westchester who supported our candidacy and our commitment to bringing positive change to our community. We are humbled by your overwhelming vote of confidence and promise to work hard to move Westchester through these difficult times and into a brighter future.

To those residents who supported the other candidates, it is my hope and desire that we can all work together to make Westchester a great place to live, shop and raise a family. Our party believes that at the end of the day we are all in this together, since we all believe Westchester truly does come first. We welcome your support.

Sam Pulia, Westchester President-elect

Residents need to stay involved after election
The election is over. But before moving on, we would like to thank the Riverside community for the support shown, the friendships forged and the opportunities extended.

Virtual strangers six months ago, the common thread that connected us was community service. The evening of April 7, Mr. Gorman described Riverside as being a village of neighbors, and so we are.

But more than relying on mere proximity, we need to foster a commonality of purpose in these challenging times. Toward that goal, we will remain engaged, as we were before, in that which brought us together — service to the people and essence of Riverside.

Where appropriate, we will assist the new administration. But looking beyond government, we urge everyone to get involved at some level for the good of all.

Kevin Smith, David Lesniak, Tony Miezio and Kelly Navarro, Riverside Party candidates

Image Council appreciates community support
Thank you to all the volunteers and donors who made the Westchester Community Image Council’s first Clean Sweep on May 2 a success.

Volunteer “litter patrols” worked at about a dozen spots throughout town picking up trash. They were individuals and families, Scout troops, Indian Guides and Princesses, and students from Westchester Middle School, St. Joe’s and Proviso West high schools. We collected nearly 60 bags of trash. Also, members of Westchester Gardens helped us get the season started by weeding and pruning in our Boulevard Gardens.

In the meantime, at our collection site by Village Hall, we collected computers to be recycled or refurbished, food for the Westchester Food Pantry, cell phones for the sheriff’s department’s Cell Phones for Seniors program, flags to be retired in a Flag Day ceremony and eyeglasses for the Westchester Lions Club.

Special thanks to Public Works Director Rusty Gross, who helped us setting up the collection site and coordinating disposal of the trash bags. We hope to top this event next year.

Paige Fumo Fox, Lenore Micatka, Cheryl Rodriguez, Genny Panek and Sarah Torrens, Westchester Community Image Council Board of Directors