Residents Focus on Walgreens, Commission Appointments at Council Meeting

Most of last night’s meeting was spent on public comments, long before the council even got to the active agenda or first reads.

Resident after resident came to the podium to voice their disapproval of the proposed Walgreens at the northwest corner of 63rd Street and Woodward Avenue, though the issue had been tabled until the April 3 meeting at the petitioner’s request.

A couple residents pulled in the comprehensive plan, saying Walgreens didn’t fit in with it.

“I would expect nothing other than a denial,” when the Walgreens issue finally comes up for a vote, one woman said.

Two petitions circulating the neighborhood have garnered 470 and 193 signatures.

Mayor Martin Tully responded only a few times to the comments, but did say Downers Grove wanted to create an environment that attracts businesses.

“We try to lay out rules about what should go where and what it should look like, and what we’re struggling with is 'does this fit?'” Tully said.

He said they were trying to take into account all the various issues.

“Obviously, economic development is a priority,” he said. “Not at all costs, but it is a priority.”

Several residents also expressed their disappointment with the council’s dealings with Mark Thoman regarding his nomination and appointment to the Environmental Concerns Commission and the council’s backtracking at a previous council meeting.

Resident John Schofield, and others, said they were “profoundly disappointed", “embarrassed for” and “disillusioned” with the council. Thoman is well qualified and knowledgeable, several residents vouched.

Schofield said the council’s behavior was shameful and this was an example of “good people harmed by malicious rumor and anonymity.”

“I’m very disappointed to say the council’s behavior discourages other fine residents from volunteering their time,” he said.

Tully commented very little, but he did say that the lack of comments or responses by the council did not indicate a position one way or the other.

Towards the end of the meeting Commissioner Bob Barnett said resident comments suggesting the Thoman situation was politically-based were a “baseless assumption.” The assumptions made about the motivations of the council are not fair, he said.