Neighbors Object To Hinsdale Pantry Plan

HINSDALE, IL – The Hinsdale food pantry hopes to move to the old Hinsdale Humane Society building near Elm and Walnut streets. But neighbors question the plan, particularly the effects on parking and traffic.

The Village Board took up the issue at its meeting this week.

Since last year, HCS Family Services has been looking to move the pantry from Memorial Hall, which also houses the village government. The pantry, which has been in the building for nearly a century, says it has outgrown its space.

To address parking concerns, the pantry says it will have four cars at a time park at the building at 22 N. Elm St., while others will wait in the parking lot at the nearby Hinsdale Seventh-Day Adventist Church. People will pick up their food during limited hours twice a week, according to the pantry.

"The staff here and HCS have gone to great lengths, probably greater lengths than I personally would have, to appease some of the neighbors' concerns," Trustee Luke Stifflear said.

He said the pantry would have less effect on the neighborhood than the Humane Society.

Richard Paul, who lives in the 200 block of East Walnut Street, talked about his concerns with parking and traffic. He questioned why the Humane Society was increasing parking if it would only allow four people at a time, to which officials said the pantry needed spots for employees and volunteers.

Then Paul started discussing the organizational structure of the pantry over the last century. This prompted Village President Tom Cauley to break in and ask for Paul's "punchline."

When Paul said traffic was his concern, Cauley said the pantry would have four cars at a time, which would be memorialized in the village code.

Then Paul brought up the predecessor organization to HCS, prompting Cauley to say, "It doesn't matter."

Paul's neighbor, Scott Salenko, said he did not think officials had been open with the public about the plan.

Cauley broke in by saying, "We're having this meeting for this purpose." And Stifflear said a community meeting was held in April.

When Cauley tried to interrupt Salenko again, the resident said, "Excuse me, is this public comment? I just saw you interrupt Rich. Is this my time or not?"

He added, "The way you dismissed Rich and spoke to him in front of the committee is inexcusable."

Salenko took exception to the pantry's proposed curbside pickup hours, which are set for 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Mondays and 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays. He said the Monday hours would coincide with students such as his child walking home from school.

Stifflear and Cauley agreed Salenko made a point and that they would talk about moving the Monday hours earlier.

The Village Board may vote on the zoning request at a meeting in a couple of weeks.