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Staackmann Took Lead To Bring Menards To Morton Grove
A Letter to the Editor by former Morton Grove trustee Joe Weiss.
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The following Letter to the Editor gives the opinions of the author. Patch.com provides a platform for writers to express their views.
One of the most critical challenges facing communities like Morton Grove is attracting and retaining successful retail businesses that can generate sales tax revenue to reduce the burden of property taxes on its residents.
During my service on the Morton Grove Village Board more than 10 years ago, Dan Staackmann, who then served on the Park District Board, approached me about an economic development lead for Menards for a then-vacant industrial property on Oakton near Lehigh.
At the time, Menards was located in Skokie near Niles West so it hadn't been on the Village of Morton Grove's radar. Though many of us were skeptical at the time that Menards would actually consider relocating to Morton Grove, I took the contact information that Dan had personally obtained from Menards and passed it along to Village staff.
With continued prodding from Dan, I pressed our staff to work with Menards about coming to Morton Grove and, at virtually no cost to taxpayers, we were eventually able to persuade them to build what is now the largest sales tax generator in the village.
Without Dan Staackmann's insight and persuasion, I'm not sure that would have happened. Ten years later, now-Mayor Staackmann continues to be a strong leader for economic development for Morton Grove and that's why I urge residents to support his re-election.
Joe Weiss
Morton Grove Village Trustee 1999-2003
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
Mr .Tom
8:21 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
That's great Joe he gave you a phone number. I wish Staackmann he had prodded the attorney's handling the Prarie View TIF to send out certified letters at the begininng of the processs so we wouldn't have to start all over again. More attorney fees, continued empty stores, and loss of confidence from the developers have resulted. I am talking about the mall at Dempster and Waukegan that should be our biggest sales tax generator and one day will be if those involved get their head on straight. Just Google Morton Grove TIF to read the whole story in the Champion. It's quite concerning.
MG Filipino
2:54 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
The village is run by professional staff, no? If they found and corrected some technical error now instead of much further along in the project, is that not what they are paid for? Dempster and Waukegan's mall without doubt will be rejuventated. Just what fees is Mr. Tom referencing or what loss of confidence does he know? Or is it merely political speculation on his part. If you lay blame at the Mayor, then you must blame all elected officials including his challengers. The right answer is blame none and let the staff do their job as I think they will all be more vigilent now.
Pat Craig
2:53 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
Well, I guess the genius of trustees Grear and DiMaria must have abandoned them too since neither seems to have sent out certified letters either. Trustee Grear perhaps I can understand, but the entrepeneurial DiMaria apparently ran out of gas here.
Brad
11:06 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
What fees? How about attorney fees and wasted time by salaried employees who have to start all over again. Nice try Pat trying to bring Di Maria in on this one but the blame is squarely on Staackmann who appointed or village administrator to oversee this mess. This one will not be swept under the rug by the "All is well crowd" leaving comments. When Di Maria first announced his candidacy he did it in the Dempster/Waukegan mall for a reason. To show the incompetence of the current mayor and his appointed department head.
Pat Craig
10:49 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Bill, (er Brad), I call B.S. on that comment. If DiMaria had a problem with theDempster/Waukegan mall AND had the best interetst of the residents of MG in mind, AND had something constructive to add why not do so then rather than have one of his surrogates come out afterward. Could it be because some of the Caucus brain trust thought it would make a good campaign issue? Here's a campaign tactic for trustee DiMaria, tell us the constructive and useful things he has done while in office and then tell us what he would do differently from what has already been done, (and that he subsequently voted for).