Lots of "New Action" in the village

Like Yogi Berra once said, it's "deja vu all over again."

In a story in the Morton Grove Champion, (http://mortongrove.suntimes.com/news/business/newproperty-MGC-01022014:article ). the village purchase of the old Maxwells' property at a cost of $1.4 million is discussed. Back a number of years ago, the village could have purchased this same property for the $700,000 that the current owner paid, but then village trustee DiMaria opposed doing so questioning the village "land banking". Funny how after the current owner supported DiMaria for mayor and makes a tidy profit on the land that suddenly this becomes a good idea.

In still another story in the Champion, (http://mortongrove.suntimes.com/news/business/prairieviewcenter-MGC-01022014:article ) the author tells how the village is frustrated at the lack of cooperation by the owners of Prairie View Shopping Center in redeveloping the parcel.

 Of course, this is after the village declared the area to be a TIF district yet failed to lock up a reasonable deal before finding itself in this untenable position.

 Later in the article, village attorney Liston states that the village could condemn the property under the new TIF. I smell another major real estate purchase by the village in the wind.

These two stories and the current flap over the GREEN BLISS medical marijuana clinic all have one thing in common... a village administration that is reactionary rather than one that has a well thought out and viable plan of governance.

We saw much of the same kind of disorganization and confusion, cronyism and poor decision making we suffered through during the Krier administration. Now, with many of the same folks with their hands on the political tiller, once again, it looks as though the good ship Morton Grove is headed for civic and financial disaster.

It has been said that there are three different kinds of political and civic leaders; those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who ask: "what happened?"

The current crop of "leaders" with Mayor DiMaria leading the charge are quickly showing us that "New Action" is just the "same old-same old".

...and the band plays; "Nearer my God to Thee."