By Peter von Buol
Special to Inside
The on going saga of the East Lake View Neighbors Association continues as some members of the neighborhood group are unhappy with proposed changes to its by-laws.
If approved, changes in the group's by-laws would increase the term length of the officers and board members from their current one year to a proposed two-year term length. Next year's election will serve as a transition period, as the terms of half of the organization's current board members and officers would be extended in a random drawing.
EVLN member Karen Kennedy says she believes some of the current leaders of the EVLN are more interested in their own business interests than they are in the interests of residents and small business owners of East Lake View.
Interestingly, the proposed changes also include a formal change as to how candidates are selected to serve for the following year. A nominating committee composed of three members would choose the slate of officers and directors that would be voted upon at the group's next annual meeting. Members would be mailed the names of these candidates two weeks prior to the annual meeting. Nominations from the floor would only be allowed during the actual meeting and would not be allowed in advance.
Kennedy says she believes the proposed changes to the EVLN by-law will complete the transformation of what once was a true neighborhood organization into one which represents the business interests of the bar owners and rooftops that surround Wrigley Field.
Introduced at a meeting that took place at the Cubby Bear Lounge on the night of Sept. 11, the by-law changes were not debated.
According to the organization's chair, Bonnie Leracz, the proposed changes were introduced at the September meeting so members will have time to carefully study them. The changes will be discussed and debated at a meeting that will take place during the final quarter of 2003.
Leracz says she supports the changes to the by-laws because she believes the longer terms will give the organization greater stability. It will also allow future officers and board members to benefit the neighborhood organization with their added experience.
Kennedy said it would be difficult for her to support the by-law changes as they were drafted by Michael Lavelle, a current EVLN board member who also serves as legal advisor to another member, George Loukas.
Loukas, who was briefly present at the start of the September meeting, is best known as owner of the Cubby Bear and numerous other business properties including exclusive rooftops which surround Wrigley Field.
"These rule changes, drafted by acclaimed election attorney and board member Mike Lavelle, prove this organization has been railroaded," says Kennedy.
Kennedy says she is bothered by other proposed changes to the by-laws, including one that would allow the annual meeting to be held anytime during the first three months of the year. The current by-laws call for the annual meeting to take place in January.
"[If the proposed changes take effect,] just when an election meeting is, as usual, will be up to the whim of the board. A January meeting is being eliminated under these changes. The meeting can [then] occur anytime from January to March," adds a dismayed Kennedy.
Kennedy continues with harsh words for proposed changes to the EVLN nomination process. "Instead of allowing people to be nominated from the floor in advance of an election, nominations [if approved] are now being done by the Board itself. Alternative nominations are allowed from the floor on the day of the election, after voting is concluded. Insane, yet that is precisely what occurred in the last election. What a sham," says Kennedy.
Lavelle once served as chairman of the Cook County Board of Elections and now practices as an election-law attorney. His client list includes the former mayor of Calumet City, Greg Skubisz, who was forced from office amid charges of vote fraud.
"We who live in Wrigley and don't make money from or live off those who make money here, have no local group. These [proposed rule changes] are designed to allow the bars and the rooftops to continue their stranglehold on what once was a neighborhood group," laments Kennedy.
Many of the buildings that surround Wrigley Field have been transformed from actual homes and apartments into for-profit commercial ventures with multi-level stadium seating.
According to Loukas' own Web site, cubbybear.com, the rental fee for the use of one of his Wrigley Field rooftops can range up to $22,500 for a regular season game.
The mission statement of the East Lake View Neighbors Association describes itself "as a non-profit group established to provide an opportunity for those who live, work or are interested in our community to work together to improve the quality of living in the [East Lake View] neighborhood."
The neighborhood group is an affiliate of the Lake View Citizens Council.
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