As I promised, I went to the 5/25/21 Bolingbrook Board meeting to ask a question:
Shortly before I arrived, I decided to praise the board for proclaiming June as Pride Month. Before 2018, it was unthinkable that anything LGBTQ+ related would occur in Bolingbrook. Through Bolingbrook Pride’s activism, that’s changed, and this is the first year Bolingbrook has issued a proclamation recognizing Pride Month. Good behavior should be rewarded. I could have gone on about homophobia, but I think Bolingbrook Pride’s representative and the text of the proclamation did a better job than I would have.
As for my question about the candidate for acting trustee, I sincerely want to know what the candidate selection process is. When I used to attend board meetings in person, I was there to hear what the leadership (Roger) had to say, and learn their reasons for their actions. I never went there to create a scene (like certain watchdogs like to do.) It was a great way to get story ideas and still is, though I’ve had to switch to watching over the Internet due to the travel time.
I will admit, I was a bit concerned about how the trustees would react to my in-person visit since 2017. Turns out, I had nothing to worry about. Deputy Mayor Michael Lawler greeted me and worked with me on when I could deliver my comment. The rest didn’t say anything. Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta was out, as was Trustee Maria Zarate. Former Mayor Roger Claar wasn’t there. I felt I had the opportunity to recalibrate the fictional versions I write about, and it was a chance to remind ourselves that we’re real humans.
So while it wasn’t my best public speech, it was worth the trip back to Village Hall. If Alexander-Basta answers my question, I’ll write about her answer here.
I just looked at Bolingbrook on google maps for the first time, where it shows the city limits, in all their jagged glory. I think Bolingbrook must be the winner in the apparent contest to maximize the ratio of a town’s perimeter to its area. A lot of businesses successfully got themselves inelegantly excluded from the tax base in a way that makes it obvious was done only as “special” favors.
Yes. I said it. What about it?
Bruce: Just to be clear, you’re saying the boundaries were set up so these businesses could be close to Bolingbrook, yet not pay Bolingbrook taxes?
I know the boundaries have changed over the years, and more than one mayor was responsible for the changes. The portion of Bolingbrook that is South of the I-55 Bridge is there because Bolingbrook wanted the revenue from Old Chicago. Part of a road was annexed so the Village could add a stoplight to deter street racers. The village is also currently in an annexation court battle so it can force Henry James to remove cars he’s been storing on his land.