Mayor Ghilardi and Village Board Continue to Shut Out Lisle Residents

With more than 1,100 letters on public file against the Meijer development, "NO" recommendations by the Zoning Board, Plan Commission, outpouring of residence attendance at related meetings, additional letters and phone calls against the project, Mayor Ronald Ghilardi still believes the majority of Lisle residents favor the store. At Monday night's village board meeting (11/16/98) Scott Hardek asked him to prove it by calling for a referendum on the project.

As reported in The Daily Herald, "All we want is to vote," said Hardek, one of the key organizers of Citizens for Responsible and Appropriate Development in Lisle, or CRADL. "Allow us to be heard, and allow us to feel we are being heard." Ghilardi, who voted for Meijer on Nov. 2, 1998 along with four of the six trustees, said he will not ask for a referendum.

Trustee Joe Broda made a motion to put the Meijer project on the ballot, but the motion failed as no other trustee seconded it.

KEY: Before Meijer can proceed with the project, another written document will be submitted for review and approval by the Village Board. The board still has to give approval for the annexation and rezoning of the site. No date has been given for the next vote, it is suspected the vote may occur Dec. 7th.

Yes-to-Meijer voters, Trustees Pakenham and Hackleman <were> up for re-election in April, 1999. <They were booted out of office>