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Community Corner

Lemont Village Board and Mayor go Rouge.

It's somewhat amusing to see how some members of the public are so very ignorant of how our representative form of government is actually supposed to work. The fact that the village board members and the mayor, in virtual secrecy, concocted and passed a plan that could obligate we taxpayers to be responsible for $21 million principle plus $13 million in interest to build an unasked for soccer complex on contaminated brownfield owned by the MWRD next to the open air sewer, aka the Sanitary and  Ship Canal apparently does not trouble some vocal, ill informed, individuals. They seem to buy into the fallacy proffered by the gang of six and the mayor, that once elected, they may do what they like. Their arrogant response that if you don't like what we do, then run against us is not how our form of government - a representative Democracy - is supposed to operate. Actually, once elected, it is their duty to ascertain how the majority of voters whom they represent would vote if given the opportunity. They are not supposed to act like "free agents" that can do what they like until the next election - thumbing their noses at any expression of voter dissatisfaction until then. The idea that 16,600 Lemonters have to accept the dictates of 6 board members is unconscionable regarding liability for over $34 million. After numerous meetings over the last year where the main demand made of the village board and the mayor was to merely let Lemonters vote on this secretive, very risky scheme, as well as a petition signed by 1,700 Lemonters demanding the same, their response is the same as when the public first heard about it: we're going to do this whether you like it or not! Having had to sit through Poly Sci 101 and 102 in college, and, more importantly, having served in the US Army for three years in defense of our people and our form of government, to see the blatant dishonoring of their duty and their arrogant defense of their conduct is infuriating to me. It should be the same for all of you as well. Don't let them get away with this hair brained scheme!!!

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