Sparrow ‘dictatorship’

I noted in Thursday’s Star a highlighted front-page quote from mayoral candidate [Greg] Sparrow stating that government by committee didn’t work in the Soviet Union and it isn’t working here. Strange analogy; an accurate one would be that a one-man dictatorship didn’t work in the Soviet Union and it won’t work now in DeKalb.

Participatory democracy has flourished for more than 200 years in the United States and for the past four years in DeKalb under Mayor Bessie Chronopolous’ citizen-centered leadership. One of the many fruits of this has been a task force to study landlord-tenant relationships. As a former NIU Director of Housing, I know this is an issue of high importance to thousands of student tenants. This time it would be to the benefit of students to vote in large numbers to re-elect Bessie on Tuesday.

Don Buckner

DeKalb

Chronopoulos has shown closed door to residents

I would like to offer my view on two subjects: Bessie [Chronopoulos] and the Northland Plaza.

On Bessie: She states in Sunday’s Daily Chronicle that she believes in following the wishes of the citizens. How can she do that when she ignores the citizens? I have tried to contact her several times over the railport issue. She took my name and number, then never called back. I saw her at the railport meeting at the high school as I approached Mr. Conboy to discuss my concerns with him. I couldn’t reach my alderman, Kris Povlsen, and Bessie wasn’t returning calls. At that meeting, when I told Mr. Conboy she refused to return calls, Bessie informed me that she receives 10,000 calls A DAY. “I can’t possibly return phone calls with all those calls,” she said.

Now, this is not the first run-in with Bessie. The first one was back in the ‘70s when Tilton Park was fighting the city on the sidewalk issue. After a long and nasty fight, we were finally grandfathered into the charter as is — meaning we aren’t going to be forced to have sidewalks. After the final vote, Bessie stood up and stated, “I never want to see anyone from Tilton Park in MY chambers again.”

Open to the citizens? I don’t think so. I believe Bonnie Diedrich, in her letter to the Daily Chronicle, is 100 percent correct in saying it’s who you are. No ordinary citizen can call and approach Bessie. Look at her WINE and CHEESE party.

On Northland Plaza: Why is no one looking into the other shopping centers Freed and Associates are operating? How many do they have and how full are they? We are paying the city’s salaries. I don’t think it’s in our best interest to let Freed call the shots.

How about letting them develop the land they already own and fill the center to at least 80 percent, and then and only then talk about the city helping them? If, as indicated by other letters, the other centers are only half or less filled, do we want another flop here in DeKalb? The city owes the people who pay their salaries to NOT give away OUR money to an already-rich developer. Make them make good on Carson’s, a decent Penny’s (not like Charlestown) and other quality stores. Let them build and fill the center, then talk about incentives.

Don’t let them take our money and not give us quality. No more fast-food and clothing stores. We have enough secondary stores now. Don’t hide behind closed doors and give away the farm — or our integrity.

Carolyn Tatman

DeKalb

Democracy needs more listeners like Bessie

During our last heavily contested presidential elections, many polls were conducted on voter attitudes toward the impact they perceive to have over their own governance. These polls reported that the majority of people felt their votes were not going to make much of a difference, and had no real effect over the way that government influenced their lives. However, I am glad to report that such perceptions are ill-conceived as applied to our local DeKalb city government. Not only was the last mayoral election decided by only 49 votes in a town where the population exceeds 20,000 people, but also, even the way that residents influence the local authorities is more direct and responsive as a result of the policies of our current mayor, Bessie Chronopoulos. I am proud to openly endorse her in her bid for re-election in the upcoming DeKalb mayoral elections. As a student here at NIU, I have only spent a limited amount of time in the area. Living in other locations prior to my stint here in DeKalb has exposed me to some of the different ways

in which local authorities deal with their respective constituencies, and I can honestly say that nowhere have I ever seen as inclusive a process as I have in this very town.

Mayor Bessie’s approach is not only commendable, but it should also be heralded as the model to follow at all levels of governance if we are to consider this a true democratic society. Leadership is not closing the doors to differing policy alternatives for the sake of making any given decision above any other. True leadership speaks to all the relevant concerns affecting an issue openly and directly, which is exactly what I have personally seen Mayor Bessie do at every opportunity. In dealing with her I have come to understand that she believes in the resources and talents of the people in this community, and that the solutions to our problems are best sought through the wisdom of our collective experience rather than the arrogance of the few.

These times of increasing voter apathy and lack of citizen participation can only be countered by a system that remains accessible to the public.

The lessons we should be learning from our own attitudes are that we need government that listens to our concerns so as to encourage greater community involvement in dealing with our problems. Fortunately enough, we already have in Mayor Bessie the key to make our local authorities address the concerns of the people. It behooves us as citizens to become more involved in our local government, and I propose we start by re-electing Mayor Bessie on April 3. We owe it not only to her for her outstanding efforts, but also to ourselves as residents whose voices should continue to be heard.

Edwin Trinta

NIU law student

See Kent State photos for yourself at Stevens

In response to the OurOpinion article from Thursday about the Kent State shootings: The School of Theatre and Dance has a sandwichboard display in the Stevens Building lobby with color copies of “the photos,” one of a woman screaming, kneeling over a fallen fellow student (from Newsweek) and one of a man kneeling over a fallen fellow student (from Life magazine).

