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Niles Is No Longer A Monarchy
Niles has to become a representative democracy. It's time to bring village government into the 21st century. A Letter to the Editor from Niles Village Trustee Louella Preston.
The following Letter to the Editor states the opinions of the author. Patch is serving as a platform for writers to express their views.
Friends and supporters have asked me to make a response to the hopelessly weak and offensive claims about my civic commitments. What is so surprising to all is that some of the people who level these ludicrous protests are the same people who campaigned and voted for me in many past elections. What their motives for dissing me now are best known to them and to God.
These critics assert that I have been in office longer than most trustees in Illinois and pretend they are amazed that I am seeking office again while supporting term limits. They offer no similar criticism against Blase (47 years as mayor), Callero (18 years in elected office) or Andrew Przybylo (24 years as a trustee). Forget those facts, just GET PRESTON! I have served as a Niles Trustee for 28 years and I am proud of my service and contributions to our village.
The administration in the 1980s accepted my service not for my ideas and contributions but because I was to be the “token woman” on the board. I have been the only woman on the board for more than 20 of those 28 years. I bit my lip and served. I would not have been able to do so had I declined. To effect change a person has to be in a position to be there. Over the years I felt it was necessary to have that kind of presence on the Board so I sought reelection. The voters looked at my record and liked what they saw.
At no time was I ever a member of any “inner circle” that ruled the village. I was never involved in “secret negotiations” or “deals” which were rumored or known to have taken place. While others declined being the village’s representative to other quasi-governmental bodies, I gladly accepted the challenge to do so. Serving on two such groups before the Blase disgrace, my presence was increased to five after he was gone. We needed someone to be on these boards and I again accepted the challenge. Being an attorney helped me to understand and to sort out problems. My presence brought benefits to Niles. It was very satisfying, both personally and civically. I have no regrets.
The critics claim that my purse is overflowing with bundles and bundles of dollars taken from all these sources. Wrong. No off-shore bank accounts either! Just as in church groups, non-profit organizations and other public- spirited bodies, active officers and participants are granted stipends to cover expenditures like gasoline, out-of-town expenses and so forth. There is nothing that is either illegal or immoral in getting those stipends. The Blase/Callero/Przybylo Dynasty had never to my knowledge turned down the same. Again…GET PRESTON!
I chose to run for reelection with the Responsible Leadership for Niles Team because it would be the first time I could seek office in partnership with truly independent and focused individuals, including my friend Mary Marusek. Chris Hanusiak (for Mayor) and Jim Hynes (for Trustee) joined with me and other trustees to bring Niles governance into the twenty-first century, a place which could be known as a representative democracy, not as some archaic, languishing kingdom of one monarch after another, each anxiously awaiting “his turn.”
My support for term limits is unequivocal. It can’t be simpler than that. If it immediately affects me, so be it. I have never walked away from a fight or left a Village Board meeting like Przybylo did, when he stormed out of the meeting on September 20, 2011. I am not going to do so now. We expect that the Responsible Leadership for Niles Team will be elected in April and that we will be able to begin the long-needed turnaround of our village. I consider myself a very lucky person—I have a loving husband who encourages and supports me, fellow candidates who exemplify the best in honesty and integrity, a great place to get things done, and the vim and vigor to take on the challenges ahead.
Louella Blaine Preston
Trustee, Village of Niles
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
KC
9:52 am on Monday, March 18, 2013
As quoted on patch and verified in official village minutes; "Preston was the only trustee to completely oppose term limits. Now she quotes in Patch; " My support for term limits is unequivocal". Do you really think you will fool the voters. Preston woman in a leadership roles don't state; "I was the "token woman" and sat there for 20 plus years and "bit my lip". Independent ethical woman would have had the courage to do what's right. Instead for 20 plus years you were a Nick Blase "inner circle" YES person. You could never have been reelected without Nick. You know it and the entire Niles knows it. This letter is insulting to us long time niles citizens. Please tell all of us; what is your record? The NO votes over the years against many business developments? The NO votes against 6-B help to keep business in NIles. These votes would have put Niles in a tax increasing situation if not for the other trustees. You voted for video gaming when all the other trustees voted against bringing gambling to our town. Preston tell everyone; did you get a village owned computer, did you get taxpayer paid cable and internet service at your home, did you get home phone service, did you get cell phone use? Please tell us how many trips you and hubbie went on paid for by the taxpayers? Preston, being ethical starts with telling the truth. 20 years a token Blase Lady and you just sat there and "bit your lip". The citizens wasted 20 years of leadership by voting for you. Get new people in.
Matthew Lagodzinski
9:53 am on Monday, March 18, 2013
“My support for term limits is unequivocal. It can’t be simpler than that.”
What makes this complex is that there have been conflicting articles that we as voters need to consider.
http://niles.patch.com/articles/niles-trustees-air-differences-on-term-limits
“Short tenures would prevent Niles getting on regional boards, trustee says
Preston, who represents Niles on many regional boards such as the Northwest Municipal Conference and Solid Waste Agency of Cook County, observed that officials only rise to positions of leadership in regional organizations after a certain number of years, and term limits would likely prevent Niles' ascension on such policy-making bodies. Preston was the only trustee to completely oppose term limits.“
Is your position that Term Limits will not impact Niles’ ascension to regional boards?
CK
12:24 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
I come home for lunch and read the Preston letter. She makes sense to me. Then I read the KC and Matthew things and I lost my appetite. About KC- when I looked up other patch comments he has never asked these questions of other candidates. Matthew seems so concerned about orgs which have little to do with the election in Niles. There goes my little gal's great homemade schnitzel.
If she had a policy position x years ago and now it is different, her enemies will say “See, she’s inconsistent.” And her friends will say “See, she can admit she has a new view.”
If she had a policy position x years ago and now it is the same, he enemies will say “See, she hasn’t changed at all,” and her friends will say “She is consistent.”
The woman spoke her mind and Im glad. Maybe someday I can personally ask her but for the present I believe her and her comments have now settled my decision for Election Day. I like her. Unlike Lou Grant, I like a gal with spunk.
Matthew Lagodzinski
12:51 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
The point has nothing to do with the Organizations themselves, but relevant to the quote related to term limits and its impact on the Orgs. If there was a true concern in October that term limits can impact future participation, I would think that would continue to be debated and not retracted.
John P.
4:11 pm on Monday, March 18, 2013
I can only hope that we get a large turn out on April 9th not like the past elections.
We Love Niles
12:14 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Trustee Preston - Thank you so much for the the Letter to the Editor. As the saying goes - A lot of characters but not a lot of plot.
In the Patch - Meet the Candidates Page - On your page I asked the following question - I still have not heard your answer: (Please see Meet the Candidates Page - for Louella Preston).
Trustee Preston - Please with All Due Respect - Please can you give a more detailed answer to Question #4. (Copied and pasted from the meet the candidates page.)
4. What ideas do you have to improve the village, whether in services, economic development, transportation, outreach to residents, communication, environment or other areas?
Please be more specific on what YOU would do to improve the Village of Niles per the above question. You have been a Trustee in the Village of Niles for appx. 28 years, (since 1985 as per your answers to a candidate questionaire) and you cannot give more direct answers? - I as a Niles Tax-Payer await YOUR answers.
One more question may I ask - Do you Support or Oppose Term Limits? A very simple answer please - Either - YES I do support term limits OR / NO I do not support term limits. And the answer is...........?
Respectfully - Thank You.