There are also other photos and articles in the lobby kiosk relating to Kent State and the U.S. premiere of the epic play, “The Terrible But Unfinished Story of Norodom Sihanouk, King of Cambodia,” about Cambodia during this period in history. The play has yet to be reviewed by the Northern Star, but comments about the play have been fantastic and the cast has received standing ovations. As you may know, the play is running:

Part 1 — Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Part 2 — Saturday, 7:30 p.m.

Part 1 — Sunday, 2 p.m.

Part 2 — Friday, April 6, 7:30 p.m.

Part 1 and 2 — Saturday, April 7, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

David Booth, marketing director

School of Theatre and Dance

Mayor has made sure students got fair shake

With regard to Tuesday’s letter entitled “Mayor needs to recognize students in the community,” I’m not certain what debate Mr. Fish went to, but if he claims that current Mayor Bessie Chronopoulos said she wants to keep student issues “at arm’s length,” it wasn’t the same NIU debate that I attended!

Bessie Chronopoulos has always been an advocate for students and has consistently supported legislation opposed by most of the community of landlords and developers. As alderman, she sponsored or supported a number of ordinances that protect students, including requiring smoke detectors, dead-bolt locks and proper procedures for the return of security deposits, creation of a human relations commission and creation of the NIU-DeKalb bus system (now the Huskie Bus Line).

As mayor, she ended the predatory practices of tow-truck drivers who would actively seek out and tow violators, then demand cash on the spot. She passed legislation to limit towing charges, to require towing companies to take credit cards or checks and to end “marauding” tow operators. As mayor, she worked with Ald. Small, the Greek community and city staff to install better lighting on Greek Row. Under Bessie, the city council expanded the human rights ordinance to include sexual orientation and — over the objection of union leaders — applied that ordinance fairly and uniformly even to city employees.

Most recently, she responded positively to a draft idea about a landlord-tenant ordinance and appointed a broadly representative committee that is examining landlord-tenant relations and which will provide specific recommendations for action to the city council. She appointed students to the liquor commission and to the search committee for the new police chief. This is anti-student? This is keeping student issues at arm’s length?

The only thing Bessie didn’t do is pass legislation letting 19-year-olds into bars. Unfortunately, that seems to be the only issue for some students. Somehow, these same individuals manage to ignore the fact that this issue was deferred time and time again under Mr. Sparrow’s administration, while in contrast they received a full and thorough hearing from the present city council. It’s important to distinguish between not getting what you want and not being heard on the issue. The comment by one student at the NIU debate, that underage fraternity members would only drink illegally at house parties, may well be true, but it also represents irresponsible behavior. Regardless of whether you believe the 21-year-old age limitation is bad law, no mayor or city council is ever going to place themselves in the position of condoning or ignoring violations of that law. If these individuals really believe that electing Mr. Sparrow mayor is going to get them into bars, and if that is the only issue that is important to them, then probably they should vote that way. On the other hand, anyone who is truly interested in the total welfare of the students, staff and faculty of this university, in my opinion, ought to vote for someone who cares about their concerns, and who has a consistent and exemplary track record of supporting students — Mayor Bessie Chronopoulos.

Thomas L. Sims, Ph.D.

Associate professor

Department of Biological Sciences

Chronopoulos helps NIU more than Sparrow did

I urge the students of NIU to help re-elect Bessie Chronopoulos as mayor of DeKalb, because she is the only candidate who has a record of working on issues that matter to students.

Bessie has worked hard to draw more shopping to the city. Many new stores and restaurants have opened, and two new malls are coming to Sycamore Road. That’s at least as good as Sparrow ever did.

Bessie has supported downtown’s redevelopment through the business-led Main Street program. As mayor, Sparrow opposed the Main Street initiative.

Bessie encouraged the city council to consider 19- and 20-year-old bar entry — an issue Sparrow never once brought to the council in his entire 16 years as mayor.

Bessie has assembled a task force to consider a tenants’ rights ordinance. Sparrow opposes the ordinance, claiming there is “no need” for it.

Bessie worked with the university to address safety on Annie Glidden Road. As mayor, Sparrow failed to notice Annie Glidden was a problem.

Under Bessie, the city began open discussion of racial profiling issues, a matter that had never been discussed under Sparrow.

Under Bessie, the city improved the lighting along Greek Row. Sparrow had 16 years to fix the problem, and he didn’t do it.

Bessie has appointed students to the Liquor Commission, to the Annie Glidden Safety Task Force, to the Economic Development Commission, and to the Tenant-Landlord Relations Task Force. Under Sparrow, most of these commissions did not exist because Sparrow prefers his own “strong leadership” over substantive input by students and other residents.

Bessie has brought students’ issues into the city council’s agenda. Sparrow wants to push them back out the door, saying the city should not address “social issues,’ a term that includes matters ranging from tenants’ rights to bar-entry rules, from public transport to racial profiling, from equal rights to Annie Glidden safety — all of them issues that matter to students.

Sparrow talks a good talk, but Bessie has a better act. Vote for Bessie Chronopoulos on Tuesday.

Edwin Zehner

Editor,

Southeast Asia publications

Southeast Asian Studies